Join HSI Chief Safety Officer Jill James as she visits environmental health and safety professionals in their workplaces to explore important workplace safety topics. This video covers different types of cranes and hoists, how they are used, and how/when to inspect these devices.

Video Transcript:

Hi I'm Jill, Chief Safety Officer with HSI. I'm a former OSHA inspector and I'm here to help you identify and correct workplace hazards.

For this series we are at the beautiful Monterey Bay Aquarium to show you that no matter where you work safety training is for everyone.

Cranes and hoists are a great work tool to save people from injury if you know how to operate them safely. They also come in a variety of sizes; from one ton and under to as large as an engineer can design. Now it's important that we know how to operate them safely and there are many rules that apply to that.

Today we're looking at a boat dabit jib crane here and a hoist and we'll be using it to launch this boat into the ocean.

All cranes and hoists need initial, periodic, and frequent inspections. Initial inspections are to be done before use for all new and altered cranes. Frequent inspections are to be done daily to monthly and include the following. All functional operating mechanisms interfering with proper operation is to be done daily. Deterioration or leakage and lines, tanks, valves, and drain pumps and other parts of air or hydraulic systems is to be done daily. Look for hooks with deformation or cracks that would be a visual inspection done daily – monthly with a certification record. Hoist chain including end connections looking for excessive wear twisting or distorted links interfering with the proper function or stretch beyond the manufacturers recommendation which is a visual inspection done daily - monthly. With a certification record you'll also be looking for functional operating mechanisms for excessive wear on the components and finally rope breathing for non-compliance with manufacturer's recommendations. While periodic inspections are to be done one to twelve month intervals and would include looking for deformed cracked or corroded members loose bolts or rivets cracked or worn sheaves and drums. Worn cracked or distorted parts such as pins bearings, shafts, gears, rollers, locking, and clamping devices looking for excessive wear on brake systems linings pauls and ratchets. Load wind and other indicators over their full range for any significant inaccuracies now gasoline diesel electric and other power plants for improper performance and excessive wear of chain drive sprockets and excessive chain stretch. And last looking for electrical apparatus for signs of pitting or deterioration of controller contacts limit switches and push-button stations now let's watch as Scott and Kevin from the Monterey Bay Aquarium collections team safely launch this boat into the ocean.

Remember, whether you're lifting an engine or a load of steel or launching a boat into the ocean. The same safety rules apply. You want to be able to do this safely so that you and your coworkers can go home from work the same way that you arrived at the beginning of the day.

I hope you gained a safety skill today if you know someone who needs this go ahead and pass it on

Safety is everyone's business.