Safety Factors for Overhead Hoists in Construction

Overhead hoists are essential to the construction industry for moving heavy, oversized loads. The use of this large equipment requires attention to the significant safety hazards associated with moving materials overhead. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has safety guidelines in place to minimize the risk of hazards that can cause accidents in construction work sites.

Load Limits

• For increased safety, overhead hoists have load limitations that specify the maximum weight that each hoist may carry in a single event. The load limits are set by the manufacturer, who makes each hoist capable of lifting and moving certain weights. It is the construction team's responsibility to know what the maximum load limits are, so that they do not prepare the hoist to lift a load that exceeds the limit. Doing so can cause the crane and hoist to malfunction, and may cause a struck by risk, or even fatalities, to the workers in the construction site if the load falls from overhead.

Operations

• Overhead hoists must be handled by operators who are qualified to do so. Qualified operators have received specific training on how to operate overhead hoists, so that safety around the construction zone is increased. One of the rules that OSHA enforces relative to trained operators is that they learn to avoid carrying loads over other workers. Instead, hoist operators must learn to assess work zones and select a transport route that is clear of people below. Qualified operators also must test the hoist with no loads at the beginning of each shift. Power and other electrical buttons must be pushed and tested to ensure that the machinery functions safely.

Obstructions

• When operating overhead hoists the construction environment must be free of obstructions, such as walls, ceilings, power lines, telephone lines and other types of materials that could get in the way of the hoist's range of motion. OSHA makes it a requirement that there is a minimum clearance of two inches laterally and three inches overhead between cranes that carry hoists and obstructions, except when it comes to power lines. OSHA has specific guidelines for working in close proximity to power lines. For instance, when power lines are rated 50 kV (kilovolts) or below, the minimum clearance between the lines and any part of the crane or load must be 10 feet. Power lines above 50kV require a wider distance than 10 feet.

Maintenance

• The maintenance of overhead hoists is critical to worker safety. All heavy machinery is required to be inspected and maintained to ensure that it is safe to operate. One of the specific things that inspectors are required to examine is that of the hoist brakes. Each hoist unit has two sets of braking methods. One of the brakes, known as the holding brake, is the brake that automatically prevents the hoist from moving when the power is off. Hoists are also required to have control braking systems in place to prevent the equipment from speeding while it is in use. Both braking systems must be checked and tested before the operator can load the hoists.