Okay, it seems pretty quiet here so I'd like to ask a couple questions regarding your training experiences. I figure this thread could go for awhile :drinkup First off, did you actually go to an Institute as an apprentice to learn your hoisting trade or did you challenge your exams and simply complete a practical evaluation? If you did go to school, how long was your course? I.e. one, two or three periods of attendance at school, 4 weeks or so in length. And finally, what were the most reinforced topics? I.e. Load charts or rigging calculations or weight calculations etc. :beatsme
Personally .. I got on the job ..then attended school as prescribed by the Government in the Apprenticeship Act. 12 weeks total,(2 - 6week session's)(each session was 50 theory ,50 hands on)and another additional 6000hrs on the job to complete the apprenticeship ..with written examinations and a Demonstration of Skill's Test (DOST)in the end to collect my license As far as Topic reinforcement..the load Charts ,,in particular range diagram's with intermediate boom lengths (hydraulic)..Back checking against the other parts of the Chart ..Boom Angle to Ground and offset .. You have to be able to read the load charts ..its not all just the number's ..its all the other information hidden in the "Chart Notes " that can make or break your day .. The occupational Health and Safety Act was next to the other aspects of Craning ..so as trainees we had a firm grip of why we put down blocking ,and why there is a law to this effect..So basically ..every law in regards to our craft ..the why and how was explained ..practically and in theory.. Then the Computer's came into play ..and as always ..back checking the computer against the paper chart..which is handy info to have ..I found one unit in the past was reading 3000lb's light on available Capacity when compared to the paper chart for the same configuration and radius.. One thing that was pounded in our heads .. the Computer is just an Aid ..it is not to be taken as the paper chart ..nor does it relieve you of your duty to pay attention to where and what is going on .. Example ..some LMI's can set you up to mark your swing ,and boom limitation's ..in the computer ..I dont even use it ..especially around things like hydro ..knowing where your at ,communication with the crew ..that's the operator's responsibility not the cranes ..its my job and responsibility to run the crane ..not the computer ..imagine the mess if the information got entered wrong ..or the machine was shut down long enough to reset the parameter's ..as operator's we all know you can sit for 5hrs and then the work can go from 0 to 100mph at the drop of a hat .. Hence ..reliance on the computer to preform anything that the operator has ultimate responsibility in over in regards to safe operating practice and diligence is a no-no ..Its there for information purpose ..to aid in an educated decision
Training I started in the Army attending some basic heavy equipment courses in the mid 90's. Dozer, loader, wheeled excavator, backhoe, a total of 6 months worth of training time. My crane course was through the military two years later. It was 6 weeks in school, 6 operators and 3 instructors. Lot's of information in a very compressed time frame. About 50% of the time in the seat the remainder in the classroom. Our cranes were mostly hydraulic AT's but we did have an older conventional truck mount to hone our skills on I must admit the maintenance portion was very intense, we had to pull the batteries remove cooling components and demonstrate our abilities to troubleshoot any problems that could develop. Our classroom time was spent on rigging calculations and load charts. Not too much pressure with site restrictions, just plain gross load, gross capacity and deductions, deductions, deductions. On the plus side, we only had three models of machines so those were the charts we concentrated on. The practical side involved us being assessed conducting lifts both on rubber, on outriggers and pick and carry. The culmination was our signalling and operating in a tandem lift scenario. Several years later I decided to move into the civilian side of things and involved myself with a Provincial apprenticeship program. Since I had the required hours from the military I was able to challenge my 1st period exams and successfully complete a practical evaluation conducted by the Apprenticeship board. Then after getting my hours on the job in the "real world" I attended school for the six week third year term. Pretty good stuff, lots of load charts and modern technology information. I enjoyed the math when it came to all the calculations and imposing of 60% or 75% restrictions. The practical had us in the seat of an RT, an AT (although not pinned boom ) and a live drawworks conventional. Again, just like the army lot's of lifts on outriggers, pick and carry and even a tandem lift. Once I completed all those evaluations and passed my exams I was able to complete my Red Seal. I agree with you 100%, the computer is only a guide! You must input your information correctly (Don't lie to it) And, you are the one who does the chart calculations in advance to ensure the lift will be safe. There has been more than one crane upset because the LMI thought it had full counterweight when in reality it had none. Or, the LMI was set to outriggers and the machine was sitting on it's tires..... ointhead
Guy's loose cranes everyday because of those LMI's .. Get this Tadano ..Outrigger potentiometers can be lied to with a pair of vise grip's ,.. The Pat system with a pair of vise grips .. The Licon system .. by Input .. Not much experience with Demag ..but its puyll hard and she'll come easy .. Its all fine and dandy to go beyond the computer If your within your right of safe operating practice ..But a few times ..Ive got in a unit and gone WHOA!!! Which gets me to another thing in training ..Pre operational checks against the Manual ..VS the computer .. The last guy may have been a goof ..but Id be the goof sitting in a courtroom trying to console somebody's widow of my actions ..if i didn't do my checks ... In fact there's room within the Law to have the last guy charged if indeed he used the unit with negligence
Prestart checks are a must for every operator! The size of the machine should have no bearing on the detail of inspection an operator completes. Certification, fluid levels, log book entries, LMI codes, jib security, boom tip reeving are all just part of the list. No matter the time constraints, paying attention to the details will always put safety first! On a different note, now that Tadano has the auto lift option on it's AT's (put the hook over the CoG of a load and it automatically compensates for boom deflection while lifting the load off the ground) How much longer before we as operators become totally antiquated?:notworthy
Tadano as that now !@!!! Demag was flirting with it a few years ago .. I guess like Iron workers no longer have to climb and anybody can put steel up from a manlift ..anybody can sit in the seat and pull lever's on a crane ... We'll never be antiquated ..the first time that machine goof's up and the guy in the seat cant think through the situation He's still to blame as the operator .. The LMI is an aid ..just another aspect i'll figure out how to work around to take command ..Like watching radius and boom angle ..and a few quick glance's at the level to get it of even ..