The safety issues and solutions for electric winches are as follows:

1、 Core security issues

Overloaded use

Risk: Motor overheating, wire rope breakage, permanent equipment damage.

Case: A mining winch was overloaded, causing the steel wire rope to break and rebound, resulting in injury and death.

Solution:

Strictly follow the rated load and prohibit overloading operations.

Before use, check the load weight and equip it with a dynamic load monitoring device (such as a torque limiter).

Regularly check the condition of the motor and wire rope, and replace worn parts in a timely manner.

Improper management of steel wire rope

Risk: Entanglement chaos, broken wires, slipping out of the drum, causing breakage or equipment loss of control.

Case: A winch slipped and broke due to the uneven arrangement of steel wire ropes, with the stacking height exceeding the edge of the drum.

Solution:

Ensure that the steel wire rope is evenly wound, using a rope arrangement device or manual guidance.

Regularly inspect the broken and worn condition of the steel wire rope, and replace it if the number of broken wires does not exceed 5 within one twist.

Avoid friction between the steel wire rope and sharp objects, and use protective covers if necessary.

Potential hazards in the operating environment

Risk: Moisture, high temperature, corrosive environment may cause motor short circuit or brake failure.

Case: A certain offshore winch experienced a rolling accident due to salt spray corrosion, causing the brake to overheat and fail.

Solution:

Use motors and sealed brakes with a protection level of ≥ IP55 in damp or corrosive environments.

Install temperature sensors to monitor the temperature of the motor and brake, and automatically shut down if the temperature exceeds the limit.

Regularly clean the surface dirt of the equipment and apply anti rust paint.

The anchor point is not firmly fixed

Risk: Loose or broken anchor points can cause the load to fall, resulting in personal injury or equipment damage.

Case: A rescue winch caused the trapped person to fall twice due to the tree anchor not wrapping around the bark, resulting in damage and breakage of the tree.

Solution:

Choose sturdy anchor points (such as ground anchors, fixed structures) and avoid using fragile objects (such as thin trees).

Wrap the tree with a tree wrap to distribute pressure and prevent damage to the bark.

Regularly check the tightness of anchor points to ensure that the bolts are not loose.

Brake system failure

Risk: Brake brake overheating, excessive wear, or improper adjustment, resulting in the inability to stop the load in a timely manner.

Case: A mining winch caused a collision accident due to a small contact area between the brake and the brake wheel, resulting in an extended braking distance.

Solution:

Regularly check the wear of the brake pads and replace them when the thickness of the brake shoes is less than 50% of the original thickness.

Adjust the gap between the brake and the brake wheel to 1-2mm, ensuring that the contact area is ≥ 70%.

Install a brake temperature monitoring device, which will automatically sound an alarm and shut down when the temperature exceeds the limit.

2、 Key solutions

Install protective devices

Over roll protection: prevents equipment damage or personnel injury caused by excessive lifting.

Overspeed protection: Limit the operating speed of the winch to avoid overspeed and loss of control.

Speed limit protection: Ensure that the winch operates within a safe speed range.

Loose rope protection: When the steel wire rope becomes loose, it automatically shuts down to prevent the equipment from continuing to operate.

Broken shaft protection: The protection mechanism is triggered when the shaft breaks to prevent the accident from escalating.

Standardize operational procedures

Pre operation inspection:

Confirm that the power supply, control buttons, and remote control device are functioning properly.

Check that there are no abnormalities in the steel wire rope, anchor point, and braking system.

Precautions during operation:

Wear thick gloves to prevent burns or abrasions.

Avoid excessive cable load caused by vehicle shaking back and forth.

When towing a vehicle, keep it in a straight line with the wire rope and use directional pulleys if the angle cannot be adjusted.

Post operation maintenance:

Clean the surface dirt of the equipment and apply lubricating oil.

Pack the winch and store it in a cool and dry place to avoid moisture and rain.

Strengthen personnel training

Safety awareness education: Emphasize the hazards of unauthorized operations such as overloading, speeding, and carrying people.

Operational skills training: Training personnel to master correct operating methods, fault identification, and emergency response.

Emergency drills: Regularly organize simulated accident drills to improve personnel's emergency response capabilities.

3、 Typical accident cases and lessons learned

Case 1: Steel wire rope breakage, rebound, and injury

Reason: The operator ignored the broken strands of the steel wire rope and acted recklessly in violation of regulations.

Lesson learned:

If a broken strand is found in the steel wire rope, the machine should be stopped immediately for handling and continued use is strictly prohibited.

Strengthen on-site safety management, implement safety responsibilities, and strictly prohibit illegal command and operation.

Case 2: The hook head of the column winch rebounds and throws people to death

Reason: The driver drove illegally and started the winch before all personnel were evacuated to a safe location.

Lesson learned:

Strictly follow the operating procedures to ensure that personnel evacuate to a safe area before starting the winch.

Strengthen training for signal workers to ensure accurate and error free signal transmission.

Case 3: The driver of a shovel loader was crushed to death by a mining truck

Reason: The driver picked up the truck himself without a dedicated signalman and cleared obstacles during the operation of the mining truck.

Lesson learned:

It is strictly prohibited to operate the winch without a license, and special workers must be certified to work.

Strengthen on-site safety management, implement pre shift safety deployment, and strictly prohibit prioritizing production over safety.

The main equipment produced by Hebei Makita: stage electric hoist, electric chian hoist, wire rope electric hoist，Hand chain hoist, lever hoist, pneumatic hoist and other lifting equipment