FEM warns against ‘entertainment’ lifts
14 June 2011The FEM, the trade association for crane manufacturers in Europe, has released a position paper stressing that crane should never be used for lifting people for entertainment. In emergency and exception circumstances where they must be used for lifting people, a manbasket should be used.
In the paper, manufacturers restated the opinion that mobile cranes are not intended for lifting of performers in shows, tents, restaurants or in any way other than materials handling uses described in manufacturer’s manuals.
The use of man baskets should be ‘exceptional’, i.e. for emergency rescues only and even then only where this is the safest way to do the job.
A job-specific risk assessment and national provisions for emergency rescue should be carefully considered in this case.
Compliance is required with any the national laws regarding lifting people with cranes in whatever country the operator is lifting in this case. Equipment checks for the crane, the man basket, and any emergency equipment are also necessary.
An overload test lift (proof test) with an overload of 125% of the rated capacity of the basket should be performed at each new site and after each modification or repair.
Before lifting personnel, a trial lift with the unoccupied basket loaded at least to the anticipated lift weight to simulate the loaded basket should be performed simulating the complete planned lifting cycle.
This trial lift should be done at each set up location on a construction site where personnel handling is to be done.
The rope pull should be limited to 50% of the maximum line pull.
The crane should be used at 50% of the maximum capacity of the relevant load chart.
