Social Icons

Pages

vendredi 6 mars 2015

A Mobile Crane Inspection Company Increases Worker Safety And Reduces Delays

By Leslie Ball


In many cities the economic recovery from the 2008 downturn has resulted in a flurry of construction activity highlighted by the presence of massive mobile cranes stretching skyward. Their silhouettes may be a sign of progress, but some have been involved in past high-profile accidents that have proven both dangerous and costly. A Tennessee mobile crane inspection company helps keep these machines operating safely and without interruption.

Crane manufacturers benefit from current technology able to create specifically designed structures that are both lighter and stronger. Because construction stalls when they are idled, any interruptions can quickly generate cost overruns as well as taking a human toll. Regularly performed inspections are not only necessary to prevent mechanical failures, but are also the key to worker well-being through accident prevention.

The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) is responsible for maintaining national safety standards for workplaces. Newer regulations require all crane operators to receive accredited certification before being allowed to assume real-time control on site, and the structures themselves must be inspected frequently by a party deemed qualified to make decisions based on experience, knowledge, and official certification.

Construction firms are still allowed to train in-house inspectors, but an outside agency is usually able to perform the same work more economically, and without the appearance of any conflict of interest. More than one agency is able to grant certification today, with the most widely recognized being the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators. Training courses have expanded, and more companies are providing inspection services.

An independent firm has current, specific information not only regarding equipment issues, but is increasingly welcomed on site to administer new protocols or requirements. Training a current construction worker to do the same work is costlier, and risks undermining the confidence of other employees. In some past incidences, a lack of external objectivity has allowed some problems to persist that eventually resulted in serious trouble.

A certified, documented inspector is indispensable to insurers, providing them a benchmark for extending equipment and operator coverage, and using one can potentially have a beneficial effect on rates. Because inspection companies have only one major focus, they are able to provide necessary services both quickly and efficiently, and complete any required documentation that can affect future costs.

Pre-inspections help determine operational readiness, and approve the initial setup of equipment in order to ensure stability and guarantee structural integrity. Electrical safety is paramount when operating near adjacent power lines, and inspectors help coordinate with providers to guarantee proper grounding, clearance, and necessary line deactivation. They consult load charts to prevent the possibility of exceeding capacity and risking complete failure.

These experts determine the time intervals between inspections based on site conditions including terrain and weather, as well as making sure the equipment used meets all standards. In the past, those regulations often varied by locale. Today, national, state, and local regulators require uniform compliance. The result has been a decrease in the number and severity of mishaps, in addition to fewer dollars being wasted by preventable delays.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire

 

Sample text

Sample Text

Sample Text

 
Blogger Templates