How to Use a Spotter for Moving Cranes & Heavy Equipment
- 1). Equip all the workers in the construction zone with safety vests, including the spotter and the crane operator. The traffic vests allow for both the operator and the spotter to easily see any worker in reduced visibility environments like rain or snow. They are also required by OSHA regulations and by many state laws whenever large cranes are used. Have all the workers also wear hard hats to protect them from being hit by debris from a crash, the carried load or the crane itself. Hard hats are also required by OSHA at work sites. If the crane operator is in an enclosed cabin, then he can dispense with a hard hat to give himself larger sight lines. Everyone should also be equipped with steel-toed shoes as a general precaution against falling debris from a crash.
- 2). Equip the spotter and the crane operator with their own dedicated two-way radios. No one else is to get on this radio channel though the crane operator should have the party channel open on the crane's built-in radio. The party channel serves as both an emergency backup and as a connection for the other workers to talk with the crane operator if need be. The two-way radio allows for the spotter to constantly talk to the crane operator, telling them the ground conditions in front of the crane as well as the exact position of the carried load.
- 3). Clear the path that the crane will travel beforehand. There should be six feet of clearance on either side of the path in case the crane needs to deviate from its planned route slightly. If the ground is wet from rain or other precipitation, then spread gravel over the path to give the crane better traction. If the ground is so wet that it is runny mud, then cancel the move. The spotter has the final say as to whether the crane should proceed or not, as the spotter has the closet view of the ground conditions. During the move, the spotter should constantly relay information to the crane operator until the crane has finalized its move.
- 4). Communicate in clear commands, of which only the spotter should give commands to the crane operator. The spotter should always give approximate measurements to all his commands, for example: Go forward 30 yards. All commands should be given from the perspective of the crane operator. Left is the operator's left, not the spotter's left. The spotter finishes his command by saying "Over" and the crane operator does not follow the command he hears the spotter say this. The spotter can at any time say "Full stop" and the crane operator immediately halts his movement and awaits command. The crane operator has the discretion to also stop at any time if he feels the command is unsafe.
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