How are the ground conditions? Has it rained recently? What’s the weather prediction for the day of the lift? And there’s more than just weather to account for when making critical lifts - most importantly, what is the ground bearing pressure where the crane will be set up? The bearing pressure of the ground will play a role in the type of crane that’s used for a critical lift, how much matting is required, and the amount of weight that can safely be lifted. Take a look at the area where the critical lift will take place. Critical Lift Plan Preparation Considering the Site Lifts that are appropriately planned are executed properly, and this planning can help ensure that everyone on site is sent home to their families after they’ve put in a day’s work. What goes into the proper planning of these lifts, though? We’ll give you these answers to help guide your team on how to create a critical lift plan. For example, a smaller company picking a valuable load might consider that lift to be critical, and the personnel making the lift may treat it as such. Some companies also have internal parameters in place to dictate what qualifies as a critical lift. OSHA defines a critical lift as any lift that (1) exceeds 75% of a crane’s rated capacity (2) utilizes more than one crane and (3) is lifting personnel. Today we’ll get into the details of how to create a critical lift plan.
