If you need to use cranes on your building site on a very windy day, you should keep the following two safety tips in mind.

Make sure the loads meet the maximum weight limit

If you must use a crane on a day when it is extremely windy, you should ensure that every load that is attached to the crane meets the equipment's maximum load weight limit.

If the items you are using the crane to transport weigh less than this, you may want to add some spare bricks or timber to increase the load's weight.

The reason you should do this is that if you use the crane to carry a relatively light load during a spell of windy weather, there is a risk that a particularly powerful gust may cause this load to start swinging wildly from side to side.

If there happens to be a labourer standing next to the front of the crane when the load begins to swing in this manner, they may end up being struck by it. If the load hits them with a lot of force, they could sustain fractures and other serious injuries.

Conversely, if the load is as heavy as it can be without causing the crane's boom to break off, it will be far more likely to remain stable and largely motionless whilst the operator is driving the crane around the construction site, even if there is a strong wind blowing during their journey.

Avoid parking or operating the crane on top of hills

If at all possible, it is best to avoid parking or allowing the crane to be operated on the top of a hill if it is very windy outside.

The reason for this is that if this equipment is perched at the top of a relatively steep slope, it will be fully exposed to any winds that are blowing, as there will be no buildings or other structures that will partially shield it from the wind.

This means that if the crane becomes unstable for even just a few seconds (because, for example, the operator is trying to turn it around whilst it is on top of the hill) and a strong gust happens to appear during this time period, the crane could tip over and go tumbling down the slope.

This could not only put the operator's life at risk but could also endanger anyone working at the bottom of the hill and lead to the crane being completely destroyed.

For more information about crane safety, contact a local crane rental company.