Frequent and periodic crane inspections help keep the equipment operating efficiently, keep the operations personnel safe, reduce costly downtime and help extend the lifespan of the equipment. Recognized inspection bodies have developed best practices and documented standards for inspection and preventative maintenance of cranes. These are OSHA(Occupational Safety and Health Administration), ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers), and CMAA (Crane Manufacturers Association of America).
Types of Crane Inspection
Regular crane inspection can save a corporation tons of cost by verifying compliance with an area regulatory body. Crane inspection falls under four different categories; Initial, functional, frequent, and periodic Inspection.
- Initial Inspection
Is the sort of inspection required before a new crane or altered crane is put to use after installation, modification, or repair. Initial inspection help to make sure no safety hazards exist, modified components are well installed and functionally tested. The initial inspection report should include operational observations made to detect any faults that may appear before other regular inspections. The initial inspection report should be dated, signed, and safely filed should it be needed in the future.
- Functional Inspection
Before switching on the crane power, a thorough visual inspection of the equipment and its components is required. Safety should be at the forefront of your mind when it comes to crane use. After visual inspection, a functional test of the pushbutton, operational controls, and brakes test is the next step. Crane operator daily functional inspection should include but not be limited to checking oil leakage, unusual sounds, brakes, control devices, and load chain.
- Frequent Inspection
Frequent inspections include checking all aspects concerning crane operating mechanisms. The frequency of the inspection is predicated upon the crane usage and application factors. A crane operating under normal service should be inspected monthly, heavy service crane inspected weekly to monthly, and severe service crane inspected daily to weekly. Frequently inspecting the crane ensures that the equipment performs properly and the employees remain safe and injury-free.
- Periodic Inspection
Like frequent inspection, the periodic inspection may be a detailed visual and operational inspection based on the usage of the crane. An in-depth inspection is done to determine the condition of every component. The inspection frequency is completed quarterly or annually. Period inspection includes checking for deformed, cracked, or corroded components, loose bolts, worn-out sheaves and drums; excessive wear of chain drive sprockets, and chain stretch; cracked or distorted parts like pins, bearings, shafts, gears, rollers, locking, and clamping devices. Excessive wear on brake system parts and power generating units are also inspected periodically.
Technology today eases the burden of crane inspection through the utilization of inspection software and mobile Apps. Inspection software and mobile ensures less paperwork and better workflow through safe and easily accessed cloud storage, on-time crane compliance inspections, and report generation.
Conclusion
Visit Van Adrighem Group, a household name within the crane world, for all of your heavy transportation, earthmoving, construction machinery requirements, and inquiries of adhering to strict crane inspection standards. It may seem costly and time-consuming to perform all these inspections, however, the legal fees incurred if safety hazards occur due to the shortage of inspection are often hefty for a corporation.