- Read the manual!
- Conduct a pre-operational inspection of your hoist before each shift. It needs to be done by someone trained in what to look for during inspection.
- Inspect the rigging gear. Roughly 27 percent of accidents involved load drops, of which 59 percent were attributed to a rigging problem.
- Check the upper limit switch at the start of each shift. When working properly, this switch stops the load block before it can pile into and damage the hoist, causing the load to drop.
- Know the location of the power disconnect switch, the operator will be able to walk quickly to the switch to cut the power and prevent an accident.
- Never get complacent or lax in following operating and hoist safety procedures. Almost two-thirds of accidents, 74 percent, happen during routine operations.
- The most important advice of all – never stand under a load. The chance that a load will fall might be one in 100,000 or one in 1 million, but that’s too much of a chance to take.