According to data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE),
construction worker fatalities dropped by more than a third in 2016/17,
reaching an all-time annual low. Here, Tony Young, director at supply,
installation and repair specialist, CP Automation, explains why these
findings may be partly down to the industry embracing new ways of
working — including equipment like radio controlled cranes.
Cab controlled cranes have long dominated the industrial landscape,
with the operator sitting in the crane, being guided by hand signals
from a floor walker. This advanced slightly to machines controlled by
pushbutton pendants, involving a transmitter unit hanging from the crane
by a cable being controlled by someone on the floor. However, this
still tethers the operator to the crane and restricts movement.
This is where radio crane control comes in. A handheld, cordless unit
allows operators to remain on the facility floor, out of range of load
swings and potentially dropped loads. It means that if lifting is taking
place in hazardous areas, such as hot, noisy or radioactive
environments, operators are kept safe, well away from the area. This
keeps the operator clear of the area and overhead load, providing
significant health and safety benefits.
Freedom of movement
The cordless flexibility means the operator is able to move to a much
better location for visibility, rather than remaining limited to the
field of view of the cab, or the length of the pendant cable. With this
increased visibility, on foot and away from the load, the operator can
clearly see a load shift and determine whether the load is properly
rigged before continuing. They can also adapt quickly to any
obstructions or changes in the path as the move is completed.
Equally, with the operator on foot, communication is greatly
enhanced. The need for hand and voice signals between the operator and
spotter is eliminated. Operators are closer to spotters, and can easily
hear and act on what they are saying more quickly.
From an efficiency standpoint, floor operation may even eliminate the
need for additional assistance on the floor completely. A single
operator could also manage some of the operations with below-the-hook
attachments such as magnets, grabs, or C-hooks. This reduces labour
costs.
New partnership In Indonesia
To help with this shift from cab controlled cranes to safer, radio
controlled systems, CP Automation, is now supplying its customers with
stock from Magnetek, the market leader of crane and hoist systems.
Cranes can be fitted with both CP Automation and Magnetek products as
an integrated package, including power delivery systems, collision
avoidance systems, radio remote control transmitters, motor gearboxes,
failsafe brakes and variable frequency drives (VFDs). Together, these
products allow cranes to move heavy structures with sufficient power,
control and intelligence, as well as increasing safety with remote
control.
“The partnership brings together the right set of products to support
the rapid growth of the crane industry at present,” explained Andy
Swann, business development manager EMEA at Magnetek. “Together we can
provide a customisable, engineered system to match the most demanding of
specifications, ensuring reduced load sway and load drops.
“We are seeing more and more crane original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs) moving away from in-cab operators and opting for radio remote
control, whereby the operator is at a safe distance away from heavy
loads. This means much more aggressive materials can be handled during a
project, and the operator is kept at a safe distance, controlling the
crane from afar.”
CP Automation’s stock of collision avoidance systems, AC & DC
drives and radio remote control systems has already gone down well with
our customers in the crane industry. This coalition brings additional
functionality that the crane industry has been waiting for, bringing
together a collection of drives, resistors and crane-specific products
that we can also fit, using our trained engineers, if required.
Ultimately this arrangement is driven by a focus on safety for crane
operators. With more companies choosing radio remote control systems
over cab controlled systems, it makes sense to join Magnetek’s market
leading technology along with our own range of products to drive this
mentality in the industry.
While data into the safety of the construction industry is moving in
the right direction, as collected by HSE, there is still room for
improvement. As this shift towards radio control cranes progresses, the
industry will continue to advance its safety procedures and protect its
workforce.
