Crane Training



   �   Information Reduces Risk



Crane training is required for all individuals who wish to use the crane at CAMD. This

manual is presented as a guide and may be used for retraining/re-certification only. Initial

training in crane safety requires an appointment made through CAMD safety and a

minimum of a two hour time commitment to learn about general crane safety rigging and

lifting procedures. You may contact CAMD safety by dialing 8-4616 from any CAMD

facility phone or from the LSU campus. Those wishing to reach CAMD safety from other

locations should dial 225-578-4616. This document contains information of use for all

individuals using the crane at the CAMD facility.



The CAMD crane was manufactured by Gaffey Crane Company of Houston, Texas. It is

equipped with a two ton limit crane hook. Gaffey performs yearly maintenance and

emergency repairs. A spreader bar is also available, which has the advantage of

distributing the weight of the load on two hooks.



Rigging materials are available in the electrical room of the utility building of CAMD.

Always inspect all rigging before use. Be aware that it is easy to damage nylon rigging on

sharp or protruding corners.



                                    Safety Instructions



       Do not lift people and never ride the hoisting load.

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       Do not lift load over people. No one shall be under the hoisting load.

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       Make sure the sling is well balanced. Avoid tip loading, and loading on hook

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       latch.

       Never lift the load over the rated capacity.

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       Do not operate with kinked, twisted or damaged chain.

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       Avoid side pull or end pull, and quick reversal operations.

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       Never leave the suspended load unattended.

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       Make sure you take up slack slowly.

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In addition to improper rigging, cranes hitting overhead obstacles represent the most

frequent hazards of crane operation. Before beginning a lift, clearly inspect the entire

proposed path of the crane, paying particular attention to overhead obstacles (especially

overhead electrical hazards which could be fatal) and whether the path of the crane will

pass directly overhead of any individuals. Always have a spotter available, particularly in

blind spots. Never exceed the crane capacity and never attempt a critical lift unless you

have years of experience in utilizing the CAMD crane. A critical lift is defined as one

exceeding 90% of the rated capacity of the crane. For the CAMD crane, a critical lift is

greater than 3600 pounds.



A crane is a vertical lifting device. It should never be used to drag or pull a load. Always

position the crane directly perpendicular to the load to be lifted. Non-vertical lifts can

damage both the crane and the rigging materials and may result in improper wrapping

around the drum. If the drum wraps are not seated in the proper position, immediately

cease crane operation and inform facility maintenance.



An operator who leaves a load suspended and unattended is subject to disciplinary action,

which may include revocation of his or her license to operate the crane.







                                  Checking Limit Switch



       Move crane to open area.

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       No load should be on hoist lines.

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       Slowly run (#2 position) block up to 3� from limit switch and stop.

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       Continue to raise hook slowly (#1 position).

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       If limit switch does not operate at point where it should, don’t use crane.

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The first procedure in any crane lift is to assess the valid performance of the limit

switches of the crane. To accomplish this task, run the length of the crane rope to the

lower limit. For CAMD, this limit is approximately 4 inches from the floor. Make sure

that at least 2.5 wraps remain on the drum. Once the lower limit switch has been tested,

raise the crane hook to the upper limit switch, all the while making sure the rope wraps

correctly. There should be no cross wrapping or ill sitting of the rope on the grooves of

the drum. Ensure the top limit switch stops before hitting the drum. As you approach the

top limit switch slow the crane from the fastest position (3) to the slowest position (1) to

prevent hitting the upper limit. If either limit fails the crane should be locked out. The

electrical control panel for the operation of the crane is to the left of the experimental hall

door (on the receiving side) adjacent to the log-out tags. Pull the lever down to place in

the off position.







                               Inspection and Maintenance



       Inspection and lubrication are done twice yearly.

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       Daily before operating:

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       o Check battery

       o Check all controls

       o Visually inspect

                        Wire rope for kinks or damage

                        Sheaves, drums for damage

                        Upper and lower limit switches.



CAMD maintains a rigorous inspection program. All maintenance is performed only by

qualified personnel. Being a qualified CAMD crane operator does not qualify one as

maintenance personnel. Maintenance is required whenever a wire has wrapped

incorrectly on the drum or a limit switch fails in either the upper or lower modes. In case

of any suspected failure the operator must immediately cease operation, remove power

from the crane and inform the facility management or CAMD safety. Place a lockout tag

on the remote control unit. All CAMD crane operations are conducted using the portable

remote control for the crane. After retrieving the remote control, check the level of the

battery. If the battery does not register in the green, replace the battery before continuing.

Collect suitable slings for properly securing all loads. Examine slings for any defects.

Before beginning any lift, check upper and lower limit switches without any weight

attached. The crane limit is 2 tons (4000 pounds) which must include the weight of all

rigging equipment. A scale is available to check overall weight.



Once the crane has been established to be working properly, rig the load properly,

attaching tag lines for loads which might be susceptible to swing. Always ascertain that

the area over which the load will travel, is free and clear of personnel or other potential

obstacles.







                                          Rigging



       Loads should be well secured.

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       Slings should be adequate to the task.

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       Slings should be unkinked and load balanced and secured.

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       No sudden stops.

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       No obstructions while lifting or traveling.

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       No loose items on load or crane before lift.

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       Bumping into runway stops is prohibited.

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       Hoist line must be vertical prior to the lift (remove slack in the hoist slowly).

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       No crane load should pass overhead of personnel, clear the area before making the

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       lift.

       No one is to ride the crane without permission.

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The most important job of any crane operation is rigging of the load. Poor rigging may

result in personnel injury, property damage, or other serious hazards. Rigging is the most

time consuming of any crane operation and represents the single most hazardous potential

of crane operation. In a multi-sling operation, each leg must be of the same length and

must contribute equally to load distribution. Nylon slings are susceptible to damage by

sharp corners on the item to be rigged. Caution must be taken to ensure that slings are not

damaged by sharp corners or by excessive loading. Rigging requires years of practice to

perfect. If in doubt about the security of your rigging, ask for help.





Rigging should be checked by lifting the load a few inches off the ground to ensure that

no swing develops and that the load is completely secure. Remember it is important to

take the time to accomplish this task correctly. Not doing so may result in catastrophic

consequences. One of the most important things to check before lifting a load is to look

for loose items, such as screws or tools which may have been used to secure the load.

Such items can become projectiles during a lift. This is the reason why crane operators or

especially tag line operators should wear hard hats when operating the crane and why it is

essential to make sure the path of the crane does not pass over the head of any individual.







                                      Center of Gravity









It is always important in rigging practice to rig the load so that it is stable. A stable load is

one in which the center of gravity of the load is directly below the main hook and below

the lowest point of attachment of the slings.The center of gravity of an object is that point

at which the object will balance. The entire weight may be considered as concentrated at

this point. A suspended object will always move so that the center of gravity is below the

point of support. In order to make a level or stable lift, the crane or hook block must be

directly above this point. Thus a load which is slung above and through the center of

gravity will be stable and will not tend to topple or slide out of the slings.



Predicting the center of mass for an object to be lifted is not a trivial matter. It may

require several attempts at rigging to find the appropriate balance point. Many objects are

not rectangular such that predicting the center of mass is often difficult. In all crane lifts

the center of mass must remain below the hook and below the point of attachment for any

rigging. A center of mass above the hook is inherently unstable and will cause the load to

flip. Similarly, loads which are not balanced in the horizontal plane may slip from the

rigging. The overall stability of the load is a combination of balance with respect to

center of mass, weight distribution, and rigging tightness.

                                     Weight Vs Angle









The angle at which a sling holds a given load influences the effective weight of the load.

Stresses are minimal for loads with slings held perpendicular to the load, as shown in

Figure A. For distributing the load vertically among more than a single leg of a sling, a

spreader bar may be used. As shown in figures B-D, increasing the angle of the sling to

the hook from 30 to 60 degrees increases the effective mass of the load from 1154 lbs to

2000 lbs, essentially doubling the weight on each leg of the sling at 60 degrees. The chart

in the middle offers a handy guide for assessing the effective angle of the sling to the

relative weight. Thus, it is always better to limit the angle of the sling. Further, such

changes in sling angle must be accounted for in lifts that are close to the sling weight

limit and/or for critical lifts (greater than 90% of the crane limit). Crane operators should

download a copy of this chart and carry it with them during crane operations.

                                      Sling Position









Crane lifts require the use of slings. Slings are generally made of nylon or wire mesh.

Nylon slings have the advantage of being easy to wrap around a load but can be easily cut

or damaged if used improperly. Nylon slings which have been mishandled are subject to

bleed-through. A red ink mark appears on the surface at the point of damage. Inspect all

slings before use. Wire slings should have no more than two wires out of nine broken.

Discard all damaged slings immediately.



Rigging slings may be utilized in three basic manners. Each sling carries with it a label

with rated weight limit capacities for vertical, choker, or basket configurations. The

basket configuration, which is analogous to using a spreader bar to distribute the weight

on two legs instead of a single vertical sling, represents the highest rated capacity. This

basket configuration is roughly twice as strong as the vertical configuration. A typical

example would be a basket configuration with a 7200 lbs capacity would have a vertical

capacity limit of only 3600 lbs. Taking a single sling and using it in the choker

configuration would further degrade the capacity of the sling, dropping the rate of

capacity of 3600 lbs in the vertical position to 2900 lbs in the choker position. Thus, in

addition to the sling angle, sling position must be considered for all crane lifts.

                                        Signals



                                  HOIST: With forearm

                              �

                                  vertical, forefinger

                                  pointing up, move hand

                                  in small horizontal

                                  circles.

                                  LOWER: With arm

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                                  extended downward,

                                  forefinger pointing

                                  down, move hand in

                                  small horizontal circles.

                                  BRIDGE TRAVEL:

                              �

                                  Arm extended forward,

                                  hand open and slightly

                                  raised, make pushing

                                  motions in direction of

                                  travel.

                                  TROLLEY TRAVEL:

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                                  Palm up, fingers closed,

                                  thumb pointing in

                                  direction of motion,

                                  jerk hand horizontally.

                                  STOP: Arm extended,

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                                  palm down, hold

                                  position rigidly.

                                  EMERGENCY STOP:

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                                  Arm extended, palm

                                  down, move hand

                                  rapidly right and left.

                                  An emergency stop

                                  signal must be accepted

                                  from any person.

                                  MOVE SLOWLY: Use

                              �

                                  one hand to give any

                                  motion signal and place

                                  other hand motionless

                                  in front of hand

                                  engaging in motion

                                  signal.









The emergency stop signal is a horizontal hand wave of the extended arm. It is important

to immediately react because the person giving the signal may have knowledge that the

crane operator does not, including: better view, knowledge of hazards, etc.

Obey all STOP signals regardless of who gives them.

Other than EMERGENCY STOP, signals should be accepted from only one person at a

time (normally the spotter for the operator).

Use standard crane signals and do not move unless directions are clear.

Know standard hand signals (shown above).

Hand signals are important because background noise may make communication

difficult.







                                          Safe Lifts





In order to make a safe lift the following information must be known



        Weight of item to be lifted (total).

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        Center of gravity of the load.

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        How to rig the load.

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        How to control the load at all times.

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The capacity of the CAMD crane is 4000 pounds. The weight limitation occurs because

of the small hook attached to the lifting mechanism. Stabilization of the loads may be

made possible by the use of a spreader bar, which gives 2 points of attachment, instead of

the usual one point. The weight of the spreader bar must be included in the total weight of

the lift. A crane scale is available to ascertain the total weight of the lift . Once the weight

has been determined to be within the crane capacity, it is necessary to determine the

center of mass. Loads not accurately balanced will tip or swing and result in a hazardous

lifting environment. Light loads are apt to swing more readily and may require

attachment of one or more tag lines to impair rotation of the load. This requires 1 or more

individuals in addition to the crane operator.







                                 Operator Dos and Don’ts





        Do not eat or drink.

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        Do not sleep.

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        Never divert attention when there is a load.

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        Practical jokes are forbidden.

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        Do not use alcohol or other intoxicants.

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        Do not operate if taking medication.

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Crane operation is a serious responsibility which should never be taken lightly. A

properly trained crane operator will never approach another crane operator during a lift

unless he/she observes a hazardous situation which requires immediate cessation of the

lift. People with poor peripheral vision or diminished capacity due to ingestion of pain

relievers, decongestant or other medication which may impair their mental acuity should

not operate any crane. The use of alcohol or other intoxicants by crane operator is strictly

forbidden and will result in loss of crane operator privileges.







                                  Crane Safety After Use



       Spot crane in the approved location.

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       Lower the load to the ground.

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       Disconnect the load and slings

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       Raise all the hooks to upper limit switch.

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       Place all controls to off position.

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       Visually check for dangerous conditions

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       Never leave a load unattended.

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After completion of a safe lift, spot the crane in an approved location. The CAMD crane

should never be left directly over the 90 degrees bending magnet of the storage ring

because the bulk of the crane can act as a strong scattering force and contribute to sky

shine radiation. Never leave a load attached to the crane and if you must absent yourself

from the locale of the load, always take the controller with you. Always lower the load

completely to the ground and give yourself some slack in the slings before attempting to

remove the rigging from the crane hooks. Remember only vertical lifts must be made and

dragging of the load horizontally is specifically forbidden. Ensure that the operator can

see all potential hazards clearly at all times; otherwise, a crane spotter is necessary for all

lifts. Once crane rigging is removed, return crane hook to upper limit switch. This will

prevent the potential for the crane hook to hit any potential obstacles when the crane is

next moved along its circular path.







                             Crane and Rigging Safety Rules



       Check limit switches before rigging the load

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       Make sure the load does not exceed rated capacity.

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       Know the center of gravity of the load.

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       Attach load above the center of gravity for stability.

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       Select hitch that will control the load.

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       Know the rated capacities of rigging and slinging

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       Inspect all rigging before use

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       Protect the sling from sharp corners.

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       Allow for increased tension due to sling angle.

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       Equalize loading on multiple leg slings

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       Allow for load reductions when using choker hitches

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       Attach tag line prior to lift.

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       Keep personnel clear of lift area.

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       Wear hard hats when making overhead lifts.

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       Lift load a few inches and verify rigging.

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       Check for any loose items.

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       Know limitations of hoisting device.

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       Start and stop SLOWLY! Watch for obstructions (not only hook and load but

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       outboard end of the bridge).

       Check pathway is clear before making a lift (use a spotter for blind spots).

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       Verify hook completely closes.

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       Use appropriate hand signals.

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       Maintain load control at all times.

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       Report suspected drum wrappings immediately (if drum has fewer 2.5 wraps

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       remaining).

       Never leave load unattended.

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                                    Crane Personnel



       Person must be able to read and speak the English language fluently.

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       Person must be 18 years of age and familiar with normal operating practices and

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       procedures.

       Person must have good hearing and vision (with or without correction) and must

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       have good depth perception.

       Person must not be afflicted with any known heart or other health conditions that

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       might cause sudden loss of ability to react.

       Person must have been adequately instructed for crane operation.

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       Operator must be qualified to rig the load safely. Qualification is a demonstrated

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       ability to rig a load as a part of crane training.The operator must have recieved

       training which includes theory, practice and testing.



Before operating a crane with which the operator is not familiar, the operator must read

the instructions provided by the manufacturer and note any special instructions, paying

particular attention to the function and operation of each control.



Each crane operator should be held directly responsible for the safe operation of the crane

or hoist. Whenever there is any doubt as to safety, the operator should stop the crane and

refuse to handle loads until safe conditions have been restored.

There is a minimum requirement of 18 years of age and fluency in the English language

to operate the CAMD crane. Persons must also have good hearing and peripheral vision.

These attributes are necessary for safe operation of the crane. All crane operators must

have have received training including: written materials; hands on experience; and testing

of knowledge, both written and practical. Persons must also have had some training in the

important fundamentals of rigging loads. Crane operators using a new lifting device must

be familiar with the manufacturer's directions, noting any special instructions. No lifts

over 100% rated capacity may be made without the prior written consent of the CAMD

safety operator.