28
RIGGING REVIEW
ACT
FEBRUARY 2014
HOW OFTEN DO YOU UPDATE IT?
There’s no set schedule, but we’re
encouraged to create new content on a
regular basis. Becht Engineering has quite
a few experts covering a wide variety of
subjects relevant to the energy industry, so
we have a large number of potential blog
writers. Our goal for 2014 is 50 additional
blog posts.
SO HOW IS IT THAT YOU GO ABOUT
CHOOSING TOPICS?
We typically pick our topics based on
current events and projects. The Becht
slogan is “We Solve Problems” and the
blog posts are intended to reach out to
people that may be experiencing problems
related to the subject matter of the blog
post. Currently, the crane topics are
primarily addressing safety concerns, but
I plan to address some technical issues
in the future. The heavy lift slogan has
evolved to “We Prevent Problems,” and we
want the blog to reflect that.
SPEAKING OF PREVENING PROBLEMS,
IN THE “TEN QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE
ANSWERED...” POST, YOU STATE, “IN MY
EXPERIENCE, THE MAJORITY OF CRANE
ACCIDENTS RESULT FROM LIFTS THAT ARE
CLASSIFIED AS STANDARD WHEN IN FACT
THERE IS NOTHING STANDARD ABOUT ANY
LIFT.” CAN YOU EXPAND ON WHAT YOU MEAN
BY THAT?
Over many years, industry has established
and defined different categories for lifts.
The categories are based on the amount
of risk involved and are called “standard,”
“critical” or “super critical.” Each category
has minimum requirements for planning.
A standard (or routine) lift receives the
least amount of planning. Critical lifts
typically require a simple written lift plan
that contains crane and rigging capacity
calculations, load weight verification
and hazards in the lift area. The super
critical lift definition has evolved in recent
times and is the result of the newer, high
capacity cranes of 1,000-ton capacity and
higher, capacity enhancing attachments
and consideration of catastrophic results
of an accident. These lifts require planning
and review by licensed professional
engineers.
As an industry, we do a great job
planning and executing critical and super
lifts. We don’t have the same record
regarding standard or routine lifts. Often
these lifts are attempted without any
planning and very often things go terribly
wrong.
My point in the blog is that crane
limitations apply regardless of whether it
is a light or heavy load. At a minimum,
every lift should include a plan that
satisfies those 10 questions.
YOU ALSO WROTE A POST ON CRANE
BACKWARDS STABILITY. CAN YOU DESCRIBE
ANY INSTANCES WHERE YOU WERE INVOLVED
IN AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION WHERE
BACKWARDS STABILITY CAME INTO PLAY?
Throughout my career, I have read about
hundreds of these instances and witnessed
several firsthand. Before luffing jibs came
on the market, I can remember three cases
where long booms fell over the back of
cranes where I personally removed the
wreckage and managed the investigation.
Two were the result of the instant loss of
the load with the boom at the maximum
high angle and the other was where the
crane was traveling with the boom at the
maximum high angle and the crane mats
slipped apart allowing the crane to rock
backwards.
I have experienced three more instances
where I personally attempted the rescue
of cranes equipped with luffing jibs where
the main boom base section was damaged
by raising it past the stops. We saved
two of them and one collapsed over the
back of the crane as we were preparing to
stabilize it.
The hydraulic cranes with outriggers
are the most common with respect to
overturning backwards. The problem is
described in my blog post and is the result
of rotating the upper structure without
deploying the outriggers.
BACK TO SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT ROLE DO
YOU SEE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT AND
SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYING IN CONTINUING
TO PERPETUATE SAFETY MESSAGES IN OUR
INDUSTRY?
I see social media as an accepted
method of relaying safety and technical
information today. If we had this 40
years ago, many lives could have been
saved and technological advancements
would be more highly developed and
communicated.
THE AUTHOR
Tim Hillegonds
spent 10 years
in the heavy construction
insurance industry before
founding Thrive Creative
Services, a creative
copywriting agency dedicated
to helping businesses tell their stories.
DOES CONTENT MARKETING PLAY A BIG ROLE
IN BECHT’S MARKETING STRATEGY?
Social media is definitely a part of
Becht’s marketing plan. We’re technical
experts in a variety of fields, and we see
our blog as a primary vehicle in getting
information out to our prospective
clients.
SO, DOES THAT MEAN THAT BECHT HAS A
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PLAN?
Yes, and it’s managed internally. We’ve
recently expanded our website to include
more information about our specialized
services and added the blog. We have
a company page on LinkedIn and have
opened company Twitter and Google
accounts, too.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CONTENT
YOU’D LIKE TO SEE EXPLORED IN SOCIAL
MEDIA OR IN ARTICLES IN
ACT
?
I know the big crane/lift stories are
interesting to your readers. I enjoy them
myself. However, I am on a campaign to
get back to the basics. This is where our
industry needs the most help. I read or
hear of accidents, almost daily, involving
smaller cranes, lighter loads and serious
injuries or fatalities. I personally feel that
our industry needs help in this area. I
find the less experienced crafts persons
are hungry for knowledge and open to
any means of acquiring it. We need to
fully support the upcoming work force.
They are our future.
■
About Becht Engineering
Charles Becht III founded Becht
Engineering in 1964. The company
began as a consulting firm that served
industrial clients and the building sector.
Since its founding, the company’s
focus has shifted to serve the energy
sector. Becht Engineering now provides
engineering consulting and project/
turnaround management services,
including upstream and downstream oil
and gas, that encompass both refining
and production, petrochemical, chemical,
industrial gas, fossil and nuclear power.
The company also provides specialized
support for innovative technologies that
include direct
coal liquefaction,
biomass
conversion and
other alternative
energy
processes.
