GENERAL SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS
Safety and informational callouts used in this manual include:
Safety for operators and ground personnel is of prime concern. Always take the necessary precautions to ensure
safety to others as well as yourself. To ensure safety, the prime mover and winch must be operated with care and
concern by the operator for the equipment and a thorough knowledge of the machine’s performance capabilities.
The following recommendations are offered as a general safety guide. Local rules and regulations will also apply.
WARNING
– This emblem is used to warn against
hazards and unsafe practice which COULD result in
severe personal injury or death if proper procedures
are not followed.
CAUTION
– This emblem is used to warn against
potential or unsafe practices which COULD result in
personal injury and product or property damage if
proper procedures are not followed.
CAUTION
1. Be certain equipment (boom, mast, sheave blocks,
pendants, etc.) is either lowered to the ground or
blocked securely before servicing, adjusting, or
repairing winch.
2. Be sure personnel are clear of work area BEFORE
operating winch.
3. Read all warning and caution tag information provid-
ed for safe operation and service of winch.
4. Inspect rigging and winch at the beginning of each
work shift. Defects should be corrected immediately.
5. Keep equipment in good operating condition.
Perform scheduled servicing and adjustments listed
in the “Preventive Maintenance” section of this man-
ual.
6. An equipment warm-up procedure is recommended
for all start-ups and essential at ambient tempera-
tures below +40°F (4°C). Refer to “Warm-up
Procedure” listed in the “Preventive Maintenance”
section of this manual.
7. Operate winch line speeds to match job conditions.
8. Leather gloves should be used when handling wire
rope.
9. Never attempt to handle wire rope when the hook
end is not free. Keep all parts of body and clothing
clear of cable rollers, cable entry area of fairleads,
sheaves and winch drum.
10. When winding wire rope on the winch drum, never
attempt to maintain tension by allowing wire rope to
slip through hands. Always use “Hand-Over-Hand”
technique.
11. Never use wire rope with broken strands. Replace
wire rope.
12. Do not weld on any part of the winch.
13. Use recommended hydraulic oil and gear lubricant.
14. Keep hydraulic system clean and free from contam-
ination at all times.
15. Use correct anchor method for wire rope and pock-
et in drum. Do not use knots to secure or attach
wire rope. For additional safety, ALWAYS maintain
a minimum of five (5) wraps of wire rope on the
drum.
16. Never attempt to clean, oil or perform any mainte-
nance on a machine with the engine or prime mover
running, unless instructed to do so in this manual.
17. Never operate winch controls unless you are prop-
erly positioned at the operators station and you are
sure personnel are clear of the work area.
18. Assure that personnel who are responsible for hand
signals are clearly visible and that the signals to be
used are thoroughly understood by everyone.
19. Ground personnel should stay in view of the opera-
tor and clear of winch drum. Do not allow ground
personnel near winch line under tension.
20. Do not exceed the maximum pressure, PSI (kPa), or
flow, GPM (LPM), stated in the winch specifications.
21. Install guarding to prevent personnel from getting
any part of body or clothing caught at a point where
the cable is wrapped onto the drum or drawn
through guide rollers.
22. “Deadman” controls, which automatically shut off
power to the winch whenever the operator leaves
his station, should be installed whenever practica-
ble.
23. Never allow anyone to stand under a suspended
load.
24. Avoid sudden “shock” loads or attempting to “jerk”
load free. This type of operation may cause heavy
loads, in excess of rated capacity, which may result
in failure of cable and winch.
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