Terminals operators urged to review crane lockdown procedures
Port equipment, premises and liability insurer, TT Club has urged port and terminal operators to re-visit their crane tie-down procedures and emergency braking operations to mitigate structural damage and accidents in high winds.
The Club claims record highlights that wind damage to quayside cranes is the biggest weather-related cost to terminals.
“This type of incident can result in serious injuries to workers and be very costly in repairs and operational downtime,” said Laurence Jones, TT Club’s director Global Risk Assessment.
TT Club has advised that ports and terminals make use of national and local weather forecasting systems to give advance warning of adverse weather and employ storm pins or tie-down facilities to immobilise cranes in strong winds. Both connect the crane to the quay to anchor it in place.
Furthermore, cranes should be fitted with storm or parking brakes to assist the drivers’ control of the crane in sudden local winds, known as micro-bursts.
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