2 Common Issues Associated with Rail Systems and Hoist Lines

Many different manufacturing plants rely on overhead rail systems to move and transport materials within the factory. Once used and installed correctly, the use of this system complete with reliable hoist lines makes operations a lot safer and easier. However, accidents may still occur and cause injuries or damage to materials or to the system itself.

Accidents occur when the best practices of operating such a system are not followed.

The best way to prevent accidents is to equip workers with a set of guidelines on how to recognize risks and potential hazards. Safety protocols should be taught to every worker, and they should be encouraged to strictly adhere to those rules.

Lift systems can be expensive to design and implement, not to mention the costs of the hoist lines and other parts, and as such they need to be taken care of properly. Throughout our years of working with lift systems and hoist lines, we at Eastman Manufacturing have noticed that these are the two most common mishaps that occur:

Overloading:

One major culprit for the structural failure of lift systems and hoist lines is exceeding operational capacity. When the systems are overloaded, they will experience structural stresses that can lead to serious and irreversible damage. There are many causes of overloading, including hoisting an excessive load, utilizing defective parts, sudden dropping of loads, and dragging loads.

Unsecured Materials:

Another big concern is falling materials. This can result in severe accidents and can be caused by mechanical failure, slipping, and operator failure. With that said, the most avoidable cause is that of not safely securing the materials. The best way to reduce the risk of falling materials is by adhering to a regular maintenance schedule for the hoist lines and other components of the system. This will help ensure that all parts are in good working condition. In addition, workers have to be very attentive and careful when securing the materials.

When it comes to hoist lines and lift systems, the experts at Eastman Manufacturing will be able to answer any of your questions. We manufacture automatic programmable hoist lines and rail systems for all kinds of facilities.