Personal protective equipment or PPE is one of the crucial elements on your construction site. When construction site managers hear this, they assume that this only means hard hats, gloves, reflector jackets, gumboots, hard shoes, and goggles. These are, of course, essential protective equipment for people on your construction site, but they are not enough. Most people will not pay as much attention to their site’s need for back support equipment for those who lift heavy manual objects.
In addition to your safety footwear and other components of your PPE ensemble, you should invest in the right back support straps for your workers. Most construction materials are quite heavy, and people who lift them continually will suffer back issues in varying degrees at some point. Other than the back PPE for your staff, you should get the right construction equipment to handle the lifting of very heavy objects. Here are the different types of equipment you should consider for your construction site:
Forklifts
These are also called lift trucks, which are powered trucks that come in several load capacities and sizes though most of them have weight capacities of 1-5 tons. Forklifts are powered by propane, diesel, or gasoline. A few of the modern ones are powered by electricity and come with rechargeable batteries. You can customize your forklifts using different attachments to handle the lifting of the specific loads and fit your construction site.
Cranes
You have two options for the cranes used for lifting objects on your construction site. One is mobile and will be mounted on a truck to allow its easy mobility. The other option is fixed for optimal control, and for carrying heavy loads hydraulic. Rough terrain, hydraulic and crawler cranes are the common ones used on construction sites. Your best choice for construction is a rough terrain crane since this can navigate rough construction sites because of its durable tires and all-wheel capabilities. Hydraulic cranes are lightweight and versatile enough to perform a range of tasks. They are the best choices for short-term construction jobs.
Loaders
This is the most common heavy machine used for transport in construction sites. It is used for the lifting of cement, gravel, and sand in large mounds. These loaders come with specialized wheels that can navigate the rough terrain of construction sites. Loaders also come with large mobile shovels that will load large construction material quantities onto them.
Strand Jacks
These are the best choices for consistent heavy lifting on construction sites that cannot accommodate the movement of cranes. Strand jacks rely on strong steel wires and hydraulic pressure to move objects. They are small, and therefore easy to operate even on constructed sites. Strand jacks are, however, highly complicated and might need an experienced technician to operate them.
With the above equipment, you minimize the odds of back injuries typical when using manual loaders to carry materials on your site. This option also reduces the cost of labor for your construction project. As such, they are your best alternatives for the lifting of construction materials and machines on your site.
