Hoisting

Hoisting
The plant used for hoisting
primarily performs vertical
movement although some
horizontal movement could
also be involved and is
functionally desirable.

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 Cranes
 Machines used primarily for lifting, lowering and
transporting loads. They move loads
horizontally by swinging and travelling. The
major factor controlling the load that may be
safely lifted by a crane is its operating radius –
horizontal distance from the centre of rotation
to the hook. This is a function of boom length
and boom angle above the horizontal. Other
factors influencing safe lifting load include the
position of the boom in relation to the carrier,
whether or not outriggers are used, the amount
of counterweight and the condition of the
supporting surface.
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 Safety regulations limit maximum crane
load to a percentage of the tipping load –
load that will cause the crane to actually
begin to tip (when a balance is reached
between the overturning moment of the
load and the stabilising moment of the
machine when on firm, level supporting
surface). Electronic load indicators are
available that measure the actual load on
the crane and provide warning if the safe
load is being exceeded. These are
divided into two groups’ namely mobile
and stationary cranes.
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Mobile cranes:

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 These are either self-propelled which are
capable of travelling with a suspended load or
truck mounted. Most types are fitted with a
low-pivot derricking jib either of strut type
held at the upper end by a suspension cable by
means of which it is derricked or of cantilever
type derricked by cable or hydraulic ram.
Mobile cranes can slew or turn a full cycle. In
some the jib, power unit and cabin are power-
turned above the tracks or wheels or as in the
case of some wheeled cranes the whole
machine slews in its own length by means of
four-wheel steering and requires no slewing
mechanism.

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 Mobile cranes are made in a wide range
of lifting capacities and many can be
fitted with jibs over 30m long. Since the
driver is near the ground level he
frequently is not able to see the exact
position at which his load is being placed
particularly when the jib is very long.
When long jibs are used it is necessary
either to restrict the reach of the jib or to
fit outriggers – beams that widen the
effective base of a crane - to the
machine in order to improve its stability
since they are normally light and narrow
to ease normal road travel.
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 Outriggers in addition provide a
method of levelling the machine on
sloping ground, provide stability when
lifting heavier loads and relieve the
wheels or crawler of some weight.
When the machine is travelling the jib
is folded down on the tower and both
are dropped into a horizontal position.
Mobile cranes are suitable where on
or between site mobility is a primary
requirement or where job duration is
short.
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BQS 404 - Njeri/Kennedy 05/05/2021 9
 Self-propelled cranes include those
mounted on pneumatic tyres which can be
driven at slow speed from site to site on
normal roads but they need hard ground on
which to work on the site. Where the
working ground on the site is unprepared
then a crawler mounted crane is desirable.
 Truck or lorry-mounted have greater

mobility on the road but are somewhat less

mobile on the site hence they are primarily
used for highly mobile purposes requiring
rapid movement from one site to another.
They are not designed to travel whilst
carrying load.
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 Telescopic jib cranes provide for
lengthening of the jib by telescoping it
as it incorporates the extending sections
within it structure. The telescopic jib
provides an operationally-variable jib
length (upto 24 storeys) which is an
advantage when manoeuvring within
confined areas. Because of the greater
relative weight of the telescopic jib
working loads at longer radii tend to be
less than with lattice type jibs and it is
restricted in its maximum length to
about 30m.
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 Because the straight jib is low mounted
and works at an angle, mobile cranes
must stand some distance away from the
building so that the jib does not touch
the building top. Some reduction of this
distance may be made by the use of a
short swan-necked jib or a fly jib fixed
to the top of the normal straight jib –
add extensions (3-9m) to enable the
radius of the jib to be extended in the
case of light loads without the lowering
of the main jib.

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BQS 404 - Njeri/Kennedy 05/05/2021 13
Stationary cranes
 These are fixed firmly on some base at their
working position.

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 Monotower derrick crane consists of a
braced tower which may be up to 60m high
firmly secured to adequate foundations and
surmounted by a derrick crane. To give
stability the mast of the crane extends down
through the centre of the tower to pivot
bearing well down its height or even down
to foundation level passing through the
slewing ring at the top of the tower. The
derricking jib is pivoted to the mast above
the slewing ring and a horizontal counter jib
or boom projects on the opposite side
carrying a ballast counterweight at the end.

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 The drivers cabin and controls are
at the top of the tower and the
crane is full circle slewing with 5
to 20 tons capacity and up to 45m
jibs. It occupies small ground but
its foundation is costly therefore
it is suitable for large multi-storey
buildings where the cost of
erection is justified by it capacity
and reach.

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 Tower crane
 It is capable of distributing material over the whole

area of a tall building because of it wide operating

radius and is especially suitable for handling
relatively light loads at great height and reach. It
is electrically driven, light in weight and can be
easily transported and quickly erected. They have
jibs upto 30m long and lifting capacity of upto 5
tons. The lattice mast is built in sections and may
be fitted with a derricking jib or fixed horizontal or
saddle jib. It slews full circle and the driver’s cabin
is high on the crane. Derricking jib cranes often
have slewing masts with counterweight in a box at
the base of the mast hence sufficient clearance is
necessary as the mast slews.

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 Fixed mast cranes have counterweights is at
the top of the mast thus it can be erected
nearer the building. Most cranes are not
stable with masts higher than 30m but with
fixed type erected close to the building and
designed to be built in sections as the
structure rises the crane can be build to
greater heights by tying the mast back to
the building to give necessary stiffness and
stability. In order to permit the height of
the mast to be increased without
dismantling the jib, cranes may be designed
with extending masts or telescopic masts.

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 Climbing crane
 This is set inside the building and has a short

fixed mast which is raised from floor to floor

as the building rises. At the beginning of the
job the crane is securely anchored at the base
but as work progresses the tower is raised via
hand or powered winches. At the completion
of the job the crane is dismantled and
lowered over the side of the building. The
floor structure must be designed to take the
weight and loads from the crane which is
mounted on steel joists spanning on the main
beams or alternatively the crane may be
mounted in a lift shaft.
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BQS 404 - Njeri/Kennedy 05/05/2021 21
Other types of cranes
 Rail-mounted or travelling

crane
 Transportable crane – used for

construction of small works up

to 9m height and 350kg
capacity
 Portal crane resembling the

workshop gantry crane

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 Accidents
 Crane accidents occur in construction work
particularly when lifting near-capacity loads
and when operating with long booms. Some
suggestions for safety include;
 Carefully set outriggers on firm supports
 The crane base must be level – safety capacity

is reduced by 50% when crane is out of level by

only 30 and operating with long boom at
minimum radius
 Use a communications system or hand signals

when the crane operator cannot see the load

and make sure that all workers involved in the
operation know the hand signals to be used
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 Provide tag lines (restraining lines)
when there is any danger due to
swinging loads
 Ensure that crane operators are well

trained and know the capability of

their machines
 Check safe-lifting-capacity charts for

the entire range of planned swing

before starting a lift

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 Hoists
 Consists of a horizontal platform
which is moved up and down
vertical guides by a powered winch.
The guides are built up in sections
so that they may be extended as
the structure rises and are tied
back to the structure or to
scaffolding in order to provide
stability.
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BQS 404 - Njeri/Kennedy 05/05/2021 28
Platform hoists:
 Sizes upto 1.5 tonnes capacity and are

used for lifting bricks, blocks and

general building materials but they
provide vertical movement only.
Mobile platform hoists:
 Consists of guides fixed to a vertical

lattice mast which is mounted on a

chassis and two tyred wheels. The
platform is powered by a small engine
and is capable of lifting up to 500kg.

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 Elevators
 Consists of a series of buckets fixed to
a rotating belt or chain and are used
for raising aggregates, cement bags,
tiles which are fed on to the bottom by
hand. Elevators can work vertically but
are usually set at an angle according to
the height of lift and are powered by a
small engine and mounted on two
wheels to ease movement on site.

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