Luffing Tower Crane Health and Safety Devices - Case Study Example

Health and Safety Devices Course Name and Code Institution Name Departments Name Students Name Students Number Instructors Name 3 February 2009 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction………………………………………………………………….3 2.0 Statutory Requirements……………………………………………………...3 3.0 Suitable Safe Systems……………………………………………………….4 3.1 Luffing Tower………………………………………………………..4 3.2 Workers Condition (Labourers)……………………………………...4 3.3 Risk Assessment…………………………………………………..…5 3.4 Construction Stability and Height Control…………………………..6 4.0 Hazards Associated with Luffing Tower Crane…………………………….7 4.1 Base Stability………………………………………………………...7 4.2 Ropes and structural design………………………………………….7 4.3 Operational Hazards………………………………………………….8 5.0 Mitigation of the Hazard…………………………………………………….8 5.1 Luffing Tower Stability……………………………………………..8 5.2 Ropes and Structural Design of the Luffing Tower…………………9 5.3 Operations Hazards Mitigation………………………………………9 6.0 Conclusion…………….…………………………………………………….10 7.0 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………11 1.0 Introduction There is a boom in the construction industry in the United Kingdom. Various equipments and different level of skilled labourers usually are found within these locations. However, the labourers are exposed to various risks that can be controlled. Most buildings are storey and use specific equipments to aid the construction purpose. However, the heights and the equipments pose threats to the labourers and the neighbouring community. Thus, the aim of this report is to analyze the health and safety requirements of a new car park that is supposed to be constructed in University of Central Lancashire. It bring into considerations the risks associated with luffing tower crane and labourers who are at the site. 2.0 Statutory Requirements The most applicable legislation in the case of the Luffing Tower Crane are the Lifts Regulations 1997, Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) and Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). The regulations stipulates ways to ensure that the luffing tower crane cannot cause injuries and suitable for use. Additionally, other important legislative directives that play an important role are: The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Health and Safety at Work e.t.c. Act 1974 (HSW) The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Safe Use of Work Equipment, Provision and Use of Work Equipment regulations 1998 3.0 Suitable Safe Systems Various factors come into play in determining the health and safety standards of the luffing tower crane. To ensure that safe system is in place, the following systems should be secured (Barber 2002). 3.1 Luffing Tower The Luffing Tower plays an important role in ensuring that the car park is completed on time and within the constructions requirements. However, the luffing tower is vulnerable according to the regulations in the LOLER. The tower should be inspected at a given internal with a person who is not biased. Documentation is recorded for any defect that can be witnessed and reason behind the defect. All requirements and operation requirements of the luffing tower should be updated. Moreover, when the inspection discovers any defects, a competent person according to the regulations that are in place should repair it. This also means that the tower should be maintained and serviced at a given interval. 3.2 Workers Condition (Labourers) The workers plays an important role is ensuring that the car park is completed on time within the budget and without any complication in terms of health and safety standard. Workers hygiene is usually comparative in any construction site. The state of the luffing tower crane and its suitability play an important role in ensuring that the workers are in safe hands. According to the legislative control, the luffing machine should be inspected and verified that it is suitable to be used by the workers. When the workers use the luffing machines, clothing plays an important role in ensuring that they are not hurt. Gloves, helmets, aprons and boots are some of the clothing that will reduce chances of personal harm. Workers and visitors within the construction site should have helmets so that the may not be injured by falling materials or accidental fall. Moreover, the construction regulation requires that all workers should possess Safe Pass Card. This card determines whether the worker has fulfilled the construction regulation conditions. This will reduce the risk that the worker is exposed to and have ways to manage the risk. Induction is important to any new employee on the site. The induction will ensure that the attendees are informed on site procedures and roles, arrangements of safety and welfare and important key holders or management. Additionally, communication means is important so that the workers can exchange easily information and when emergency occurs, they can communicate easily. This also means that the labourers should be told on emergency procedures or plans (Chudley & Greeno 2006). This is because to successful use the luffing tower equipment, it is paramount that the workers understand ways to minimize and avoid avenues of injuries. 3.3 Risk Assessment The site and the luffing tower should be analyzed to pinpoint areas that show potential risks. The different equipments that are used are potential risks areas and the way that the employees conducted themselves should be assessed. In the UK regulation, the abbreviations SFAIRP (so far as is reasonably practicable) and (as low as reasonably practicable) ALARP are used to determine the extent of risk that is exposed to the community and workers. This underlines the fulfilment of health and safety measures (Health & Safety Executive 2001). The appropriate controls should be put into place and the right machinery should be employed to reduce the chances of workers and community been exposed to the risks. Guideline should be in place to determine the way that any risk, if it occurs, may be tackled easily. This means that the construction site should have a contingency plan. 3.4 Construction Stability and Height Control The stability of the construction plays an important role is ensuring that the workers are not injured during the operation of the luffing tower crane. Additional, the car park will be four storeys, which requires special safety measures while utilizing different construction equipments. Health and safety measures should be put forefront to ensure that the workers are health throughout. During the construction, there are various injuries related problems such as during the steel fixing and concrete pour. Steel fixing may cause physical injuries while concrete pour may affect the skin. Height plays a crucial role in determining the safety standards in the construction. This requires of the risk materials and design in putting in place the right means to ascend the construction. It includes the use of ladders and lift, which the accompanying accessories should qualify to fulfil its requirements. Moreover, the right calculations and decisions should be in place so that prop and load support should be comprehensive. Risk measures such as use of edge protection, fall protection, arrest means e.g. bean/nets bags reduces the chances that a worker may be injured (Hughes & Ferrett 2007). 4.0 Hazards Associated with Luffing Tower Crane Luffing tower cranes plays an important role in ensuring the materials and equipments are at the right location. However, it exposes various hazards during the erecting, using and dismantling of the crane. Some of the hazards that are associated with the tower crane include base stability, ropes and structural design and operation of the crane (Ryan 2006). 4.1 Base Stability The tower base forms part of the crane and should be designed by an engineer. The designing of the base will depend on various factors including the wind speed, tower height, ground type, boom length, terrain type and the capacity of the crane. The speed of the wind may make the crane to be unstable resulting in inefficiency in the way that it operates. Moreover, the Luffing tower crane is tall and is expected to lift heavy loads. This calls upon the base of the crane to be stable and enable varying capacity to be moved upwards. 4.2 Ropes and structural design of Luffing Tower (Luffing Accessories) The ropes and pulleys play an important role in ensuring the capacity of the crane is within the required standards. Ropes are the backbone of the crane because it is used to adjust the position and movement of the crane. The structural nature of the steels that is used in the construction of the crane and the extensions of the crane should be of the approved standard. Thus, the maximum height of the crane showed be proportional to the weight that is required to be carried. Other parts such as the pulley, luffing host rope and the flying multiplier block are the agents of nay hazard that may occur. 4.3 Operational Hazards The operation of the tower crane poses injury to the persons involved. The injuries may result from crane collapse, structural failure, falling objects, falling from heights and contact with other structures or plant. Structural failure may be due to failure of a component due to overloading and poor designing of the crane. Collision or contact may be because of absence of sufficient clearance from the tower crane. Persons may fall when they are operating the system or objects that are been lifted may fall resulting to injuries. 5.0 Mitigation of the Hazard Risk analysis should be carried out and mitigation procedures should be developed to reduce injuries. The extent of risk analysis is guided by the use of ALARP and SFAIRP that ensures health and safety of workers and to the community. 5.1 Luffing Tower Stability This is an important measure in the utilization of the crane. Maintaining the stability ensures that serious incidents such as structural failure or crane collapse may not occur. Thus, luffing tower crane base should be designed well and the base should be strong so that to avoid moving unexpectedly, prevent overturning and should support all requirements that it was designed to fulfil. Stability depends on footings and foundations, wind conditions and the amount of capacity to be carried. Some mechanisms that can be used to manage the stability of the crane include the use of load charts, right counterweights, the operational wind speeds and guaranteeing the stability of the tower cranes. This will reduce the hazards that are associated with stability of the crane. 5.2 Ropes and Structural Design of the Luffing Tower (Luffing Accessories) Ropes that are used in the operation should be of the right weight capacity. Frequent checking of the rope will reduce the chances that the ropes will fail during operation. The wire ropes should be prevented from rusting and the pulleys should be frequently oiled. The design of the crane structure should be with the standards that are in place corresponding to the amount of weight that it can carry. The parts of the crane that are not within the working standards should be repaired or replaced. 5.3 Operations Hazards Mitigation During the use of the luffing tower crane, there are many people in the site and various equipments. Overloading is the core problem that makes the structural design of the crane to fail. The amount of load that the crane should carry should be the same as those in the load charts, which usually comes with every crane. The persons who are operating the crane should have knowledge on the equipment and should be located in place that it is hard to fall. The radius of the crane should be free from other equipments and buildings so that it cannot crush or collide. The will ensure that the hazards that are associated with operation are completely reduced or eliminated. 6.0 Conclusion The construction industry requires various guidelines that are in place. The guidelines are used to ensure that health and safety of people who are working at the site are guaranteed. Health and safety measures such as the right clothing, risk assessment and height control ensures that all workers are working in a good environment. The luffing tower crane plays a crucial role in lifting of the raw materials and the equipments. However, various hazards are associated to it including structural failure. Nevertheless, stability of the crane and skilled operations ensure that the health and safety is maintained. 7.0 Bibliography Barber, J., 2002, Health and Safety in Construction, London: Thomas Telford Publishers. Cork, S., 2005, Construction Health and Safety, London: Thomas Telford Publishers. Chudley, R. & Greeno, R., 2006, Advanced Construction Technology, 4th ed., New York: Pearson-Prentice Hall Publishers. Grice, H. & Fink, S., 2004, Health and Safety Law for the Construction Industry, 2nd Ed., London, Thomas Telford. Health & Safety Executive, 2009, Simple Guide to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg290.pdf Health & Safety Executive, 2001, Health and Safety in Construction, London: HSE Books. Hughes, P. & Ferrett, E., 2007, Introduction to Health and Safety in Construction, 2nd ed. London: Butterworth-Heinemann. Thorpe, B., 2005, Health and Safety in Construction Design, London: Gower Publishers. Johnstone, R., 2003, Occupational Health and Safety, Courts and Crime, London: Federation Press Publishers. Ryan, R., 2006, Construction Equipment Management for Engineers, London: CRC Press Publishers. Read More