Standard Voice Signals Can Put Cranes In Closer Contact 12/4/2006
Construction cranes are dangerous machines, but the people supervising, operating, erecting, dismantling and signaling them can be just as treacherous. The accident record proves it. Just about every week in the U.S., somebody dies from a crane accident. Nearly half of those fatalities are construction workers, and civilians are just as much at risk. Poor communication is at the heart of the problem.
One of the reasons for vocal hangups among crane personnel is the lack of standards addressing communication around these machines. Until recently, industry standards offered little or no guidance on how spotters should give directions to crane operators over a radio, or how personnel should plan lifts. Federal regulations also are silent on radio language but they are expected to address elements by the decade’s end. The sooner, the better.