Woodyard Cranes

Many pulp mills receive wood in the form of whole logs. Logs can arrive at a mill by water, barge, rail and most commonly in North America, by truck. Incoming railcars and trucks are scaled to determine their weight and/or volume of logs. Trucks are then normally unloaded by mobile loaders or by overhead cranes. The cranes used for log unloading can have a linear or circular format. Overhead cranes for unloading are initially more capital intensive, but have a number of ongoing benefits. This course covers the benefits as well as some operational and safety considerations related to the use of woodyard cranes.

Identify and describe common equipment used for unloading and handling logs from trucks or railcars Identify and describe linear and circular overhead woodyard cranes List the benefits of using a woodyard crane compared to a mobile loader Identify typical crane inspection requirements Recognize considerations when unloading and stacking logs with a woodyard crane List typical safety guidelines related to woodyard cranes