Crane hook block

Crane operators find themselves faced with life or death situations every single day. Using equipment which weighs tons to move loads which weigh tons over job sites, through obstacles, past heavy machinery, and near people can be a terrible accident waiting to happen. All too often, those accidents do happen. When this occurs, the loss of equipment, loss of time, and loss of life can be devastating. HoistCam has a solution to these types of issues. Cameras on cranes can verify the load on every lift and help the crane operator ensure that it is safe to make that lift…even if it is considered a blind one.

HoistCam believes that every hook block needs a camera, and that camera should be used for more than just blind lifts. A camera placed on the hook block of a crane can send live footage back to monitors which sit in the cab of the crane with the operator, in the office with a supervisor, and anywhere else that there is a need to oversee each lift and monitor the job site. For the crane operator, this camera can work to help verify every lift that the crane makes, whether in the blind or not.

Think of it like the mirrors on a commercial truck. As the CDL Commercial Truck Driver’s Book from Barron’s points out, it is important for the driver to always be aware of what is happening behind the truck, and on each side of the truck. The same way that a truck driver uses his mirrors to check blind spots, see what vehicles are to his sides, and what vehicles are behind him, a crane operator should use the camera to check blind spots, and be aware of obstructions, equipment, machinery, and people around the crane and in the lift zone.

Just as a commercial truck driver checks his mirrors before moving, before changing lanes, and before backing up, the crane operator should do the same with the camera monitor. Check the monitor before moving the crane or the boom, check the monitor before backing up or moving to the side, check the monitor often, and make sure that no one or nothing is in the path of the crane, the boom, or the load. The monitor from the camera can be used to verify the load on every lift, making sure that it is secure, properly balanced, and that the path is clear. HoistCam’s cameras on cranes make it possible for the crane operator to keep constant eyes on his load, from start to finish, and keep line of sight to the entire area, keeping people and equipment safe on every lift.