Operating Your Hoist With Safety in Mind

Hoists are wonderful tools which make our lives easier. They can lift superhuman loads while they weigh little. And many types of hoists are available for many types of jobs. From manually operated devices to the power supplied electric chain hoist, variations of lifting tools are out there for personal and industrial use. Besides for being able to lift heavy loads, they all have one thing in common. When accidents occur, they can be devastating. And with these dangers in mind, let’s take a few moments to go over some important safety measures.

First of all, pay strict attention to what you are doing, even when operating hand powered devices like the comealong. If a conversation or distraction is keeping your focus away from the task at hand, immediately bring your attention back to the work you’re performing. Water cooler conversations and phone calls have no place when it comes to the job of heavy lifting.

The only person who should have your attention is the appointed signal person. Other than yourself, they are the one individual who possesses the required information for the job. The only time when another individual holds sway is when a stop signal is given. When that occurs, all motion needs to come to an immediate halt. It would be better to have some time and effort wasted due to an inaccuracy than a life being lost.

Though standard checks can be performed, equipment serviced and maintained, and safety inspections passed, accidents can and sometimes do happen. At no time ever should a load be lifted or moved over an individual. If an equipment malfunction were to occur, the loss of life and limb could happen. The risk is never worth it, even with the idea of getting a job completed by the appropriate time.

And finally, never use the hoist to do something it wasn’t designed for. Weight limits should always be enforced with no chances ever taken. If these precautions aren’t heeded, the results could be disastrous, not only to the load being carried, but also to the fellow lives of your coworkers or yourself.

Safety guidelines exist for a reason and have been brought about sometimes by tragic circumstances. These warnings prove a necessary function to bring safety to the workplace environment. And while these tips are useful, we recommend further investigation and study. Safety should be the most important thing on the minds of your workers.

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Content provided by Hoists Direct Inc. sellers of electric hoists and other products. Visit us by clicking on the hyperlink.