CHAPTER 3CRANE CREW SUPERVISORIn minutes, a crane can easily lift and place a loadweighing several tons. Major tasks involved in anyconstruction or ship-loading operation are thehandling of supplies, the driving of piles, and theexcavation of materials. Most of these tasks areperformed by equipment belonging to the lifting andloading family. Part of this family are cranes withvarious attachments, such as hook block, clamshell,dragline, and pile driver. Cranes provide safe andefficient accomplishment of assigned tasks whenoperators use them properly and demonstrate thesame respect for the crane as they should any otherlabor-saving device; however, the first time you bendthe rules or take shortcuts, disaster is waiting tohappen.As a direct result of OPERATOR ERROR, craneaccidents take heavy and tragic tolls each year.People are crippled or killed and enormous propertydamage is incurred as a direct result of craneaccidents. Nine out of ten crane accidents thatoccurred in the past could have been avoided. Overeighty percent of these accidents were due to operatorinattention, poor judgment, overconfidence, orexcessive speed.The Naval Construction Force (NCF) has formany years recognized the requirement for anextensive crane safety program. The crane safetyprogram applies to crane operators and the safeoperation of weight-handling equipment. Standardsfor weight-handling equipment operations areoutlined in the Management of Weight-HandlingEquipment, NAVFAC P-307; NCF EquipmentManagement Manual, NAVFAC P-404; NMCBEquipment Management, COMSECOND/COM-THIRDNCBINST 11200.1 series; Use of Wire RopeSlings and Rigging Hardware in the NCF,COMSECOND/COMTHIRDNCBINST 11200.11;and Testing and Licensing of Construction EquipmentOperators, NAVFAC P-306.CRANE CREW SUPERVISORRESPONSIBILITIESThe Naval Construction Force crane crewsupervisor is assigned and designated in writing bythe commanding officer. The person selected isnormally the best crane operator available withinbattalion-wide assets. The equipment officer, cranetest director, and the crane crew supervisor share theresponsibility of ensuring that any crew that prepares,assembles, operates, or works with or around cranesare well trained in both safety and operatingprocedures.CRANE CREWThe equipment officer and the Alfa companyoperations chief should select the crane crew at thebeginning of the home-port period. Constructiontasking requiring crane support and the number ofcranes assigned in the TAB A dictate the size of thecrane crew.During the home-port period the crane crewsupervisor should be aware of and review allconstruction tasking that requires crane support. Aknowledge of crane operations enhances your abilityto make proper plans to meet construction tasking.Proper planning means you select the correct numberand types of crane lifts, assign the correct type ofcrane needed to accomplish the task, select the correctrigging gear, and assign a competent crew to performthe lift. Additionally, if any special skills are requiredto perform any of the tasking, you should know thatspecial training can be coordinated through yourbattalion training department with the NavalConstruction Training Center (NCTC), PortHueneme, California, or Gulfport, Mississippi.QualificationsThe skills and safety standards demanded forefficient crane operations require only matureprofessionals be assigned as crane operators andriggers on a crane crew. Equipment Operators mustmeet the minimum physical examinationrequirements as established by the NAVFAC P-306.Additionally, they must pass a written and operationalskills test.3-1
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