DICA Outrigger Pads & Cribbing Blocks Include Positive Ergonomic Features

December 15, 2021 (Guthrie Center, Iowa) In crane operations, we usually assume the crane is doing all the heavy lifting. However, one of the leading causes of workman’s comp claims each year are caused by lifting heavy and awkward items such as outrigger pads and cribbing.

Manual lifting tasks for crane setup often includes handling outrigger pads, crane pads, cribbing, rigging, and tools. During crane setup, risks might include exerting excessive force, working in awkward postures, or exposing hands to being pinched or caught between items.

DICA® designs its products with positive ergonomic features, to minimize both the weight of its products, and the amount of lifting necessary when using them. DICA’s SafetyTech® Outrigger Pads have received six patents in the U.S. and Canada for the ergonomic features of its pad and handle combinations.

Engineered thermoplastic SafetyTech Outrigger Pads are not porous, they will not absorb water or any chemicals, and they will not splinter or break under stress. TuffGrip® Handles and round pad shapes, allow for DICA’s ergonomic crane pads to be easily lifted, slid, or rolled into place, reducing the potential for injuries to occur.

Protecting hands and encouraging proper lifting techniques and weights were primary objectives for DICA when developing its TuffGrip® Handle System. TuffGrip Handles are larger in diameter and made from comfortable yet strong and flexible engineered thermoplastic material. DICA’s patented handles help reduce finger pinching and hand fatigue from placing and carrying the pads. In addition, the recessed TuffGrip Handles on round SafetyTech Outrigger Pads don’t extend beyond the perimeter of the pads edge.  This design allows for safe and easy rolling of the pads. This design gives the operator the option of not carrying the pad at all.