CALL US TODAY! 337-457-8131
Blog Layout
H. Brown is Putting Safety First in Crane Service
Comit Developers
Safe operation of mobile cranes requires a keen awareness of several, often interrelated, factors. Skipping over or inadequately performing safety procedures can result in crane failures and accidents. These cost money for the replacement of damaged or broken crane components, damage to the load, and damage to property on or near the job site. At worst, such incidents can cause serious injuries and even fatalities.
In Louisiana, H Brown’s highly trained, NCCCO-certified crane operators follow all of these tips to minimize the potential safety risks.
- Take all overhead hazards into account. Make sure nearby buildings, power lines, or other objects are not in the area of operation.
- Run a maintenance check before starting the crane. Check oil, gas, and other fluids. Perform a MESH (mechanical, electrical, structural, and hydraulic) inspection before starting the crane each day. Look for leaking, cracking, broken parts, and other defects.
- Don’t override or bypass a crane’s onboard computer system. Doing so often results in overloading, and introduces all the risks entailed therein.
- Always thoroughly consult the load charts before even transporting — much less operating — any crane. Without a clear understanding of the crane’s capacities, the chances of overloading or overextending are greatly increased.
- Never use distracting devices such as mobile phones while operating a crane. This might seem like common sense, but it’s important to note that there is no excuse for being willfully distracted while operating heavy machinery.
- Survey the ground conditions before setting up. Remember that soft or uneven ground can drastically affect load capacity. The terrain must be suitable to solidly support the crane, as well as all anticipated loads.
- Use the right matting or pads. Ensuring that the proper outrigger pads or matting is in place can prevent sinking and failure during lifting.
- Always make sure operators are thoroughly trained in safe setup and operation protocols. Don’t assume that just because someone has experience in the industry that they will automatically adhere to your safety standards. It is advisable to provide some kind of safety education training for all newly hired operators.
- Don’t operate in high winds, heavy rain, or other types of severe weather. Many moving crane accidents are caused by extreme weather. Even though it can be tempting to keep going, especially if a job is behind schedule, the possible consequences of operating in adverse weather can be dire. Use an anemometer to gauge wind speeds and direction to assess whether conditions are safe
- Check the rigging before starting a project to ensure it is the right size and type for the job at hand.
- Follow standards, requirements, and regulations as set forth by OSHA, the manufacturing company, employers, and local authorities. Never compromise safety protocol for the sake of speed or convenience, and do not allow contrary instructions to supersede your commitment to compliance with all safety measures. Even if someone with authority on the jobsite asks or instructs an operator to skip over safety checks or to operate in a way that is hazardous, that operator could ultimately be held liable and therefore holds the responsibility to refuse to operate in a way that could be unsafe.
Taking time to follow proper safety procedures pays off. Taking preventative measures to minimize the risk of mishaps or equipment failure is absolutely necessary for any responsible crane operator. A crane operator should feel comfortable speaking up if he or she recognizes that a certain strategy is potentially dangerous. The operator should always be allowed and encouraged to suggest alternative methods when said alternatives may be safer.
Count on H. Brown Inc. to be your trusted Louisiana crane service, with a sizeable fleet of moving cranes and highly qualified personnel to help you complete any project quickly and safely.
The post H. Brown is Putting Safety First in Crane Service appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
Hiring a local crane service in 2018 can be difficult. There is a lot of information online that can be misleading. Whatever industry you’re in, H Brown has the cranes you’ll need for the job. We supply cranes for construction, utilities, road work, oil and gas, and more. We help you organize your crane rental […]
The post Finding A Local Crane Service In 2018 appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
Is your team responsible for performing maintenance inside an industrial facility? Or maybe you are planning a plant expansion that will include the installation of heavy machinery? From inspections to expansions or turnarounds to new construction, there are lots of reasons you might need to move large equipment into a building or within it. Due […]
The post The Many Benefits of Hydraulic Jack-and-Slide Systems appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
Are you ready for the new ELD rules? Carriers here in Louisiana are just a few weeks away from the electronic logging device (ELD) compliance date when trucking companies (including specialized carriers, heavy-haul services and crane companies) must comply with new rules on how drivers record the time they spend behind the wheel. The new […]
The post Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Compliance: H Brown Is Ready appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
Every successful lift starts with a plan. We’re surprised at how many in the rigging industry don’t really know how to plan a project accurately. The H. Brown team performs heavy lifts inside facilities where sensitive, heavy equipment has to be lifted in constrained areas with little or no headroom and obstructions everywhere. These complex […]
The post Rigging Lift Plans appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
Family owned and operated since 1938, H. Brown is the most trusted provider of crane rental and cranes for hire in the gulf coast region. Our fleet, which includes cranes that can lift up to 450 tons, serves the power, petrochemical, utility and refinery industries in Louisiana and beyond. Sometimes, however, cranes can’t be counted […]
The post Hiring a Jack-and-Slide Rigger appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
Here in Louisiana, the industries that move oversize/overweight loads include power plants, petrochemical facilities and utilities. A heavy-haul carrier that can handle and transport oversize/overweight loads of this magnitude is critical to continued growth in these sectors. While some of our competitors move mobile cranes, dozers and excavators, we here at H. Brown have the […]
The post Pilot Vehicles: Keeping Over-dimensional Hauls Safe appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
In 2017, the energy and utility sectors are in full swing, with high voltage power systems and petrochemical facilities expanding throughout the Gulf Coast. This growth means heavy equipment needs to be lifted and moved as more and more operational components are being assembled on-site to beef up operations. These jobs call for special lifting […]
The post Rigging for Utilities appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
H. Brown, Inc. serves the heavy-haul needs of Lafayette, Opelousas, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, and beyond. We have cranes up to 450 tons, hydraulic trailers up to 500 tons, lowboys up to 220 tons, gantries up to 900 tons and slide systems up to 600 tons. Our fleet includes drop deck trailers, lowboys, flat […]
The post Our Specialized Heavy-Haul Equipment appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
Got an industrial rigging project and need some heavy lifting capability? H. Brown uses Lift-N-Lock Hydraulic Gantries that can move up to 900 tons. Our gantries hoist heavy payloads vertically and can move on tracks or rubber tires. Our Lift-N-Lock Gantry is a mobile, self-propelled, variable-height, hydraulic lifting frame controlled from a remote, self-contained power […]
The post Lift-N-Lock Hydraulic Gantries: Versatile and Cost-Effective appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
Wide or oversized loads require extra care during transport. Not only do industry regulations and safety precautions need to be strictly adhered to, state and local ordinances concerning large loads must be followed to a “T.” Safety for Wide Load Shipments Safety is especially critical when it comes to wide load transport. A driver should […]
The post Wide Load Shipping Services appeared first on H. Brown, Inc..
CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone: 337-457-8131
Email: information@hbrown.com
Address: 1678 U.S. Highway 190, Eunice, LA, 70535
BUSINESS HOURS
Business Hours:
Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sat-Sun: CLOSED