Play it safe: existing crane safety guidelines are worth following for scrap handler owners and operators

Recycling Today, June, 2004 by Mike Mattia

Hydraulic cranes and scrap handlers have distinct differences. So, by definition, scrap and material handlers are not exactly cranes. But for safety reasons, if it walks like a crane and quacks like a crane, it might be best to consider it a crane.

Scrap and material handlers have been a great innovation for the scrap metal recycling industry. Excavators have been redesigned and modified to perform repetitive movement of scrap faster and more efficiently than was previously accomplished with cranes.

Sleek, compact and powerful, these machines have steadily replaced many lattice boom cranes whose design hearkens back to the Civil War era. That s the good news. Yet, for safety purposes, it is also often bad news.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD. For decades, cranes in the scrap industry hoisted and moved material that weighed far less than the crane's lifting capacity. Yet, they did so numerous times over the course of an hour, something they were not ideally designed to accomplish.

In these situations, great strain was placed on the boom, hoist and other parts from this continuous duty cycle. Yet the use of these cranes also meant they were carefully and meticulously inspected and maintained. OSHA delineated specific daily, weekly and periodic inspections that were necessary.

Only the most experienced workers operated the crane. And, most importantly, workers learned to respect these tall and powerful machines. They steered a wide path around them and would cross its path only when they had the operator's attention and the long swing of its magnet or grapple was brought to a stop.

Enter the scrap handler, known affectionately by many as the hydraulic crane--a distant cousin of the ancient workhorse. It sits lower to the ground, is easier to operate and can move more scrap per hour. It is easier to move and to reposition than its lattice boom crane cousins and it comes without OSHA requirements. The scrap handler has also brought with it, though, new forms of accidents.

SUDDEN MOVEMENTS. The tall, cumbersome crane seldom moved from its spot. But the new material handler can be easily and frequently moved or repositioned throughout the yard.

With its magnet or grapple held high, it travels a path never followed by taller machinery--a path that can potentially be crossed by high voltage wires. In these cases, the handler's boom will rip through the wires sending a shower of sparks down around the operator's cab.

Operators who would never have tried to jump from a crane's high cab have attempted to leap the short distance to the ground from a scrap handler. Unknown to them, they were safe in the cab, yet could suffer severe or even fatal injuries when they touched the now electrically-charged outer structure.

The potential for movement has caused other problems. Operators have looked at the compact size of the new machines and have mistaken them for having all-terrain capabilities. This has lead to handlers toppling over and pinning operators in the cab or crushing workers nearby.

One tragic event involved a material handler in a fast-moving thunder storm. Several workers found shelter next to a scrap handler as the operator slowly maneuvered toward permanent shelter. A bolt of lightening struck the handler's boom. The driver was not harmed, but the workers walking next to the handler got the brunt of the charge. One worker died while another was severely burned.

The now shorter distance from ground to cab has also presented new safety issues. Operators climbing down from the high cab of a crane would take great care in navigating the ladder. Yet many operators now working in a much lower cab will commonly climb down a few rungs of the ladder and then jump to the ground rather than continue their climb. This has lead to serious knee and hack injuries.

Inspection and maintenance standards may also go by the wayside with scrap handlers. OSHA does not have regulations governing scrap handlers. There are no mandatory requirements for daily or periodic inspections. Yet parts can still wear, and hydraulic hoses can spring tiny leaks. Indeed, units, if neglected, can experience failures that can cause the boom to come crashing down.

So if it walks like a crane and quacks like a crane--even if it is a scrap handler--this duck certainly deserves the respect and meticulous attention that was lavished on its predecessor.

STAYING CURRENT. Yard managers and operators who want to make sure they are putting safety first may wish to dust off the concepts and procedures that used to keep that "turn-of-the-century" lattice boom crane running smoothly and safely. In most cases, these procedures can be updated for hydraulic scrap handlers. Following are some suggestions.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has developed a voluntary standard for scrap and material handlers. This standard, ASME B30.25-2003, provides recommendations for frequent and periodic inspections of this equipment.

The standard recommends that hydraulic components, salary devices and controls be inspected daily. The ASME standard further lists numerous items that should be included in more complete inspections conducted by a qualified person. It also includes recommendations for an effective preventive maintenance program.