Crane Safety

Our safety program consists of:

• Weekly safety meetings, with discussion re: new procedures of operation, safety equipment, etc. Discussions of any problems or problem areas which may occur on a jobsite. Reports on the safety of our equipment and/or suggestions on how to improve operations.
• Union locals hold monthly safety meetings for their members to attend, and from which we get some very positive feedback from our employees.
• Periodically, when questions arise, meetings may be scheduled re: OSHA requirements as pertains to our employees.
• Our preventative maintenance programs schedule routine weekly inspections of our equipment, daily reports being required from the operators re” and routine or non-routine maintenance required including fluid usage, i.e., gas, oil, grease, etc.
• Several employees have received CPR certification. We are pursuing First Aid Training, which will enable us to have knowledgeable staff available in emergency situations until trained professionals can be consulted.
• As a whole, our staff consists of highly motivated individuals, fully trained within the Union programs for their respective professions.
• Any job vacancies that arise are filled through the appropriate unions. Our staff is among the most experienced in the industry, with the average age being 40.
• We, as a company, encourage our operators to maintain and improve their skills on a regular basis, and to take advantage of the programs
  of their local Union. We require their attendance at Advanced Operator Training Programs and encourage certifications for Hazmat, Rail Safety
  and other specialized training.

• We have a craft foreman with the responsibility of supervising the men to insure they are working in a safety conscious manner. Gatwood has weekly safety meetings to re-establish the need to not take short-cuts where safety is involved, and to introduce new products and methods for providing safety on the job.
• We employ our own fully trained heavy equipment mechanics and have our own maintenance garages in Arlington Heights and Naperville. Each crane is periodically taken out of service for a comprehensive maintenance and inspection program. This helps to ensure a safe and productive jobsite for our customers.
• Most of our operators are assigned to their own cranes. They are responsible for its general care, maintenance and appearance and must report daily on the overall condition. We find that by assigning each operator to his own crane, they take better care of the equipment, and are more aware of any little fluctuations in its operations than if they would rotate cranes.