When building a house, a common machine you'll have to use is a crane. It's the best tool for lifting heavy materials that need to be placed up high, like roof trusses and beams. However, crane operation can be dangerous, especially if you're not a professional. The most important thing to think about when operating a crane to build your new home is that you stay safe. In order to do so, there are a few things you should think about regarding lifting equipment safety.

Walking underneath the crane

The most important thing when operating a crane is that you make sure that nobody walks underneath it while it's carrying a load. This is a truly dangerous scenario that could severely injure or even kill someone if the load were to drop. Make sure everyone at the building site is aware of when the crane is in operation. You should also make sure that nobody walks underneath it even when it's not carrying a load, as the hook also could drop and injure someone. Another good safety measure is to have all people at the site wear hard hats. If load were to be dropped by the crane, it could break and throw out shatters of wood, steel or glass that could injure people by hitting them in the head.

Test everything beforehand

Make sure to test the crane before you start using it for lifting. Test the breaks and the hoisting equipment to make sure everything functions satisfactorily. You should also test the safety equipment. Alert the people at the site beforehand, and then test the warning lights and signals. Try all the lights, such as the blinkers and the headlights, and make sure they all go off when they are supposed to. People around the crane need to be fully aware of what it's doing and therefore need to know when it's about to stop or turn.

If you're not the one driving

If you're not the one operating the crane at any given moment, there are other things you should think about. Don't attempt to make contact with the person operating the crane, and tell other people to follow the same rule. A distracted driver could cause dangerous situations. You could also help the driver out by placing signs warning other people and machine operators that the crane is operating, meaning that people should keep away from it and give the crane operator space to perform their task. Also warn people when the crane is about to move a load. As you're the one in charge of the home building, you are also responsible for the safety of the people helping you out. 

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