Lifting gear its use and misuse
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• When a 1,600-lb. reel of paper slipped from a rope sling as it was being lifted from the hold of a ship, it fell back into the hold and killed one of the unloading gang. The cause—human error.
A man who climbed on to a large tank as it was being lifted by a crane sustained severe head injuries when the load broke free and catapulted him to the ground. The cause—human error.
And in five other accidents involving the use of lifting gear, which are examined in detail in the latest issue of "Accidents" published by HMSO at 121p, faulty technique or defective equipment was the cause.
Hooks and their construction, and the use of chain and rope slings are examined by the magazine which lays stress on the periodic inspection and maintenance of such equipment. Illustrated by diagrams, the article says that good arrangements for record-keeping are so essential that emphasis is placed upon the need for a foolproof system of scrutiny, for a common feature of investigation into lifting gear accidents is the discovery that a particular item of gear involved was one that escaped inspection.