A crane is one of the most versatile and important pieces of equipment usually found on a construction job. It can be used to accomplish a lot of otherwise heavy lifting tasks. However, it can also be one the most dangerous since it can lift heavy loads over large areas of a project. Today we will discuss some of the important safety points about working around cranes.

• Always be aware of the swing radius of the crane
• Never walk within the swing radius of the crane
• Never work under suspended loads. Besides the crane boom could fail.
• Never ride the hook. There are too many things that can go wrong you can’t control
• Always wear a hard hat when there is a possibility of a load being overhead
• Stay off of and away from the crane unless you are assigned to be on the crane
• Never walk under a boom, especially if it has a load on it.

Remember: When working around a crane, the crane operator is going to be watching his load or the signal person and not for stray workers. Never enter the swing radius of a crane unless it is absolutely necessary. Never work within the swing radius. Hard hats are required.