International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882

Volume 3, Issue 8, November 2014

1117

Using Rail Line Bump Stopper in Overhead Cranes Becomes Safe

During Maintenance
Tarkeshwar Chandra1, Kush Jaiswal2, Shiekh Majhrul Islam3
1,2,3

Student, Bachelor of Engineering, Mechanical Engg.

Kirodimal Institute of Technology, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, INDIA

Prakash Kumar Sen4, Shailendra Kumar Bohidar5

4,5

Faculty, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Kirodimal Institute of Technology, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, INDIA

ABSTRACT
There is a simple and direct relationship between steel
business profitability and maintenance cost. It take sales
of many tons of steel to obtain enough profit. This
amount of tonnage varies of course, with each
company's product, processing cost, labor cost,
unscheduled down time problems machinery repair cost,
and various other business cost. With todays global
economy, steel business profits are typically decreasing
and maintenance cost must do likewise. Prolonging
machinery operating duration has the same positive
business effect as the sales department selling of many
tons of steel.
In the steel industry, crane are critical to
processing steel. Crane maintenance personnel are
finding it is better to work smarter than harder with no
hazard condition to get zero accident. The largest
maintenance expenses incurred for modern, fast and long
span electric overhead travelling (EOT crane) is incurred
for unwanted sudden running of crane during
maintenance which may cause any incident with
working person and also the big issue for the
maintenance personals is more than one Crane is running
on the same rail track (runway) which may struck the
spare crane which is in under maintenance. Hence it has
to provide rail line bump stopper during maintenance.

taken for short time with considering the running mill. It

is important to save the time for any plant there for
electrical and mechanical together both personals has to
complete their maintenance to the appropriate time.
During maintenance activity
more safety issues
increased due to height work, congested places, No
proper indication & communication between the person
therefore unwanted sudden running of crane raises By
miss-operation of crane operator, By indicating person,
By electrical current leakage etc.
Also a big problem for the maintenance person
is more than one Crane is running on the same rail track.

Fig1: Unsafe situation during maintenance of long travel

drive of EOT crane (where more than one cranes running
along the same rail track).

I. INTRODUCTION
EOT crane runs above 20 to 30 meter from
ground level therefore during maintenance activity more
safety issues raises. In any plant time is very important
and Overhead crane is the main equipment for material
handling and maintenance of Mill like- section change,
Roll change etc. work. By considering all the activities
crane maintenance work is too important with an
appropriate time. Crane maintenance department has to
do their maintenance activity both electrical and
mechanical together in the same time because crane is

Therefore if one crane is taken under

maintenance which is in rest condition still all the other
cranes running which can struck the crane by miss
operation and also by long travel motion motor trip
problem so that any major accident may cause with the
maintenance personnel or major damage may cause in
Crane. Therefore rail line bump stopper is used during
maintenance for stopping the long travel motion & cross
travel motion of crane for man and machine safety.

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International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882
Volume 3, Issue 8, November 2014

1118

crane and the railing and was run over by the cab.
Employee #1 died in the hospital six days later.

III.

ROOT CAUSE OF INCIDENT IN

CRANE

Crane accidents are often the direct result of

negligence of the crane-related professional or the lack
of adequate operator training or experience.

Fig2: Unsafe situation while wheel block bolt tighten

(because it may sudden run by miss operation of
operator or by no proper indication).

II. OSHA (OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY &

HEALTH ADMINISTRATION)
INVESTIGATED OVERHEAD CRANE
ACCIDENTS

Accident 170220388When Struck By Crane

90% of crane accidents occur due to human

error.

80% of all crane upsets are attributed to

operators exceeding the cranes operational
capacity.

54% of these incidents are the result of swinging

the boom or making a lift without the outriggers
full extended

40 % the victims were struck by an object (such

as an uncontrolled hoisted loader crane part)

50% of U.S. crane accidents that had injuries in

2009 resulted in fatalities.

80 % lift and material handling equipment

workers are killed each year, on average.

Not only workers seriously injured or killed, but by

standers and passersby are also being injured and killed
at an alarming rate by crane accidents. Incident and
fatalities happen with all types of cranes, including
mobile and overhead cranes.

Employee Killed
PROBLEMS & LOSSES:

On April 3, 1992, Employee #1 was gaining access to

repair a disabled overhead crane when he was struck by
another crane on the same runway. He died. A serious
citation was issued.

Accident 171055262- Employee Killed

When Run Over By Cab of Bridge Crane

Employee #1 went onto the cab access landing of a

traveling bridge crane. The crane was being operated by
a remote control device, and the operator could not see
Employee #1. The cranes movement warning horn was
sounded but Employee #1 could not get clear in time. He
became caught between the bottom of the cab of the

Creates unsafe situation during maintenance.

Chance for major accident.
Major damage may cause in crane.
Lack of confidence in working person.

IV.

SOLUTION

By using Rail line bump stopper during

maintenance, accident due to sudden running and also
the striking of movable crane on the same runway to the
spare crane (which is in under maintenance) can be
controlled. Stopper is made from steel plates by simple
marking, cutting and welding process. In the rail line

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International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882
Volume 3, Issue 8, November 2014

1119

bump stopper there is clamping bolts which is clamped

on the rail line and also it can be made simple wedge
type stopper for stopping cross travel and long travel
wheel moment.

Fig.4: Safe situation (because in any cases crane moves

by disoperation still there will be no problem due
to stopper available).
Fig.3: Rail line stopper.

By providing rail line bump stopper during EOT

crane maintenance it becomes safe and easy so that if
there will be any sudden running of cross travel trolley
or long travel of crane so that motion will be stopped by
the bump stopper hence the working person will be safe
from any injury.
Also the problem for the maintenance person is
how to safely do maintenance in EOT crane where more
than one Crane is running on the same rail track or
runway is solved by providing the Rail line bump
stopper about 3 to 4 meter away from the spare crane
(which is under maintenance).
So that other crane will not struck with the spare
crane (which is under maintenance), Instead of striking
with crane it will stop in the rail line bump stopper.

Fig.5: Safe situation while using Rail line bump stopper.

V.

IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS

It is very important to make the plants all the

working conditions easy and safe so that zero accident
can be maintained.

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With the help of rail line stopper unsafe act

decrease in crane maintenance and prevent from
any major accident.

International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882
Volume 3, Issue 8, November 2014

Moral of crane maintenance department

increases.
Self confidence among the team member
increases.
With the help of rail line stopper major damage
in crane is prevented.
Team members are highly motivated to tackle
any problem and create positive thinking.

VI.

CONCLUSION

The design and fabrication of a Rail line bump stopper is

an easy, great& very important task because it is a
stopping arrangement which is directly related to safety.
The application of stopper can be used in many places
where the movement is need to be stop. In EOT crane
using of stopper is easy because it can be solved by
crane maintenance department members with assistance
of user departments it can be made by scrap and end cuts
of MS plates which is easy available in steel plant.
By developing this arrangement in EOT crane,
maintenance becomes safe and easy. And the most
important thing is it helps to maintain the zero accident
in any plant.

REFERENCE
1. From Crane Maintenance Department Jindal
Steel & Power Ltd Raigarh (C.G.) INDIA.
2.

100 OSHA
accidents.

Investigated

overhead

crane

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