If your construction company is on a tight schedule and looking to avoid delays, you might be tempted to use a construction crane when it’s windy out. Even though this can present big problems for crane operators and others on your job site, you might decide that it’s a good idea to use a crane in the wind. You should think twice about doing this. Here are some steps you should take to see if you should be concerned about using a crane on a windy day.

Measure the wind speed in the area.

All construction cranes should be outfitted with anemometers that are designed to measure the wind. Your crane operators should keep a close eye on them to see how windy it really is. You should also remember that the wind speed near the ground is probably lower than the wind speeds up in the air. If the wind speed increases rapidly or if the forecast is calling for windy conditions to get worse, you probably want to suspend crane operations until the wind dies down.

Consult the manual for your crane for instructions about wind.

Construction cranes come with manuals that let operators know how to use them in windy conditions. Specifically, manuals will list the maximum wind speed at which a construction crane can be used safely. You should not ignore the speed that is listed in the manual. If you attempt to conduct a lift with a construction crane and the winds are too heavy, your load could become unstable and turn into a major safety hazard. If the wind is above the maximum wind speed in your manual, you should shut your crane down for the time being.

Take a crane out of service if an operator doesn’t feel safe.

Even if the wind speed doesn’t go above the maximum wind speed in your crane’s manual, you may still be dealing with dangerously high winds. You should speak with your crane operator to get a better feel for how the crane is handling the wind. If the operator doesn’t feel comfortable conducting lifts in the wind, you should strongly consider turning your crane off until the wind is under control again. You want your operator to be able to focus on conducting lifts rather than fighting with the wind while lifting items.

At Astro Crane, we are 100 percent committed to crane safety and can tell you more about how to safely operate cranes on windy days. Call us at 978-429-8666 to discover how our construction cranes can help your company.