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Rules for Cranemen The National Founders' Association Indicates the Precautions That Should be Taken in Operating Electrically-Driven, Cage-Operated Cranes Ls Safety First movement has attained a world-wide impetus and there is practically no industry of any magnitude that has not its safety organization. The Safety Bulletin of the National Foun- ders' Association devotes its August issue entirely to rules for cranemen. As this is highly applicable to ship- yards, the rules are published as fol- lows: Personal Caution is the Greatest sareguord, after all. The careless craneman, although provided with the best facilities for safe handling of ma- terials, may by his carelessness thwart the most careful plans of the manage- ment for the safety of its employes. Similarly, the craneman who is well meaning but not thoroughly familiar with the cause and effect of right and wrong applications of the crane mech- anism, may blunder into a most dis- astrous accident. It is therefore im- perative that cranemen should be thor- oughly impressed with safe ways of handling the cranes under their charge. Traveling cranes which are operated from a cage attached to the crane bridge are liable to cause more fre- quent and more serious injuries than other types because the former usually carry heavy loads at considerable speed over great areas of floor upon which employes are engaged in work. Most cage-operated cranes are elec- trically driven. The rules suggested in this Bulletin, therefore, are espe- cially designed for electrically-driven, cage-operated traveling cranes. Satisfactory crane rules are in ef- fect in many plants, yet they differ in language and in details. A number of these have been gathered and studied, while close observation of crane hazards in all kinds of plants has suggested others. Out of this study has grown "The Fifty Crane Rules" herein suggested. Not all of these rules, however, are applicable to every cage-operated, electrically driven crane in every plant, because of the great variety of such cranes in service and the many differ- ent conditions under. which they must operate. These rules, if not adopted in their entirety, may nevertheless be used as a foundation upon which a set of rules may be formulated for each plant to suit local conditions; they may even suggest rules for oper- ation of other types of cranes as well. It is recommended that the rules be printed and copies posted con- spicuously' in each operator's crane cage and placed in the hands of all cranemen. When once adopted, the rules should be rigidly enforced. General Rules for Cranemen 1. Cranes must be operated only by regular crane operators, authorized substitutes, crane repairmen or in- spectors; no one else should enter -crane cage. 2. ' Access «to "and: vexit, from: "the crane cage should always be by: sta- tionary ladders, stairways or platforms provided for the purpose. Cranemen must keep their hands free when going up and down ladders. 3. Articles which are too large to go into cranemen's pockets or belts should be lifted to or lowered from crane by hand line kept in cage for "such use. 4..' Cages 'should be kept free of clothing and other personal belong- ings. Pools * extra "fuses." oil "cans, waste and other articles necessary in the crane cage should be stored in a tool box, and not left loose on: or about crane. | 5. A pail filled with sand should be carried in the crane cage for use in case of fire. Rules for Crane Operators 6. Operator should familiarize him- self fully with all crane rules and with the crane mechanism and_ its proper' care: Tle. must not tamper with any mechanical or electrical ad- justment, but if adjustments are neces- sary, he should report the same at once to foreman or repairman. 7. Operator must not eat,' smoke or read while on duty nor operate crane when he is in poor physical condition. 8.. Operator must. be constantly alert in watching crane and floor op- erations, and workmen under or near the load. 9. Operator or some one specially designated by the foreman must daily oil all working parts of crane includ- ing sheave blocks, fill empty grease cups, turn down others and make sure that oil passages are not clogged. Hoist chains and cables must be lu- _bricated regularly as directed by fcore- man. 10. Operator must examine crane daily for loose parts or defects and report same immediately to foreman or repairman. _ 11. Operator must clean weekly or oftener as directed. 12. Operator must test foot brake and limit switch at beginning of each working period. 13. Operator must avoid, as far as possible, carrying loads over workmen; it murt° be absolutely avoided when carrying molten metal. - 14. Operator must lift loads only high enough to clear safely all men and obstacles upon the floor. 15. Whenever loads are to be car- ried over a long distance to a high position, they should be carried as close to floor as feasible until final lo- ~ cation is reached; load should then be lifted to desired height. 16. Operator must never go or al- low any one else to go on crane bridge without first opening main switch; if crane is provided with an emergency switch, that also must be epened. Preferably, switch must be locked open, or warning sign placed and kept upon it, while any person remains on the bridge. 17. Whenever operator finds main or emergency switch open, he must uot close it, even when starting on regular duty, until he has made sure that no one is on or about the bridge or runway. 18. Before closing main switch, op- erator must make sure that all con- trollers are in OFF position. 19. Operator must move control- lers slowly from point to point to gradually increase speed of motors, and must restrict speed until slack in chain or cable has been taken up. 20. In case of electrical short cir- cuit or if a controller should stick, operator must immediately throw all controllers, except the one that sticks, into OFF position, then open main switch with a rapid motion and no- tify foreman or repairman. 21. If power goes off, operator must unmediately throw all controllers to OFF position until power is available. Crate again 22. Operator must not run more than two motors at one time; when handling molten metal it is advisable to run only one motor at a time. 23. Operator must not motor until it has come to stop, except to avoid accidents. 24. Operator must pay special at- reverse a a full