480 ERECTION OF STRUCTURAL STEEL. CHAP. XIV. 



See that travelers are well and carefully framed and erected, well braced and capable of 

 withstanding the greatest wind, and shocks from heaviest loads that are to be lifted. 



See that the hooks, shackles and beckets on your blocks are amply strong, and don't allow a 

 gate block to be used without it being closed and hooked. Also see that your cables and chains, 

 as well as the rings and hooks in the same, are amply strong for the loads to be lifted. 



Do not use old or worn line when there is any danger to men or material by so doing. Cut 

 out the use of manila line whenever possible. When you are obliged to use it be sure it is amply 

 strong. Use steel cable whenever possible, as it is safer, will last longer and is cheaper in the 

 long run. Be sure that the guy cables for gin poles, derricks, etc., are of sufficient size to with- 

 stand the tension to come upon them. Also that the cables are securely fastened by means of a 

 sufficient number of good, strong clamps well fastened, and also that dead men or other anchorages 

 are ample, and watch them when lifting heavy loads to see that guys do not cut dead men in two. 

 Keep gin pole guys as near at right angles to each other as possible, when only four are used. 



You should be careful to see that the gas pipe or wooden scaffold you use is of proper size 

 and strength for the span and loads. If there is any question about the strength, test the same 

 by applying several times the load that will come upon it. See that plank you use for scaffolding, 

 etc., is the right kind of wood, preferably white or yellow pine, free from knots and shakes and 

 plenty strong, watching to see that it is thick enough for the span on which it is used. 



Do not put heavy loads on light push cars. The frame is not only liable to crush but the 

 shafts, boxes or wheels may bend or break, upsetting the load and injuring the men. 



2. See That Your Equipment is in Order. In setting up your derricks see that they are 

 plumb, properly guyed and that the splices are brought into contact and bolted with tight-fitting 

 bolts. See that the goose-necks fit gudgeon pin closely and are not cracked or bent and that the 

 top of stiff-leg is tied down from the goose-neck to the sill to prevent lifting tendency. If the 

 timbers in the mast, boom, stiff-legs or sills are rotten, knotty or wind shaken, do not use them. 

 See that your gudgeon pin and pintle casting are well fastened to the mast, and if the mast is of 

 wood that the wood is not rotten or worn at these points. 



You should see that all leads are as straight and direct as possible, as failure to provide good 

 leads reduces the efficiency of your power and equipment, as well as producing heavy wear on the 

 lines and is a frequent cause of accidents. Particular care should be exercised in securing good 

 leads for wire cable on account of liability of breaking the individual wire strands by sharp bends 

 or indirect leads. A broken individual wire is liable to lie across and cut the other wires of the 

 cable. When you use a wooden traveler see that the timbers are all in good condition and that 

 it is erected plumb and square and the joints are properly and securely bolted. More accidents 

 occur from the use of wooden derricks and wooden travelers than from any other cause, and for this 

 reason extreme care should be exercised to see that they are in good condition before using them. 

 When a traveler is used, see that it is properly erected and thoroughly bolted and all sway and 

 bracing rods tightened. 



Do not use an iron gin pole if the sections are bent or dented seriously, or the splices do not 

 clamp the pole tightly and securely. Do not use a wooden gin pole unless the timber is in good 

 condition, well spliced with good long splices securely bolted. 



See that your hoisting engine is in good order; that the shafts are not bent, the dogs, clutches 

 and brakes, including the friction, are in good condition and working order. The lever con- 

 trolling the winch heads should be straight and when thrown in should engage the ratchet fully. 

 See that winch head cannot slip off shaft. See that the boilers are cleaned frequently and kept in 

 good condition. 



You should be particular to see that gas pipe scaffolding is not rusted on the inside and that 

 it is fastened so that it cannot roll or turn. Do not use any plank or timber for scaffolding that 

 is knotty, rotten or weather cracked, and allow no man to work on scaffold plank laid loose on 

 the supports. The plank should be fixed so that they cannot move or slide endwise, by using drop 

 bolts. 



All cables should be in good condition and kept oiled or greased so that they will not rust; 

 if they are not in good condition, do not use them. All guy cables should be securely fastened 

 by means of a sufficient number of good clamps. 



See that your chains and the rings and hooks in the same are not worn, cracked or bent 

 out of shape and that they are annealed at least once every three months in an annealing furnace, 

 if you are near one, or otherwise anneal them yourself by laying them down in a straight line and 

 building a good sized wood fire over them, heating slowly to a cherry red, then cover over thor- 

 oughly with ashes and heated dry dirt leaving them to cool slowly in the ashes and dirt. In laying 

 the chains down in a straight line do not lay one chain on top of another. Be particular to see 

 that the covering is ample so that air or moisture cannot cool the chains quickly or partially. 

 This annealing should be done on Saturday and chains not disturbed until Monday. Chains 

 used frequently every day should be annealed once a month. 



See that your blocks are in good order and that the beckets, shackles and hooks are not 

 bent, cracked or out of shape, and that faces of blocks are in good condition, also that the sheaves 

 are not cracked or the flanges broken. 



