Crane and outrigger pads play a crucial role as a safety tool in maintaining stability and preventing accidents during crane operations. They provide support and distribute the load, minimizing the risk of tipping or collapse. Understanding the importance of proper outrigger and crane pad usage is essential for ensuring a safe working environment.

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Below are important safety tips listed that anyone working in the lifting and rigging industry should follow when using outrigger and crane pads. 

What are Outrigger Pads?

Outrigger pads are essential tools used in any lifting and rigging setup. They are flat objects that come in a variety of different sizes, thickness, and materials to accommodate the equipment's weight and points of contact.

Also known as crane pads, these tools sit underneath the outrigger (known as a shoe, foot, arm, or flat) and provide a flat surface that distributes the pressure more evenly across the ground. Because the point of contact between the outrigger and the ground is small, too much pressure can cause the ground underneath to shift and crumble. These products help alleviate this pressure to keep equipment like cranes stable during lifting jobs.

Outrigger & Crane Pad Safety Tips

Like any lifting and rigging equipment, safe usage ensures that personnel and equipment stay safe during operations. When it comes to using outrigger pads, follow these tips to make sure everything runs nice and safely during the job.

1. Conduct a Site Assessment

Prior to any crane operations, conduct a thorough site assessment to identify potential hazards. This includes factors like the positioning of your equipment, underground utilities, available space, environmental conditions, and obstructions. Be sure to check for any specific regulations or permits required for crane operations in the area. Always comply with local safety standards and guidelines to avoid any potential legal issues. This includes not only outrigger systems, but any other equipment involved like lifting slings, lifting beams and spreader bars, and any rigging hardware used.

• Browse through our collection of Lifting Slings today!

Part of the site assessment also includes evaluating ground conditions. Ground stability, which involves soil type, compaction, slope, and underground utilities, helps determine the appropriate size and type of outrigger and crane pad needed for the specific conditions. According to OSHA's standards on ground conditions, outrigger pads "must not be assembled or used unless ground conditions are firm, drained, and graded to a sufficient extent..." (.(b)). Ensure that conditions meet the necessary safety requirements to use cranes and other equipment on before taking on the task.

2. Understand Load Capacities

Secondly, be aware of your crane's load capacity and the maximum load it can handle with fully extended outriggers. Exceeding the load capacity or misjudging the load distribution leads to outrigger failure or crane instability. Also, not calculating additional weight components like counterweights used to lessen the pressure on outrigger pads leads to the same problems. Refer to the crane manufacturer's specifications and consult with an engineer if necessary.

3. Proper Setup and Leveling

Selecting the correct outriggers and crane pads is crucial for maintaining stability. Use outriggers specifically designed for the crane model and ensure they are in good working condition. Crane pads should be large enough to distribute the load evenly and prevent too much ground pressure. Use load-bearing calculation tools or consult with experts to determine the appropriate size and type of outriggers and crane pads for your specific application.

Keep these tips in mind when setting up the outrigger system:

• Always keep the outrigger shoe in the center of the pad.
• Make sure that the outrigger pad stays in complete contact with the ground. Never use it to bridge over a hole or other hollow area.
• Clean the area for any loose materials where you plan to sit the outrigger pad on.

• Cribbing blocks can be used to support the outriggers, especially on slopes or uneven ground, further enhancing stability.

4. Regular Inspections and Maintenance

Additionally, make sure to regularly inspect and maintain outriggers and crane pads so that they are in proper working condition. Check for signs of damage, corrosion, or wear, and address any issues quickly. Regular inspections help identify potential problems before they compromise safety. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines for maintenance and conduct load testing when required.

5. Operator Training and Communication

Lastly, ensure that crane operators are adequately trained and experienced in outrigger and crane pad setup. They should have a clear understanding of load capacities, setup procedures, and safety protocols. Establish effective communication channels between the crane operator, signal person, and other personnel involved in the operation to ensure everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities.

Outrigger and Crane Pads from U.S. Cargo Control

Safety is paramount when working with outriggers and crane pads. That's why US Cargo Control offers high-quality outrigger pads from DICA®. Designed with an engineered thermoplastic material, these products are made to be unbreakable, flexible, and withstanding of high pressure, temperature, moisture, and other corrosives. DICA® outrigger perform well compared to other competitors and handle a variety of applications, all while having an ergonomic design for safe and easy usage.

These products come in two different varieties:

• SafetyTech Pads: These outrigger pads work for a wide variety of equipment, from digging derricks and bucket trucks, to mobile cranes and concrete pumpers with higher reactionary forces. SafetyTech pads come in a variety of sizes and thickness to accommodate different equipment loads:
  
  
• Medium Duty Pads
• Heavy Duty Pads
• Super Duty Pads
  
  
• FiberTech Pads: These outrigger pads are made with Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP) for added rigidity and strength-to-weight ratio that's higher than SafetyTech pads. With incredible durability and a service life of over 20 years, FiberTech pads are the durable alternative that seriously holds up for any outrigging task.

By following these essential safety tips, you can help ensure stability, prevent accidents, and create a secure work environment. Remember, a well-prepared and knowledgeable team is key to successful and safe crane operations.

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Talk with our product experts via  or by at (866) 444- today for questions you might have on any of our cargo control products.

Outrigger and Crane Pad Safe Use and Handling Guidelines

  Think Safety. Slow Down and Use Common Sense.  

• No set of safety guidelines can cover all possible scenarios. When in doubt, slow down and stop the process. Think it through.

• Look for impediments, depressions, voids, trenches, excavations, slopes or signs of poor ground conditions that can lead to an unsafe situation. If found, correct the situation to a compacted and level surface or do not set up.

• Be aware of potential vehicle traffic that may conflict with your area of operation. Redirect traffic or adjust your outrigger pad set up as needed.

• By itself, no outrigger pad can provide a complete guarantee of safety. Common sense always needs to be used.

  Always Follow the Original Equipment Manufacturer&#;s Guidelines

• Operators must use all of the original equipment manufacturer&#;s guidelines for their outrigger-enabled equipment when using outrigger pads.

• Failure to comply with all manufactures fitting and training guidelines can result in serious injuries or fatalities in addition to significant property and equipment damage.

  Always Use Outrigger Pads or Crane Pads

Every time the outriggers are deployed, your outrigger pads or crane mats must be under them.

  Assess Your Ground Conditions

 Ultimately the ground is supporting everything. It must be taken into consideration in every application.

• Outrigger pads should always be set-up on sufficiently compacted, drained and level surfaces.

• All uneven ground should be leveled prior to the placement of any outrigger pad or crane pad.

  Managing Deflection 

If excessive deflection is occurring due to ground displacement, the ground is not suitable to provide the load bearing capacity that is needed to support the load. Excessive deflection limits proper load distribution, and can cause damage to outrigger pads or crane mats over time. The below methods can be used to improve both the set-up and ground conditions to reduce deflection.

• Add additional supporting materials that are more rigid and create a larger area.

• Add additional supporting materials that are stiffer to ensure rigidity, stability and safety. If additional supporting materials are needed, see &#;Stacked Outrigger Pad Setups&#; for how to properly place them.

• Compact the soil using appropriate soil compaction equipment such as a roller, plate soil compactor, rammer or similar equipment.

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• Add rock, gravel or cement like materials to the soil to increase the ground bearing capacity.

• Blade the soil to remove insufficiently compacted surface layers and expose sufficiently compacted ground.

• Allow wet soils time to dry, drain needed areas and/or add rock, gravel or cement like materials as noted above.

• Verify the outrigger pads you are using have enough surface area to spread the outrigger load over the area required to be equal to or lesser than the ground bearing capacity.

  Inspection 

How to inspect your outrigger pads and crane mats.

• Outrigger pad/floats must be smooth and free from debris in order to evenly spread the load and achieve solid contact with the outrigger pad or crane mat.

• Always inspect your outrigger pads and crane mats for material integrity prior to use. If they are compromised for any reason or you are unsure, do not use and call 800.610..

• If using additional cribbing, dunnage or other supporting materials in conjunction with DICA outrigger pads or crane pads, always inspect them for cracking, warping, rotting or other signs of possible failure. If the additional materials show signs of compromised integrity, do not use.

  Proper Placement of Outrigger Pad/Float

 Proper pad/float placement is critical to effective load support and distribution.

• The crane outrigger float should be placed squarely in the center of an outrigger pad or crane mat. FiberMax crane pads  have standard &#;foot placement targets&#; to assist with proper pad/float placement.

• Outrigger pads/floats placed outside target area (center of the pad/mat) will result in non-uniform ground bearing pressures.

  Stacked Outrigger Pad Setups

 Failure to comply with the below guidance may result in &#;point loading&#;.  Point loading concentrates the load and increases pressure, rather than spreads the load and decreases pressure. Point loading increases the possibility of a tip-over and with it, serious injuries or fatalities in addition to significant property and equipment damage.

• When stacking outrigger pads, always stack a smaller outrigger pad on top of a larger underlying pad.

• Never stack a larger outrigger pad on top of smaller outrigger pads, cribbing, dunnage or other supporting materials.

• Always use materials of a known strength that are designed as support for heavy equipment.

  Do Not Span Voids or Depressions

Do not under any circumstances use DICA outrigger pads or crane pads to set up over depressions or voids of any type. Supporting materials of any kind should always be set-up on compacted, drained and level surfaces. Monitor your outrigger pad setup, ground conditions, personnel and surroundings at all times for potential safety problems.

  Equipment Grounding

Safety Tech outrigger pads and FiberMax crane pads are an insulator that prevents the transmission of electrical current from the equipment to the ground. If electrical grounding is needed, see your original equipment manufacturer&#;s guidelines for proper grounding procedures and follow the listed instructions.

• Due to atmospheric conditions, static electricity can build up on equipment. However, static electricity is not created, nor does it build up within Safety Tech outrigger pads when they are in use.

• Electrical material properties of the engineered thermoplastic material used in Safety Tech outrigger pads includes the following: Surface resistivity of 10 to the 15th ohms/square (ASTM EOS/ESD S11.11) Dielectric strength short term of 2,300 volts/mil (ASTM D149).

  Temperature Range

 The following are acceptable operating temperature ranges.

• Safety Tech Outrigger Pads: -40 to 180 Fahrenheit / -40 to 82.22 Celsius

• FiberMax Outrigger Pads: -60°F to 180°F / -51 to 82.22 Celsius

• FiberMax Mega Duty: -40°F to 160°F / -40 to 71 Celsius

  Proper Maintenance and Stowing

 Maintain DICA outrigger pads and crane mats using the below methods.

• Use low to medium pressure water to remove soil, mud, road chemicals, hydraulic fluid or other debris. 

• Alternate the use of SafetyTech outrigger pad sides to distribute any potential surface wear and maximize shape recovery. Side alternation does not apply to FiberMax products.

• Secure all outrigger pads and crane pads prior to vehicle transit in a way that prevents their motion or loss. 

  Safe Lifting and Handling

Use the following guidelines when handling DICA outrigger pads

• When lifting DICA outrigger pads users should use their legs as the primary source of lifting power.

• To safely roll round Safety Tech outrigger pads, begin by standing the pad on edge. Position yourself to the back or side of the pad. Carefully roll the pad to the intended location and follow the outrigger pad lowering instructions below.

• To safely place pads that are standing on edge into position, two methods may be used.

  • Dropping: Verify all personnel not involved in lowering the outrigger pad are a safe distance away from where the pad will be placed. Have the personnel involved in the lowering stand on the side away from where it will be located. Once the area where the pad will be positioned is clear, allow the pad to fall away and drop into place.

  • Lowering: Verify all personnel not involved in lowering the outrigger pad are a safe distance away from where the pad will be placed. In unison, slowly lower the pad by bending at the knees while maintaining a flat back until the pad lies flat.

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