Monday, July 7, 2014

How Important Is The Electrical Grounding Of Mobile Cranes

Construction job sites that involve cranes are considered as some of the most threatening job sites. Over the years, hundreds of crane accidents have happened, of which even 70% included mobile cranes. Of this number, 5-10% of the accidents were caused by electrical contact, which means that the electrical grounding of mobile cranes is very important consideration. Many may think that this number is very small, but it represents a problem and needs to be prevented and reduced to zero.



The height of the mobile cranes commonly leads to contact with electrical wires and since all mobile cranes are made from metal, the electricity from the wires can easily get through the crane and injure the operator. This does not apply for the immobile cranes, but for the mobile cranes only. When mobile cranes are traveling, there are lots of electrical wires on the streets, so the possibility to get in contact with one is huge, no matter if the operator is driving carefully.




But how important is the electrical grounding of mobile cranes? This safety feature prevents accidents from happening by directing the electricity to the ground. Also, it provides a detour for the electricity, so there is no way it can pass through the operator. However, this electrical grounding for mobile cranes is only one type, there is another type of electrical grounding. Since the cranes are heavy and used for lifting heavy loads, the stability is an important consideration for them. But sometimes, it is impossible to find a flat and firm land in a construction job site. The process of stabilizing the cranes before use is called grounding of cranes.


Many operators do the grounding process manually, because on that way they can easier ensure if the crane is stable enough to start operating. However, with the mobile cranes electrical grounding systems it is simpler and easier. The mobile cranes electrical grounding systems automatically judge the stability level that the ground beneath has. Also, these systems adjust the position of the mobile cranes in such order to maximize the stability. So, the crane operators can be assured that the stability of their mobile cranes is at maximum.



Another big advantage of the electrical grounding systems of mobile cranes is that they are very easy and simple to operate. The operators need to only push a button and see their cranes stabilized. On this way, a lot of effort and valuable time of the operator are saved. And lastly, the operators of mobile cranes with electrical ground systems can rely on safe operation and be sure that their cranes will never fall down to a task.

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