Article Courtesy of Webcor The Voice Newsletter October 2023

When flying loads with a crane on the projects, weather conditions can greatly affect the safety and productivity of your work. One such weather condition that has these affects is wind. Wind can cause materials to blow off the buildings, can cause loads to be unstable/unsafe when flown by the cranes, and can cause cranes to be shut down or even cause cranes to be tipped over. When working with cranes in harsh wind conditions, there are several things to consider ensuring safe working conditions.                

Operating a crane even in a slight wind can make it difficult to keep a load steady, so it is important to take necessary precautions. It is important to know all cranes have spec sheets and load charts for information on the acceptable wind tolerances, which should be reviewed by the crane operator and project teams. Typically, it is best to avoid operating cranes in winds stronger than twenty miles per hour. In areas where wind conditions are persistent, additional safety precautions can be used to allow for safe production.            

Additional safety precautions when working in the wind conditions include:

• Only flying specific loads with small surface area or heavier loads that won’t be as affected by the winds.
• Adding additional taglines to control the loads.
• Not flying loads between buildings or above the building where higher winds typically occur.
• Flying loads during the part of the days where wind speeds are lowest.
• Using an external product helps to control the loads from movement caused by the winds as the Vital Load Navigator.

We were recently challenged with constant high wind conditions on a project in San Francisco, which was unsafe and unproductive. We were introduced to, and then used the Vita Load Navigator to help with rigging large loads in windy conditions. The semi-autonomous propulsion-driven device connects between the hook of the crane and the load and is remotely or autonomously controlled. Measuring over 1,000 data points per second, the system detects load movement in real-time and adjusts the load with high-powered fans to keep the load from rotating which can cause site damage and/or injuries.

Key features of the Vita Load Navigator:

• Remote Manual Control - Allows user pinpoint precision in adjusting load position and placement.
• Auto Hold Button - Keep your loads positioned in the hardest of conditions.
• Standby Mode - Quickly shut down thrusters and toggle between standby and active mode.
• Memory Button - Records precise lift positions at any time and uses them to simplify repetitive lifts with the touch of a button.

The Vita Lift Navigator allowed the team to control the load in the high wind conditions via a remote control that was some distance away from the load. This kept the employees flying the load at a safe distance from the load and enabled full control of the load during the pick. It is important to note that there are various sizes of Vita Lift Navigators, and it depends on the size of the load and wind conditions to which you will need. When using this equipment, we experienced full control of the load in very windy conditions. Overall, a very successful use of a new piece of equipment, and something we will use again in the future if working in high winds. The safety of our employees is the most important thing we consider, and using this new innovative tool allowed for a safe and productive project.