Overhead Crane Tie-off concepts for safety

[jackedup40]

Hi
I work in a steel mill and we do continual maintenance on our overhead cranes. The concern that has arisen time and again is how to tie-off safely, where and to what on the crane. Looking for solutions. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[chicopee]

Are you working out of a manlift basket? if so tie off from basket railing. If crane has a catwalk, a railing would be provided already and no need for tieing up unless you are leaning over than tie up to railing or upright if theses elements comply w/ OSHA strength requirement for anchorage.
You may employ a safety line to which you can anchor yourself to as long as you have the proper fitting between safety belt and life line, basically same equipment that window washers would use.

 

[heieup]

We have blondin wires along all our high open crane tracks or railing along them where possible.

On the cranes we have designated anchor points where work is required close to an open edge for attachment of fall arrest lanyards and personal safety harnesses. If the work takes place in the area frequently then we have saftey handrailing and guarding in the area (e.g. near the gearbox / motor )

Hope this helps, but as far as I've found there is no definite standard, just a risk assessment in each case and measures as you see fit

H (also working in the Steel industry)

 

[castera]

Their are two types of Safety Harness attachment point.
Fall restraint :- prevents you from stepping over an edge.
Fall Arrest :- Catches you when you fall.
A fall restraint attachment point need only be strong enough to resist a person from reaching the open edge and so may be adjacent permanent handrails etc, so long as they have been inpected and recorded as being strong enough and suitable attacment points. Along with this record must be the max length of lanyard required to prevent fall.
Fall Arrest anchor points are a different kettle of fish. The anchor points must have calcs to prove that the point and structure are strong enough to arrest the person. The Fall arrest anchor points we use are required to hold around 2 tonne, this is deemed to be the safety factor to arrest a person dropping on to a 1.5M lanyard.
If using fall arrest, consideration must be given on how to extract a person suspended on a harness quickly as toxins can build up quickly due to restricted blood flow in the legs.