How to Use a Warehouse Crane
- 1). Put on appropriate safety equipment before approaching the warehouse crane. Wear a hard hat, safety goggles, gloves, respiration mask or any other personal protection equipment as required by warehouse management and safety guidelines. Climb into the cabin, shut the door and turn on the crane.
- 2). Check your engine oil pressure gauge, fuel gauge and engine coolant temperature gauge. Make sure all gauges are in the green area, indicating they are functioning properly. Ensure the gas tank is at least one-quarter full before operating the crane. If fuel is needed, turn off the engine and fill the gas tank, or drive the machine to an on-site location for refueling before using the crane to move merchandise. Use the cold start switch if the crane is parked outside during winter or long periods of cold weather to inject special starter fluid into the engine to start it properly.
- 3). Determine the exact location of the merchandise you must move with the crane before putting the crane in drive. Test the horn in the center of the steering wheel to ensure it works. Shift the crane into reverse, back out of the parking spot, and slowly drive the crane to the loading location by gently pressing down on the gas pedal and turning the steering wheel, as you would a car. Turn on the headlamps by switching the main lights switch to the left of the steering wheel to the "on" position. Use left and right turn signals while moving the crane to indicate to others where you are going before you make a turn.
- 4). Depress the brake pedal and place the crane in "park" when you reach the spot where you are to load merchandise onto the crane. Center the crane in front of the merchandise.
- 5). Climb out of the cabin and confirm the total weight of the merchandise you will lift and transport. Check the merchandise to ensure rope is securely tied around the merchandise with a proper hook at the top so you can connect the hook to your crane's hoist. Have someone assist you to connect the hooks and to spot your positioning of the crane over the merchandise. Climb back in the cabin, and check the weight capacity of the crane to ensure the merchandise will not exceed the machine's maximum load.
- 6). Lower the boom via the lift control lever to the right of the steering column. Move the boom down so that the crane arm moves within 12 to 24 inches of the hook on the top of the merchandise.
- 7). Use the hoist control lever to the far right of the steering column to move the hoist cable down to touch the hook on the top of the merchandise. Allow your assistant to properly connect the hooks, securing the merchandise to the crane hoist cable.
- 8). Raise the hoist cable via the hoist control lever. Slowly raise the boom via the lift control lever until the merchandise is 3 to 4 feet off the ground. Slowly drive the crane to the spot to which you need to move the merchandise. Once there, slowly lower the boom and hoist control with an assistant until the merchandise touches down safely at its ending location. Drive the crane back to its proper storage area. Turn it off, and exit the cabin carefully.
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