Safety Factors in Structural Steel Erection in Melbourne

18 October 2019

It seems like there are news items every day about crane mishaps and structural steel collapses. Let’s make this one point very clear: here in Melbourne, every possible risk factor is assessed and reassessed. Granted, productivity margins and quality-assurance programs are a key part of any erection service’s mission statement, but such concerns can never outweigh a carefully considered company safety program, especially when cranes and large-scale steel members are added to the mix.

Exhaustively Trained Crane Operators

Certified and accredited so that every member of staff can safely manipulate a boom and hook, a Melbourne-based crane hire service will only ever provide a competent operator. This individual won’t necessarily be assigned to a vehicle during the rental process, not if the contractor hiring the crane brings his own expert crane operator, but the service will be made available. Additionally, second and third work members can be added so that a full rigging team comes together to safely carry out the required service.

Matched By Journeymen-Savvy Welders and Erection Workers

Welding experts, versed in all kinds of steel jointing skills, are dispatched to the site. The welders know GMAW and GTAW equipment, plus all other arc welding technologies. Job done, welding inspectors arrive to assess the welded linkages. Next, working at height, there’s an approved fall protection system to safeguard the welders while they focus their attentions on the job at hand. There’s no shortage of professionals at work, with their skillsets focused on erecting tall and intricate frameworks. To protect them while they work, their managers, foremen and chargehand included, must assess all on-site safety factors.

Structural Steel Work: Assessing the Safety Factors

The procedural work really begins back at the shop, for some of the prefabricated assembly tasks are done back on the workshop floor. Welders and inspectors do their duties. Safety guidelines are implemented, so there are safety goggles and hard hats to assign. Even on the road, a safe payload transportation strategy must be drawn up before the trucks are dispatched. Some of these partially assembled constructs can be hard to transport on busy Melbourne roads. Finally, onsite and at work, there are scaffolding regulations and fall protection systems to install and check before the erection can commence.

It’s the same with cranes. A driver can’t operate the boom if he’s only qualified to drive the vehicle. Even fully trained, he’ll need a signalman to check out his blind spots. Looking for overhead electrical cables and muddy ground patches, a checklist is employed as a second layer of employee and vehicle protection. If the ground is soft, the crane will need to move. Outriggers should be included and utilized under such conditions, too.