Five Major Misunderstandings To Avoid When Operating A Crane

Cranes are the "steel giants" in the engineering field, but improper operation can instantly turn them into "lethal weapons". This article, based on real accident cases, reveals five of the most common operational misunderstandings and analyzes how modern cranes use technology to build a safety defense line.

Misconception 1: Overloading operations

Security line of defense

Modern cranes are equipped with moment limiters, which can calculate the relationship between the lifted load and the amplitude in real time and automatically cut off the operation when overloaded. The more advanced design adopts dual protection of mechanical and electronic types to ensure that even if one system fails, the other can still guarantee safety.

Misconception 2: Oblique pulling and hoisting

Scientific Analysis

Diagonal pulling will subject the steel wire rope to additional lateral forces, and the actual load can reach 2 to 3 times that of vertical hoisting! Long-term oblique pulling can also cause damage to the internal structure of the steel wire rope, laying the groundwork for fracture.

Technical countermeasures

The new type of crane is equipped with an Angle sensor, which will immediately trigger an alarm when the hook deviates by more than 5°. Marine cranes are also equipped with anti-sway systems that automatically counteract the swinging of goods through reverse movement.

Misconception 3: The outriggers are not fully extended

Security mechanism

Modern cranes are equipped with outriggers pressure monitoring systems. All outriggers must be subjected to uniform force before operation can be initiated. The three-dimensional level can display the vehicle body tilt in real time with an accuracy of up to 0.1°, ensuring absolute stability.

Misconception Four: Blind spot operation

Technological solutions

The 360° panoramic imaging system achieves a complete field of view through the splicing of six high-definition cameras, completely eliminating blind spots. The more advanced models are equipped with radar anti-collision systems. When an obstacle is detected within 5 meters, it will automatically slow down and sound an alarm.

Misconception Five: Forcing operations in bad weather

Risk classification

Wind speed of level 6 (10.8m/s) : Yellow alert. Work must be carried out at a reduced speed

Wind speed level 7 (13.9m/s) : Red alert. Work must be stopped immediately

Thunderstorm weather: High-altitude operations are strictly prohibited

Ultimate protection:

Black box system: It fully records the operation data of the last 30 minutes and is the key evidence for accident investigation.

Emergency release valve: In case of sudden power failure, the load can be slowly and safely lowered through manual control.

Biometric system: It adopts fingerprint or facial recognition to prevent unlicensed personnel from operating the equipment.

Every safety regulation is a lesson written in blood. Please keep in mind:

Never shield the safety alarm device

Never omit the security check step

Never challenge the limits of nature