Crane Inspection A Brief Guide

Cranes are integral for any construction work, but merely installing the best crane is not enough.  One has to check whether the crane is working well or not. The crane must be safe to use and should not have any faults as it can cause major accidents. To ensure if the cranes are working properly one should opt for crane inspection.

Here we will discuss some of the important information related to crane inspection.

Why should I not ignore crane inspection?

If you are wondering, is it a big deal to ignore crane inspection? The answer is yes. As per OSHA, it is important to have crane inspection for all active cranes. Daily use of cranes can result in wear and tear of the crane. Using such cranes can be accidental. Moreover, this wear and tear can also lead to a complete breakdown of the crane. With routine inspection, you can identify the problem at the budding stage and resolve the issue before it aggravates.

How often should one opt for crane inspection?

One can opt for initial, function, frequent and periodic inspection. We will highlight each of these types of crane inspection ahead in the blog. 

1. Initial inspection: As per OSHA 1910.179 excerpt, all the cranes, whether new or altered, must be initially inspected to ensure compliance with the security parameters specified by the authorities.  This inspection has a documented visual inspection. For overhead cranes, the load ratings should not be more than 80% of the maximum load sustained during the test. All this is the part of the initial inspection, which is done before using the crane. 

2. Functional test inspection: The next is functional inspection; the functionality of the crane must be checked before using it. This includes checking for operating mechanisms and seeing if there is any other malfunctioning. The functional test inspection also takes into account checking the lines hydraulic system, excessive wear, distorted links, hooked, hoist chains. This inspection must be done monthly to see if the parts are wearing off or they are functioning well. 

3. Frequent inspection: The next type of crane inspection is frequent inspection. This involves checking different aspects of functional test inspection. At the time of checking the inspector must pay attention to the hoist brake, load chain, and wire rope. Ignoring such crucial aspects during crane inspection can prove fatal. The parts that we have mentioned here need frequent inspection. 

4. Periodic inspection: The next type of crane inspection is periodic inspection. 

Cranes that are used for normal service, should undergo yearly inspection. The periodic inspection should include the following: 

1. Lose rivets of bolts

2. Worn parts like bearings, shafts, rollers, locking, and clamping service brake system, ratchets, pawls, and linings.

3. Deformed and corroded parts. 

4. Gasoline, electric, and other power plants for improper functioning and performance. 

5. Checking the wearing of chain drive sprockets, or is there any excessive chain stretch

6. The periodic inspection also includes checking the electrical apparatus and signs of pitting or if there is any deterioration of controller contractors and pushbutton stations. 

Conclusion

This was the basic information about crane inspection. Make sure that you don’t ignore this factor. If you are hiring crane service, you must also check whether the crane hiring service provider opts for crane inspection. Also, when you have given the crane for any repair, or there are alterations, it must undergo initial inspection before you start using the same. The crane inspector should be experienced and must know different types of cranes. They must document everything and present a detailed report. Make sure that you don’t ignore crane inspection.