Crane Failure / Safety Sense

50% of crane failure or total collapse is from improper use of outriggers. A proactive safety approach is to use outrigger pads on all setups. The outrigger pads will displace & reduce the PSI the ground "sees" from the point of contact of the outrigger/shoe/float/pontoon on the equipment. The outrigger pads will also remind the personnel at the job site to ensure the outrigger system is being used correctly. Bigfoot is the first company to manufacture safety orange. This was done to address tripping hazards & make sure the outrigger system is deployed by bringing attention to the operator & other personnel on the job site.

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The outrigger system shall be used according to the manufacturer’s standards.

• The setup & leveling is critical on any setup or with any style of outrigger system on the equipment. Always follow the manufacturer’s chart on level & grade % allowable for equipment to be set up.
• Get recent soil conditions. Getting a known ground bearing capacity (GBC) will help with knowing what outrigger pad is the best fit.
• Check for location & know where utilities are overhead & underground.
• Maintain proper clearances on overhead power lines.
• Outrigger pads shall not be used to bridge any gaps or span over voids.

After the equipment is set up, level & according to the manufacturer recommendations & with Bigfoot outrigger pads, perform a dry run with spotters. The boom should be run over & around all the outriggers with a spotter not under the boom but looking at the outriggers. The spotter is looking to see if any of the floats are sinking, shifting, or sliding. If there is any issue, stop & stow the boom. Now is the time to re-check the equipment level, improve soil conditions or add Bigfoot outrigger pads & cribbing. There are some great starting points with setting up, but this will not cover all equipment set up. Having a lift director or person in charge on the job site to address setting up will help to avoid crane failure.

• Knowing the max PSI/PSF (this does not factor in shock or impact loading, which is common in DEMO & tree care or removal work. Speed plus mass equals force, which is measured in PSI/PSF & will go through the outrigger system).
• Size of outrigger/shoe/float/pontoon on equipment
• Soil conditions

In many but not all setups, having this information will address the 3 times the square surface area on grade A soil conditions. The 3 times the square surface area on grade A soil conditions will displace the PSI from the equipment through the outrigger pad, depending on the GBC value that needs to be maintained. If there is a known GBC value needed & an engineer has values needing to be reached, Bigfoot can help.

Crane Failure

Cribbing or dunnage should not meet or exceed the height of the base outrigger pad. Example: A 36 X 36 at 2” (P363620) should not have cribbing or dunnage meet or exceed 36” on any setup. The bottom layer or base outrigger pad will be carrying the PSI (when you see pictures of other outrigger pads with wood cribbing or dunnage underneath or on bottom, the cribbing or dunnage is carrying the load, the top pad is the cushion). Knowing this, the sheer value is needed on the setup as well. Bigfoot recommends using the same material to maintain consistency with sheer values, our custom composite cribbing is made from the same material as our outrigger pads.

Bigfoot’s American custom composite has no grain lines. This allows the setup of outrigger pads & cribbing to be exceptionally user-friendly. This will eliminate the question of vertical pressure or out & down outrigger systems, which direction should the pads or cribbing face? The sheer value of Bigfoot’s custom composite is the same in either direction. Bigfoot’s material is not injected or extruded or 100% recycled material, these materials will have different directional shear values & need to be addressed in addition to setups. This is another area that Bigfoot can help with operators, lift directors, or personnel in charge. This will without question, using Bigfoot outrigger pads, help with setups & reduce human error to make sure the hard-working personnel are using STRENGTH/STABILITY/SAFETY on their job sites & equipment.

Safe Equipment Setup with Proper Cribbing and Blocking

Your SAFETY is our utmost concern at Bigfoot. We are dedicated to providing you with essential information you need to ensure the safe operation of cranes and heavy equipment across various ground surfaces. Employing appropriate cribbing and blocking techniques is pivotal in this process.

The Significance of Cribbing and Blocking

Cribbing establishes the sturdy foundation for elevating outriggers and stabilizers to greater heights, while blocking is instrumental in the even distribution of weight for heavy loads. These methods are integral to protecting operators from potential harm and guiding you in selecting the most suitable approach for supporting your equipment.

Key Definitions

• Ground Conditions: This term pertains to the ground’s capability to withstand the weight of the equipment.
• Support Materials: This encompasses materials like blocking, mats, cribbing, or similar devices used to provide support.

Choosing the Appropriate Materials

When selecting materials for cribbing and blocking, consider the following:

• Make sure that the selected material can withstand the heavy loads exerted by the outrigger.
• Do not use materials exhibiting cracks, deformations, rot, bending, wear, or damage.
• Use materials larger than the outrigger’s foot.
• Choose materials with ample thickness, width, and length to prevent load shifting, tipping, or excessive settling.
• Keep materials free from oil, grease, and debris, and ensure they are dry to prevent slipping.

Safe Usage of Cribbing and Blocking

For secure utilization, please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Personnel should wear steel-toed boots, gloves, and eye protection when handling cribbing and blocking.
• Place materials on a solid, level base or foundation to ensure uniform weight distribution.
• Verify that no debris is beneath the cribbing or blocking, obstructing proper ground contact.
• Position the cribbing directly beneath the outrigger and stack it to prevent slippage.
• Regularly inspect cribbing and blocking during equipment operation for any indications of settling, slippage, cracking, bending, crushing, or shear failure.
• The cribbing should never exceed twice the width of the blocking base.

Determining the Correct Blocking Size

To ascertain the suitable size for cribbing or blocking, consider the following rules:

• Rule of 5: Divide the unit’s maximum lifting capacity (in tons), e.g., 50 tons, by 5. This yields a requirement of 10 sq. ft. of cribbing or blocking.
• Rule of 3: Multiply the square footage of the crane’s floats by 3. For instance, a 2×2 float equals 4 sq. ft. Multiply 4 sq. ft. by 3, resulting in a requirement of 12 sq. ft. of cribbing or blocking.

For more comprehensive guidance, we encourage you to consult OSHA’s standard on cranes and derricks in construction (1926 Subpart CC). Your safety remains our top priority, and we are here to support you in the safe utilization of your equipment.

Worksites pose serious risks and dangers to workers. When heavy machinery is being used, the risks and dangers are taken to a whole other level. Safety is therefore the main priority when working with lifting equipment. Cranes and other tall machinery must be handled carefully to ensure and maximize everyone’s safety and wellbeing on the job.

If a crane topples over, not only can expensive equipment be ruined, but lives and a significant amount of money could be lost.

For this reason, outrigger pads are deemed the best option to use whenever conducting lifting operations. They provide your lifting equipment with a more stable platform and distribute its weight over a wider area. In this article, we look closely at outrigger pads, how they can be used safely and what kinds of pads are available on the market.

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The Essentials

Outrigger pads are placed on the ground under the equipment’s outrigger, float, foot, or shoe. When using an outrigger pad, the selected size and thickness should be based upon the type of equipment, work site's soil conditions, and type of lift being carried out.

When someone works with outrigger systems, it’s essential to know that the point of contact between an outrigger pad and the ground is relatively small. Because of the outrigger’s pressure, the ground below may shift, be displaced, or even collapse if an outrigger pad isn’t used.

If those things occur, chances are the equipment will shift or tip the load, leading to the equipment toppling over. In fact, around half of the crane lifting incidents are caused by improper handling of outriggers.

The main purpose of outrigger pads is to stabilize equipment so the ground below doesn’t shift and equipment doesn’t tip over. Stability is dependent upon the equipment’s footprint (the total area enclosed by the equipment’s support structure) and center of mass (the point at which the equipment would balance if placed on top of a single point to support it).

The equipment would topple if the center of mass is located on the edge of the footprint or outside of it. To provide more stability, use a counterweight to help shift the center of mass back over the footprint or make the footprint bigger with an extendable outrigger system.

As we know, all cranes have counterweights but there’s a limit to how hefty they can be due to setup considerations and transportation. There’s no guarantee the ground conditions will be stable to set up and hold the crane when you transport it to the work location.

Therefore, it’s crucial to use outriggers to extend the crane’s footprint to maintain the stability of the equipment. Installing outrigger pads underneath the outriggers will expand their point of contact with the ground and move pressure from the equipment through the outrigger pad to the ground.

Important Points

As with all safety tools used, outrigger systems and outrigger pads must be handled according to their manufacturers’ instructions. For this reason, we list some important points to keep in mind when working with an outrigger system.

Know that the proper setup and leveling are critical to the proper function of any type of outrigger system. The operator is required to follow the chart from the manufacturer in terms of the permitted level and grade percentage when setting up the equipment. If the level is unfitting, the lifting capacity of the equipment will be reduced.

Before setting up, try to acquire soil conditions for the work area. Knowing the ground-bearing capacity will help workers define what type of outrigger pad is the best option for the equipment that will be used. Another important thing to know is that outrigger pads shouldn’t be used to bridge any gaps or span any voids.

A Variety of Pads

Outrigger pads are built in different lengths, shapes, thicknesses, and widths. There are pros and cons when it comes to shapes. For instance, since large square outrigger pads have larger surface areas, they’re difficult to move around on the site. However, round outrigger pads are easier as they can be rolled into position by one individual and have less surface area.

American custom composite, premium birch, and American steel are the three most popular materials used to build outrigger pads and these should be used when staff is aloft or with any critical lift with a load of 10,000 pounds or above.

Final Thoughts

Like all tools for line construction and maintenance, before being used or set up, outrigger pads should be properly inspected. After completing the setup, perform a dry run with a spotter to check the outriggers and outrigger pads, check the equipment level and you’re all set to move forward with your job.

For more Composite Outrigger Pads information, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.