Overhead cranes allow companies to move materials from one location to another with the items suspended in the air. It is commonly used in warehousing and transportation, yet these cranes are also found in mining processing, agricultural manufacturing, and many other industries. Ensuring that your overhead crane functions optimally means that the working mechanisms and supports have undergone proper maintenance and repair. Overhead crane inspections are another essential aspect of properly maintaining your equipment. Find out why you should get your overhead crane inspected.
Reasons to Perform Overhead Crane Inspections
1. Spot Cracks, Deterioration, and Failures
Inspections allow you to spot potential problems before they become serious issues. Overhead cranes work with many moving parts at once. Any part that experiences failure could lead to the entire crane malfunctioning to the point where it can no longer perform tasks. Certain overhead crane features should undergo daily maintenance, such as the hydraulic systems and crane hooks. Other areas can have monthly inspections such as hoist chains, ropes, and end connections. Some inspections may be performed on an as-needed basis.
2. Avoid Costly Part Replacements
Spotting minor problems and immediately placing the overhead crane into service ensures that all components function appropriately. However, holding off on the inspections and required repairs could lead to catastrophic failure to the crane’s systems. When devastating failure occurs, it may lead to replacing entire systems. The cost of replacing systems can be an enormous burden on the company’s finances.
3. Helps to Create Preventive Maintenance Checklist
An inspection provides you with essential details about your overhead crane and how it is used. The inspector may notice specific components and parts that are worn out faster than the manufacturer’s recommendations during the inspection. With this data, you may adjust the preventive maintenance checklist to evaluate these systems and components on a more daily schedule to prevent significant problems.
4. Meet OSHA Requirements
Overhead crane and gantry operations are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). If the cranes are not inspected and maintained following these guidelines and standards, accidents may cause serious damage and worker injuries. OSHA regulators may penalize a company that has not performed the required inspections and instituted safety measures in compliance with stated guidelines. These fines could be costly for your company,
5. Prevent Worker Injuries
Having a worker become injured due to materials falling from the overhead crane causes significant problems to your company. You must ensure that the working environment is cordoned off to prevent further damage and injuries. Then you have to deal with the worker’s medical bills, worker compensation claims, or even lawsuits. Your operations will also have to remain down until the evaluation of the overhead crane is complete, and they determine why there was a failure. Then you must make repairs before operations begin again.
An overhead crane experiences large stress loads daily. Ensuring that the equipment functions efficiently is essential so that operations keep up with productivity. An overhead crane inspection provides many advantages to your company to keep equipment running and keep repair costs low.
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