Connected cranes: How IoT does the heavy lifting for construction site safety

Working on cranes is demanding, not only physically but also mentally. When you’re so far high up, operating a crane can become risky work. That’s why conditions for using this machinery, such as wind speed, must be closely monitored as occupational safety comes first.

Why wind matters

While cranes may be built to withstand high wind speeds, safety of construction workers is still paramount. Because of this, most new cranes need to be equipped with built in automatic wind sensors called anemometers, to make sure cranes are only operated within the agreed speed limits.

But what about older but fully operational cranes that do not have this feature installed into their structure?

A portable IoT sensor

Wolffkran Lokus, one of the Czech Republic’s largest owners, lessors and operators of construction cranes, has addressed this challenge using an Internet of Things solution from Vodafone Business.

Since 2019, it uses a universal NB-IoT sensor to monitor weather conditions across a given area. These portable, waterproof sensors can be placed onto cranes located in the most exposed positions, linking construction workers to real-time wind speed data.

As well as monitoring wind in real-time, the sensors also allow data to be tracked and stored on an ongoing basis. This provides the option to look back retrospectively, and to build a better understanding of overall trends. Such data could then be used to support decisions on shutdown scenarios, or help to prove to construction clients that wind conditions impacted productivity.

For more insights on how Wolffkran Lokus has benefitted from this IoT solution, watch this video: