Lifting Equipment

General

Lifting equipment and cranes are exposed to severely corrosive conditions that occur in below-ground conditions. An examination should be carried out taking this factor into consideration and testing all the equipment for proper lifting (BS 6164: 21.1).

Cranes

Cranes at Shaft

The crawler, mobile and gantry type of cranes are considered among the most appropriate for tunnel and shaft construction and are more suitable for shallow shafts as well. Standard cranes should not be used for deeper shafts due to the length of the hoist rope needed.

In order to minimize settlement, a platform for sitting the crane should be designed, care should be taken to ensure that the loads imposed by the crane on the ground do not affect the shaft walls or the tunnel. Also, any sinking from the shaft should not affect the crane stability.

Care should be taken so that when the hook is at full depth in the shaft bottom, there should be at least two full turns of rope remaining on the hoist drum (BS 6164: 21.2.1).

Adequate personnel clearance should be provided around the crane; otherwise, access to areas of restrictive clearance should be avoided when the crane is in operation (BS 6164: 21.2.2).

Long Loads

Stability and security of the load should be assured at all times, and the lifting speed should be controlled to prevent the load from swinging out of control.

Personnel during the hoisting operation should be safely positioned at all times and the shaft should be cleared from any other persons (BS 6164: 21.2.3).

MUST KNOW

According to Alberta OHS Code Part 6, Section 69(1)

An employer must ensure that work is managed, if it is reasonable and  practicable, so that a load does not pass over workers.

Lifting Accessories

Only suitable and certified lifting accessories should be used for all loads including chains, slings, rope slings and lifting equipment, and copies of the test certifications should be kept on site (BS 6164: 21.2.4).

MUST KNOW

According to Alberta OHS Code Part 6, Section 61

An employer must permanently and legibly identify all component parts of a specific make and model of lifting device including major structural, mechanical and electrical components.

Winches

For hoisting loads, only winches that are designed for that purpose should be used and should be fitted with powered-off brakes.

Records of all the inspection and maintenance of the winches and related equipment should be instituted and maintained.

Lining bolts and sockets could be used as anchorage points only if the safe loading capacity has been ascertained (BS 6164: 21.3).

Material Hoist

When the hoist is controlled by the operator, the operator should be able to observe the load at any time during travel.

In case of automatic hoists, all moving parts or materials being hoisted should be fully enclosed to avoid access from persons with interlocked gates at all landing points.

Communication

Communication for control of all hoisting operations should be kept between the surface and all working levels, and to exchange information about the moving loads.

In case the hoist operator does not have a full uninterrupted load of the view, a safe system should allow the operator to see and control the load and/or to be instructed to move the load. This can include the use of:

• 1. radios;

  2. banksmen;

  3. CCTV;

  4. signal lights;

  5. audible signals;

  6. remote control.

These systems should be used to enhance operator's visibility and/or communications, but they should not replace the normal checks (BS 6164: 21.5).

Carriage of persons

General

Persons should be carried on a crane or hoist only if the equipment was built for that purpose (BS 6164: 21.6.1).

Use of Crane

If a crane is used, it should be constructed with a cage to enclose the passengers fully, and should be equipped with an inward opening gate. This should be rated for a maximum load which should be indicated for the users (BS 6164: 21.6.2).

Injured Persons

There should be a provision capable of lifting injured persons in horizontal positions, a basket stretcher is one option. First aid qualified personnel should operate the system to avoid worsening any injury (BS 6164: 21.6.4).

MUST KNOW

Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code Relevant to the Topic

According to the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Code (current as of January 1, 2019) an employer must follow the following:

According to Part 6, Section 60

An employer must ensure that any non-commercially manufactured lifting device is deemed fit and safe for use as a lifting device. It should be certified by a professional engineer before usage.

According to Part 6, Section 62(1)

An employer must ensure that a lifting device has a plate or weatherproof label permanently secured to it that legibly shows

(a) the manufacturer’s rated load capacity,

(b) the manufacturer’s name, and

(c) the model, serial number and year of manufacture or shipment date.

According to Part 6, Section 62(2)

If a lifting device is not commercially manufactured, an employer must ensure that it has a plate or weatherproof label permanently secured to it that legibly shows the rated load capacity according to the professional engineer’s certification.

According to Part 6, Section 63(1)

An employer must ensure that a mobile crane or boom truck is equipped at all times with load charts showing the rated load capacity of the mobile crane or boom truck at all permitted boom angles and boom radii.

According to Part 6, Section 63(2)

An employer must ensure that a tower crane has a load chart

(a) conspicuously and permanently secured to the cab, and

(b) showing the manufacturer’s rated capacity loads at various radii of a two-part line and a four-part line separately.

According to Part 6, Section 64(1)

An employer must ensure that a lifting device is only operated by a competent worker authorized by the employer to operate the equipment.

According to Part 6, Section 64(2)

At the employer’s request, an operator, before operating a lifting device, must be able to demonstrate that the worker is competent in the equipment’s operation and knowledgeable about load charts and the code of signals for hoisting operations.

According to Part 6, Section 64(3)

No worker other than the competent worker authorized by the employer may operate a lifting device.

According to Part 6, Section 64(4)

Before operating a particular lifting device, the operator must be familiar with all recent entries in its log book.

According to Part 6, Section 65(1)

An employer must have a paper or electronic log book for each lifting device at a work site.

According to Part 6, Section 66

If the lifting device operator has any doubts and problems about safety of surrounding workers of the lift, the operator must not move any equipment or load until the operator ensures that the working conditions are safe.

According to Part 6, Section 68

For the operator to readily and accurately determine the weight of the load to be lifted, employer must ensure that all information needed must be given to the operator or person in charge of a lift.

According to Part 6, Section 68.1

When a lift is exceeding 75 percent of a crane’s rated capacity, an employer must ensure that a lift calculation is well completed.

According to Part 6, Section 74(1)

An employer must ensure that a container used for a load being lifted by a hoist is designed for that particular purpose and bears a marking to indicate its maximum load rating.

According to Part 6, Section 74(2)

A person must not use an oil drum or similar container as a container for a load being lifted by a hoist unless the drum or container is hoisted in a cage designed for that purpose.

According to Part 6, Section 75

An employer must ensure that an A-frame or gin pole

(a) is not inclined more than 45 degrees from the vertical,

(b) is equipped with a boom stop, and

(c) has the sheave and cap of its rigging attached securely enough to the gin pole to withstand any loads to which the assembly may be subjected.

According to Part 6, Section 75.1(1)

An employer must ensure that

(a) a commercially manufactured suspended personnel basket is erected, used, operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications or specifications certified by a professional engineer, or

(b) a suspended personnel basket that is not commercially manufactured is designed and certified by a professional engineer.

According to Part 6, Section 75.1(2)

Despite section AOHS Part 9: 147, if it is not practicable to provide a separate personal fall arrest system using a vertical lifeline for each worker in the man basket, an employer must ensure that

(a) a separate support is attached between the suspended personnel basket and the hoist line above the hook assembly that is capable of withstanding the weight of the personnel basket, materials, equipment and workers should the hook assembly fail, and

(b) each worker within the personnel basket is wearing a separate personal fall arrest system attached to the personnel basket.

AOHS Part 14: 208(1)

An employer must provide, where reasonably practicable, appropriate equipment for lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, handling or transporting heavy or awkward loads.

AOHS Part 14: 208(2)

An employer must ensure that workers use the equipment provided under AOHS Part 14: 208(1).

AOHS Part 14: 208(3)

Workers must use the equipment provided for lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, handling or transporting heavy or awkward loads.

AOHS Part 14: 208(3)

For the purposes of AOHS Part 14: 208, a heavy or awkward load includes equipment, goods, supplies, persons and animals.

AOHS Part 14: 209

If the equipment provided under section 208 is not reasonably practicable in a particular circumstance or for a particular heavy or awkward load, the employer must take all practicable means to

(a) adapt the load to facilitate lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, handling or transporting the load without injuring workers, or

(b) otherwise minimize the manual handling required to move the load.