No.

57 Steel plate lifting clamps

1. OBJECTIVE: To alert industry to the risk associated with the incorrect use of lifting clamps for moving steel plates from one location to another. 2. BACKGROUND: The need for the correct choice and use of steel plate lifting clamps has been highlighted through a recent incident in which a falling steel plate resulted in the amputation of a workers fingers. The clamp used (figure 1) in the incident was a screw type. This type of clamp does not provide continuous positive friction grip on the steel plates. Suitable steel plate lifting clamps have a fixed serrated pad and a movable cam with teeth. The teeth aid the clamp cam to bite into the plate, forcing it against the pad and holding the material in place while the clamp bears the weight of the load (figure 2).

October 2003 3. STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS: Section 19 of the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare (OHSW) Act 1986 requires that employers provide safe systems of work. They must also ensure that any manager or supervisor is provided with the information, instruction and training necessary to ensure that each employee under his or her management or supervision is, while at work, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe from injury and risks to health. 4. PREVENTATIVE MEASURES: Employers must ensure that: appropriate lifting clamps with only positive locking mechanisms are used; safety checks and inspections of the clamps are conducted before each lift; plate hardness is within the allowable range for the plate clamp (see Note); the correct size clamp is used for the lift; the clamp and plate surfaces are clean of contaminants such as grease and scale before attempting a lift; the plate thickness is within the grip range of the plate clamp; all persons stay away from the load always assume that the lifting device could fail; only one plate is lifted at a time; the load is taken up slowly and smoothly; the plate clamp is never unlocked before landing the load; homemade lifting devices are never used; the manufacturers instructions on using and caring for the clamps are followed; loads are not suspended or allowed to travel over people; loads are appropriately restrained; and suitable attachments are used for lifting or moving loads which may become unstable.

(Figure 1)

This information is provided to offer guidance on a particular aspect of legislation. It is not to be taken as a statement of law and must not be construed to waive or modify any legal obligation

2 5. FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information please contact: Department for Administrative and Information Services Workplace Services GPO Box 465 ADELAIDE SA 5001 Ph: 1300 365 255 Mobile and Interstate callers (08) 8303 0400 Vertical steel plate clamp (Figure 2) Website: http://www.eric.sa.gov.au

Horizontal steel plate clamp Note: In some cases, with hardened plates or light plates (less than 20% of capacity marked on plate) and thin plates (less than 25% of the maximum clamping range), the clamping force must be reduced. In these cases you must confirm that the clamp has a positive grip before lifting. Some plate clamps may not be suitable for steel plates above 400 Brinell Hardness.

Hazard Alert No 57 - Steel plate lifting clamps. This information is provided to offer guidance on a particular aspect
of legislation. It is not to be taken as a statement of law and must not be construed to waive or modify any legal obligation