How Signaling Devices Ensure Safety During Crane Operations

Lifting Technology

Crane operations make construction work so much easier. It is responsible for carrying heavy loads from one place to another with less intervention from people.

There are significant dangers to technicians, operators, and other workers on the floor in settings employing crane hoists, and so it is imperative that everyone on the floor knows that a crane and its load are nearby.

Some use hand signals to fulfill safety requirements within the facility with crane operation. This technique requires a signal person to ensure everything is operating smoothly under its control. Different hand signals usually have different meanings in this environment, hence, the room for error is highly possible and could affect the entire operation.

Audible and visible signals help to protect from these dangers, notifying those underneath or near a moving load so that they can take necessary precautions to avoid harm. Proper signals are thus critically important; inferior signals that are inaudible on the shop floor or not sufficiently visible can lead to dangerous and costly accidents.

In particular, visual and acoustic signaling devices are recommended for overhead cranes for an added safety benefit. Environmental conditions may prevent workers from either hearing or seeing a signal, but rarely prevent both.

Advantages of audible and visual signaling in overhead crane use.

Combination of visual and acoustic signaling devices in overhead crane reduce risk of harm to personnel, and increased throughput of the factory. Signaling devices reduce risk to personnel by warning them of impending danger so that there are no deaths, injuries, or even lost time. This reduced risk, however, depends on the efficacy of a signaling device in a given application, based on its decibel and joules level.

Selecting and installing the correct visual and acoustic signal device

When choosing an audible signal for an overhead crane application, it is important to ensure that the signal is the correct decibel level for the given application–able to be heard over machinery, but not so loud as to pose a risk to workers. Determining the correct audible signal decibel level is based on the application and area that the device will be used.

Sound decreases significantly over distance, and significantly louder-than-necessary audible signals can be startling or even dangerous to workers. Light, on the other hand, does not undergo the same kind of decrease in intensity over distance and is not as obtrusive if overly intense in a given environment.

Sirena offers a wide range of visual and acoustic signalling devices, which meet the light and sound characteristics, to be used in crane application.

Electronic and electromechanical sirens.

Both devices are suitable for overhead cranes and other mobile equipment in general. The programmable electronic sirens allow volume adjustment and can select many different types of sounds via the dip-switch.

The Electromechanical Sirens, on the other hand, have high performance and are suitable for alerting in situations of risk or danger.

Acoustic and light signaling devices from the Mline range

These devices are suitable for handling suspended loads.

Thanks to their modular concept, they allow an acoustic and / or visual signaling with multifunctional LED light with high acoustic performance developed with multi-channel technology.

64 sounds and 22 light effects (strobe effect and steady light) are available.

Ovolux LED indicator

The Ovolux LED indicator can be applied to cranes for on / off status indication. It is developed with latest generation SMD LEDs (with fixed and flashing effects).

It is available in 3 versions of connectors: M16 cable gland, E27 connector, ½ '' NPT thread.

TWS modular signaling columns

The TWS signaling columns are available in 3 different sizes and this feature makes them suitable for installation on micro-cranes or cranes.

All TWS columns use the latest multifunction LED technology that allows you to manage different lighting effects, fixed light or different types of flashing. To add the acoustic signal, you can simply insert the acoustic module in your configuration.

One of our customers in the Czech Republic used the Ovolux LED Beacon in one of his projects. The flashing amber light of the Ovolux indicates that the bridge crane is in motion, thus increasing the safety of people working under the machinery.