Affiliations: Institut de recherche en santé et sécurité du travail (IRSST), Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Daniel Imbeau, Ergonomics and Safety Department, Institut de recherche en santé et sécurité du travail du Québec, 505 West de Maisonneuve Blvd, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3A 3C2. E-mail: imbeau.daniel@irsst.qc.ca.
Abstract: Performance of experienced crane operators in stopping rotational movements of a crane platform was compared with that of an automatic braking system. Sixteen certified crane operators performed boom movements towards a segment of a typical power line using a 100 tons lifting capacity crane equipped with a fixed-length 18 m long boom, a single lifting cable, and hard ball hook. The 18 m boom was later replaced with a 49 m boom to vary crane geometry and motion response. In all trials, a 1500 kg (3500 lb) load was hooked to the lifting cable. In critical operating conditions, the control input strategy used by the experienced crane operators could yield a stopping angle comparable to that of the automatic braking system. However, when compared with the automatic braking system, the operators had a better control on the oscillations of the load during the stopping maneuver. The data collected in this experiment were used to specify two key parameters in the design of a crane movement limiting device.
Keywords: Power lines, crane, electrocution, movement limiting devices, safety equipment
