A 'critical lift' is defined as one in which the load weight is 75% greater than the crane's rated capacity. When it comes to a 'critical lift,' however, further measures must be taken to ensure a safe and smooth operation. Has a pre-lift meeting between the crane operator, signalperson, supervisor and other workers been held?Īll of the above factors should be checked prior to beginning any type of lift involving a crane.Have the appropriate number of staff been allocated to manage the lift?.Is the crane within one degree of level?.Have the crane and rigging equipment been inspected to ensure they are in optimal working condition?.Has the crane been configured in accordance with the lift plan?.Some of the items on the checklist would include:

In addition to all these calculations, a well-crafted pre-lift plan should employ a checklist to make sure that all the factors which may affect the lift have been considered. However, should an accident result anyway, an experienced industrial accident lawyer should be contacted as soon as possible. All of these issues, fortunately, are avoidable and can be addressed in an appropriately thought out pre-lift plan. Some of the most common causes of crane accidents include overloading a crane, operating it on a non-level site and not maintaining good communication between operators and other workers involved in the lift. When a crane accident occurs, devastating injuries can result both to the workers using the equipment and to innocent bystanders.

Crane lift plan checklist