Many say that experience is the best teacher, but when it comes to working with heavy machinery, nothing could be further from the truth. Experiencing injuries and what not to do is the last thing any employer or worker wants to see happen. Here are five safety tips for staying safe around cranes. 

Stay to the Side

While it might be simpler to load a crane from below, staying to the side is a better idea. If you hitch a load to the suspended hook, that load will be immediately above your head. If that load slips or if the hook breaks, you're the one who will suffer the full impact of that load. The resulting accident could be fatal. 

Make Sure the Driver Sees You

Another thing you can do to keep yourself safe and to encourage others to do the same is to impress the importance of making sure the driver always sees the people around the rig. If a driver can't see you, and you can't see him, this means that you're simply not safe. He might drive forward or turn the rig into you, and that could result in serious injuries. 

Don't Lean on the Crane

While it might be tempting to lean against heavy machinery that isn't in use, that's a bad idea, particularly if there are live electrical wires nearby. Live wires touched by the crane won't affect the person inside the cab, but anyone touching the outside of the crane's body is in for a shocking surprise. 

Wear a Hard Hat

Another thing to remember is that any time there could be a risk of falling supplies, tools, or materials, you should wear a hard hat. Even smaller items, like small rocks, could result in life-threatening injuries if they're dropped by a crane from dozens or hundreds of feet in the air. Wearing a hard hat prevents injuries by reducing the risk of a serious concussion or brain injury. 

Get the Right Training

Of course, the most important safety tip for using a crane is to get the right training. With the education to run the crane safely and the knowledge of regulations and rules placed on the driver and businesses that use them, there's a lower risk of injuries, and that allows you to make sure all workers stay safe. 

These are just a few tips to stay safe around cranes. Keep them in mind, and work in a safe environment. For further tips, talk to a company like All Ship & Cargo Surveys Ltd.