Some safety tips for using hook lift bins at construction sites!

An employee was once working at a construction site and the process to transfer a huge container from the truck onto a trailer was being carried out with the help of a hook lift. The container weighing 10.8 tonnes fell on that employee and he died instantly. Any guesses why? Because the hook lifts are designed for loading and unloading waste bins or containers and are attached to the rear of a vehicle. It is not the job of a hook lift to transfer heavy materials from one place to another. The production of hook lift bins was not an accident. The need for the same was realised and thus, implemented.

Hook lift containers or bins are large open top containers that are used to store waste materials. These are mostly used as a temporary solution for disposal of waste at construction sites, or yard clean ups. However, families or localities with bigger disposal and recycling needs use these hook lift bins permanently as well. Generally offered with an open top, several companies provide lidded containers upon request.

At construction sites, there is a lot of waste material that needs to be taken care of. As of recently, disposing of waste has been replaced with recycling waste. Materials used in construction such as concrete, drywall, asphalt, tar, gravel roofing, etc can be easily recycled. However, the main point of concern that remains is how to transfer these waste materials from construction sites to recycling places.

There are several risks involved with hook lifts. This is why it becomes absolutely necessary to take care of these risks well in advance. The most common risk is that people present at construction site may be struck by the bin during movement or release of the same. For this to not happen, it is a must that the supervisor ensures that all the people present at the site must be at least 6 metres away from the bin that is being manoeuvred except the operator.

Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the container you are using is actually capable of carrying the weight that you are adding on to it. Large bins or containers must be used for heavy materials and no type of carelessness shall be engaged in this matter. Also, it must be ensured that the bins come with an engineer’s plate which specifies the intended use of such container. It is also important to check from time to time that the existing bins or containers are fit for use. Like anything else in the world, machineries are also designed with specified life tenure. It becomes the responsibility of the supervisor and the company to ensure that no carelessness is entertained when it comes to heavy machinery which is capable of claiming lives in cases where they are mishandled. Also, ensure that the trucks are not overloaded as this increases the risk of trucks rolling or losing their balance.