ROUND TABLE
n 'Different applications have different requirements,' says Dougan.
However, companies do not want solutions that slow down productivity, so equipment that leads to a safe work environment and substantially increases productivity can be a win on all levels.
Obviously you design for safety, with overload ratios, electrical compliance, redundancies, fail-safe modes etc. Have you a design philosophy in this, on how best to achieve safe designs? RB: The essential philosophy is to offer products that are so well designed that the worker really has little to be concerned about with the product itself. Users still have to be trained, use the product as designed, and maintain all equipment, but the design of the products is something that allow users to be totally confident in the robust nature of all that we offer. RP: A lot depends on the application. Compliance starts by classifying the crane and establishing appropriate criteria based on the applicable standards. Depending on the crane classification, a Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA)
may be required. FMECA looks at each failure mode and the consequences of failure. In cases where failure would result in death, permanent disability, or unacceptable levels of environmental damage, it is worth considering a redundant load path. This could mean a second brake, multiple independent ropes, or any other method of preventing the load from dropping when a single component fails. RD: There are standards, of course that you design to. Down in the States, where we also sell of course, it is OSHA that sets them and up here in Canada the relevant standards authority is the CSA. (Canadian Standards Authority). And of course the cranes definitely have a safety factor built into them. We load-test our cranes; we take them out to 125%, so there's at least that amount of safety built into them. AP-C: At Vulcan Hoist, safety is our top priority. Our engineering team constantly enhances our electric hoists to stay one step ahead of ASME, CSA, and UL standards. For example, in 2023, we came out with an additional safety device called “Safety Stop” that acts as a redundancy to the limit switches to prevent
any chain knot, twist or obstacle from colliding with the hoist. From meticulous testing of individual components
to the precision assembly of each hoist, we prioritize quality control at every step. Prior to shipping, our hoists undergo rigorous tests at 100% and 125% of their rated capacity. This exhaustive approach ensures that our hoists not only meet but exceed expectations, providing our customers with the utmost confidence in the safety and reliability of our equipment.
Automation, anti-sway and digital sensors have increased safety and ease of operation, with automatic exclusion zones and anti- collision systems, etc., and with controls becoming much more intuitive. And there is a tendency among users not to have dedicated full-time hoist operators, but instead for it to be just one part of a worker’s job, with the hoist as one more tool available to him. How do these conflicting factors affect safety? RB: In some ways this ties in with the inability of manufacturers to be able to attract and maintain skilled labor to the extent that they would like. Due to this, users and managers may have multiple responsibilities and may not be as deep in their knowledge versus a decade ago. So, manufacturers are stressing the need for regular training and maintenance activities. A concentration on more intuitive systems is a trend that also shows no signs of slowing. RD: Smart aids are getting smarter all the time. There is software and sensors for everything. It is amazing what’s out there today – and it is not expensive. You can get load displays that you can put on
your remote. Ours come standard with load limit set in them already. So it's pretty cheap to go digital, to have a radio remote with digital display; if you don’t already have it it is like a $12,000 upgrade. We can upgrade you to a load display that gives your operators access to materials that they can stock and speeds up their day .
n A load test on a 55t crane. 36 | Winter 2023 |
www.ochmagazine.com
Obviously most companies are good. They have good safety measures in place. Most accidents are from operator error – human beings are human beings
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