5 Signs You Need Crane Repairs

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Has your crane been acting unusual? That’s most likely a sign that it’s time for crane repairs.

If your crane is vital to everyday operations, you’ll need to recognize the signs early to make sure everything keeps running smoothly.

OSHA sets the standards for crane safety, and a crane that isn’t working properly is a hazard to employees and clients.

Every business should have strict safety standards and a checklist for inspecting crane and hoist systems.

But even if you’ve been in the business for years, it’s easy for little things to slip through the cracks and cause safety hazards. And a damaged crane isn’t always easy to spot.

To make your life easier, we’ve compiled 5 of the most common signs your crane needs repairs. Keep an eye out for them!

1. Corrosion or Rusted Parts

If you’re working outdoors (particularly in humid or rainy climates) keep an eye out for corrosion. Rust is the most common type of damage caused by corrosion, and it can be detrimental to your equipment.

Rusted parts can often go unnoticed because rusting occurs over longer periods of time. It’s important to keep an eye out for, however, because once parts are rusted they can easily break.

2. Abrasion

Like corrosion, abrasion is dangerous because it occurs over a long period of time and can really sneak up on your equipment.

If you’re not familiar with the term, abrasion occurs when parts scrape away at each other after years of movement.

To avoid breakages, keep a close eye on all moving parts of your cranes.

3. Broken Chains

Years of lifting heavy loads can take a toll on your equipment, especially the chain links. Broken or worn out chains are a serious safety hazard and can compromise your whole crane system.

If you see a worn out or broken chain, stop work immediately and have the chain repaired.

4. Broken or Loose Parts

This may seem obvious, but broken or loose parts should be a sign you need crane repairs immediately.

To prevent damages, make sure you’re thoroughly inspecting your cranes often. It’s easy to notice damages to large parts of cranes, but it’s the smaller parts that often go unnoticed

Loose parts can also sneak up on you. It might be obvious when something is broken, but a loose part could go unnoticed until it slips out.

Make sure you are inspecting and tightening all parts of your machines as often as possible.

5. Worn-out Pads

You probably know that your cranes have multiple pads to absorb shock from movement. While these parts help prevent wear and tear on your machines, they themselves can wear out over time. To prevent more serious damage, keep an eye on the pads of your crane and replace before they get too worn out.

Prevent Crane Repairs Before They’re Necessary

The best way to prevent dropped loads, expensive damage or injury to your workers is to be proactive and catch these issues early. Make sure your employees are up to date on safety standards and that they report every issue, no matter how small.

Are you in need of crane repairs or an upgrade all together? Check out our crane services here or contact us for more information on how we can help.

5 Safety And Maintenance Tips For Your Crane’s Chain Hoist

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5 Safety And Maintenance Tips For Your Crane’s Chain Hoist

Performing regular maintenance is an essential safety practice in any workplace. This is especially true in a place that deals with industrial equipment, like cranes.

Cranes are both extremely useful, and extremely dangerous. According to OSHA, crane-related injuries kill approximately 71 workers each year.

Maintaining your crane’s chain hoist is essential to keeping your employees safe. Additionally, regular maintenance will also keep your crane operating efficiently.

1. Understand Common Chain Hoist Problems

The first step to maintaining your chain hoist on your crane is understanding how it works. This way, you’ll be better able to identify when wear and tear are impacting its effectiveness.

There are three kinds of hoists that your crane might use: differential, lever ratchet, and hand chain. All three of these hoists use some combination of a chain and hook to both lift and move heavy objects.

Since these hoists work by rotating a chain, the most common problem associated with them are related to wear and tear on the chain.

That said, regular maintenance can greatly extend the lifespan of a chain.

2. Keep the Chain Clean and Lubricated

The most common causes of wear on a chain are rust and debris. Chains can become stiff and difficult to move due to the buildup of rust and grit.

Most hoists will require dismantling in order to be properly cleaned and oiled. You should do this at least once or twice a year, depending on what you primarily use the hoist for.

3. Watch out for Signs of Damage

Over time, the chain in a hoist will become worn. Make sure to look for signs of deterioration, and replace the chain before it is overused.

Common signs of a chain that needs to be replaced include kinking and stretching. Additionally, if chains “pop” when they are in use, that is likely because they are becoming too stiff.

Remember, it’s always better to replace a chain than it is to have an accident.

4. Perform Regular Inspections

Testing and inspecting your industrial equipment is not just a good idea. OSHA requires that certain tests and inspections take place on a regular basis.

The hoist operator should perform a brief, visual inspection every day to make sure the equipment is operating properly.

Monthly, a more in-depth inspection should be done to document an existing wear, tear, and damage to the equipment.

5. Conduct Necessary Testing

In addition to inspecting your crane’s chain hoist, you should also test it regularly to ensure it is functioning properly.

You should perform a service load test at least quarterly. These tests are designed to observe how well the equipment functions while lifting objects of various weights.

Finally, at least every six moths, make sure to test the chain hoist’s ability to lift heavy loads.

Performing these tests will help demonstrate how the hoist operates under various conditions and will reveal any problems with performance.

If you’d like help keeping your equipment in good condition, or need to purchase replacement parts, then contact us. We’ll work with you to find the right equipment and tools for your needs.

Which Type Of Overhead Hoist Is Right For You?

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Figuring out the right overhead hoist for your crane can be a mind-boggling experience. Navigating the vocabulary and the specifications for each type of hoist is confusing and frustrating.

However, depending on what it is you’re lifting, it’s possible to find the best overhead hoist for you!

Read on to take deeper dive at the specifications for different overhead hoists.

Which Type of Overhead Hoist Works for You?

Manual or electric?

The first decision to make is whether you’d prefer an electric or manual overhead hoist. To decide, take a look at what you intend to use it for.

If you’re using maintenance equipment, or you don’t anticipate using the hoist frequently, a manual hoist will be fine. There’s no reason to go through the expenses of using an electric hoist for such infrequent use.

Electric hoists are better suited for light equipment that needs more lifting. They can also come in various different speeds depending on what you need to use it for.

Electric hoists also offer smooth starts and stops along with the hoist motions. Load sway is limited, meaning wear and tear are generally reduced. Additionally, it also gives you more accuracy and precise loading.

Lifting medium

A lifting medium refers to what the lift actually uses to, well, lift! This can be wire rope or chain.

Some lifting medium hoists are a welded link load chain. This is exactly what it sounds like: different interwoven welded links. They’re manufactured to meet different recommendations and strength, meaning you may need a different hoist for different lifts.

You can also use a roller chain load, which you will have to interchange, and a wire rope.

Operation

An operation host refers to the amount of power needed to operate it. You can use manual power, electric power, or pneumatic.

Manual power will give you a hand chain, meaning you’ll be grabbing and pulling a long chain that’s suspended from the hoist.

If you use an electric one, you won’t have to pull. Instead, you’ll use a menu of buttons and levers to help you lift the object.

See above for more information regarding electric and manual hoists.

Pneumatic powered hoists are powered by a control device. You press a button or pull a lever that will help give energy to an air motor. This will help the object lift.

Suspension

This refers to the type of mounting used to suspend your hoist. They can be hook-mounted, lug-mounted, and trolley-mounted.

All of them are exactly as described. You’d use a hook-mounted suspension to suspend your hoist from a hook, a lug-mounted suspension to suspend it from a lug, and a trolley-mounted suspension to suspend from a trolley.

Conclusion

As you can see, not every overhead hoist will work for every job. Most of them are limited by manufacturer specifications and weight, among other things.

Having a variety of hoists is probably the best solution, but the one you choose and your method is a personal decision.

If you have any questions regarding hoists or industrial equipment, feel free to let us know!

The Benefits of Using a Sumitomo Inline Drive

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You already spend a ton of time performing routine maintenance on your company’s assets, right? Sometimes we can get distracted by servicing the big things. But smaller parts such as our inline drive mechanisms can fall by the wayside.

Don’t let this happen!

Whether you need to add a drive to your machinery or perform a replacement, get in line now and read on about why this piece is essential to your success.

Say Hello to Sumitomo

Of the several parts that go into your industrial machinery, the humble drive may not stick out as something you’ll come to rely on time and again, at first.

However, if you opt for the Sumitomo option, you will definitely start to rethink that.

Named by the Austrian Mining website as “unsurpassed by any other inline drive on the market,” and called “world-beating,” these drives offer benefits including:

  • 500 percent shock load capacity
  • Ratios that vary between 1 and 3 stages from 6:1 to 1,000,000:1
  • Low noise and inertia
  • High energy efficiency and heat dissipation

Take a poll of your workers and find out what they think of your current drives and what they’d like to see different.

For example, unlike most drives, the Sumitomo Cycle 6000 series has two-thirds of its reduction components keeping in contact at all times.

This varies from the traditional drive that has gear teeth with limited contact points.

These drives stand up to give you and your team long-life and performance even under extreme applications and conditions.

Where You’ll Use It

Thinking your industry just can’t find a place for this type of drive?

Think again!

We’ve seen the Sumitomo inline drive find an incredibly valued home at places like wastewater treatment facilities, automotive plants, construction zones, paper and pulp developers, poultry processors, and sawmills.

You can’t take a chance to not try this part out in your business!

Get Your Inline Drive Online

There’s something to be said about heading to the parts shop and walking out with your prize in hand. But as industrial manufacturing focuses more customization, it can be difficult to find what you need in the store.

Don’t waste any more time at those brick and mortar shops.

Instead, you can visit Sumitomo online and shop from thousands of parts, models, and features to fit your exact industrial manufacturing needs.

By the way, when you’re shopping around online, you can also check out Sumitomo message boards, reviews, and videos of the drive in action.

There are also options to chat with fellow enthusiasts and see what else is coming down the line for the future.

Sumitomo Got You Stumped?

Been chasing a particular part?

Driving all over for a missing inline drive?

You’ve come to the right place. We are experts in these drives and love to chat with our customers about them.

Click here and send us a message about your particular drive. You can even upload an image directly from your existing machinery!

We’ll get back to you very quickly and help get you on your way.

Taking Care of Your Stromag Limit Switch

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Taking Care of Your Stromag Limit Switch

Your industrial business is dependent upon its people and equipment. The Stromag limit switch is an essential aspect of promoting the safety and efficiency of your company’s assets.

These limit switches determine whether or not a machine is operating at their capacity, and shut it down if it is not.  Without them, your company could see serious injuries and a loss of productivity.

In simpler terms, your competitive edge relies upon limit switches.

Neglecting your Stromag limit switch is neglecting your business. Once you’ve picked out the perfect switch for your company, you will want to ensure its proper operation through general maintenance.

Here’s how you can keep your equipment running, your employees safe, and your money flowing.

Do A Daily Check Of Your Stromag Limit Switch

Limit switches don’t last forever. Just like other equipment, they will wear out over time and eventually fail. This can lead to serious safety concerns and slow down production.

If you stay on top of looking for general wear and tear, you can order a new Stromag limit switch and have it before your old one fails. That saves time and money.

Even if your switch is brand new, you still want to do daily checks. Manufacturing mistakes happen, so you want to catch any problems early. This will also get your team into the habit of doing daily checks before there is an issue.

Use it Properly

Limit switches are meant to be used indoors. Using one outdoors is unsafe and will lead to equipment failure.

There are also certain types of gases and conditions that can cause your switch to fail:

  • Hydrogen Sulfide
  • Sulfur Dioxide
  • Ammonia
  • Nitric Acid
  • Chlorine
  • Excessive dirt and dust, or anywhere with high humidity and heat.

Try to maintain an environment that does not have major changes in temperature, as this can warp equipment and lead to problems later on.

Keep the Frame and Cover Clean

Check the frame of your switch to ensure that there is not dirt build up that can mess with the electrical components.  You will also want to make sure the cover is not damaged, and replace the cover if necessary or after cleaning the frame out.

Depending on the conditions of your workplace, this can be done annually or more often.

Train your employees on safety procedures for limit switches

Oftentimes when a limit switch is activated, it has to be reset by your employees.  This can prove dangerous if the employee has to climb in order to do so.

There are dozens of cases in which people have been severely hurt or killed due to limit switches that have to be reset.  There are also cases in which limit switches have been over-ridden in order to speed up production, leading to injury and death.

Make sure that your employees know that this is never acceptable, and always provide proper safety equipment in case a switch has to be reset.

Pick the right equipment for the job

There are a variety of Stromag limit switches to choose from. Choosing the right one for the needs of your business is essential to guarantee your satisfaction.

Perhaps you need Potentiometer or encounter mounting, or there are budget concerns and you want to maximize your money.

We are always here to help.  Feel free to contact us here with any questions you might have.

How to Properly Install and Replace Drum Brakes

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Caring for your drum brakes means caring for your customers, employees, and your machinery.

With improper brake maintenance, you are risking safety and unnecessary expense

Remember, brakes don’t fail on their own. Brake failure is a result of improper maintenance.

Let’s make sure you are properly installing and maintaining your brakes.

Here we go:

Drum Brakes Installation Safety

You will want to have your employees wear an asbestos respirator when installing or changing your brakes. Also, make sure your employees are aware of all hazards before they begin.

You should also provide gloves and eyewear before starting.

Procedure

  1. You’ll need to follow the directions to remove the tires first before installing or replacing brakes.
  2. Check the brake adjuster and all screws. You may need to remove or adjust.
  3. Pull the brake drum off, holding with two hands and wiggling.
  4. Inspect the brake before replacing or installing.
  5. Encourage your employees to take a digital photo before disassembly.
  6. Use comparable brake shoes. They should be the same width.
  7. Dismantle brake components.
  8. Reassemble after replacing pads and any faulty springs.

Bleed The System

If you replaced any brake cylinders you will need to bleed the system before operations.

Watch The Signs

When brakes are failing, there are a number of common symptoms experts tell us to look out for. These include:

  • Poor performance
  • Squealing or grinding noises
  • Grabbing or pulling to one side
  • Brake pedal loss
  • Pulsation of the brake pedal
  • Clicking noises
  • Drag during acceleration
  • Warning lights on dashboard and system sensors

If any of these issues occurs, don’t wait for scheduled maintenance. Take your equipment offline immediately and perform a diagnostic.

But beyond troubleshooting issues, you should plan regular maintenance as well.

Perform Regular Maintenance

Even if your brakes are showing no sign of failure, it is important to maintain them regularly. Waiting for your brakes to fail before performing maintenance is waiting for disaster.

Plus, for personal users and industrial concerns alike, preventative maintenance is shown to save money. You will be extending the lifecycle of your machines, lowering capital improvement costs, and eliminating unplanned downtime.

With your brakes, performing preventative and predictive maintenance means scheduling work every 6 months.

Include in Your Overall Operations Plan

Your brake maintenance and troubleshooting efforts should be incorporated into standard operations. If your engineers and operators know what to look for you will save on accidents and cost.

But brakes are only a small part of an operations plan. Putting it all together means getting trusted support and advice.

Kor-Pak can help with all the systems and parts that keep your business running.
With knowledge and know how, you will also be keeping your operators, workers, and customers safe.

We serve numerous industries, including steel, rail, energy (wind), mining, and oil. At Kor-Pak, we keep industries productive. 

We understand your business needs.

Our customers are important to us. Don’t wait to see how we can help with every aspect of your operations plan.

Contact us now and discover how Kor-Pak can help bring value to your business today.

What You’ll Need to Manage Railroad Friction

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Managing railroad friction is essential to sustaining day-to-day stress, but it also provides maximum performance for vehicles that run on rails.

There are a number ways to keep vehicles in top form while they’re at work.

The main benefit of properly managing railroad friction is that you’ll be preserving your equipment without losing revenue. Sounds like a win-win, right?

Let’s explore what you’ll need to maximize your vehicle’s rail performance.

What you’ll need to manage railroad friction

There are a few staples you’ll need to keep things running smoothly and for as long as possible. They are:

  • Lubrication

Perhaps the number one tool to consider for managing friction is lubrication. We recommend using InterFlon to protect against dirt and dust damage.

  • Rigid molded blocks

Our blocks are non-asbestos treated and are the perfect fit for industrial grade brakes and shoe clutches. Using rigid molded blocks keeps friction smooth and consistent, which increases performance and lifespan.

Usually, the vehicles that benefit most from these blocks are large cranes, lift trucks, tension control vehicles, and mining equipment.

  • Geartooth facing

These facings are an option for almost all industrial uses. Shop ID and OD facings to fit your machine.

Most of the time we see facings used in construction or mining machines, brake/clutch systems, winches/hoists, and pumping or irrigation machines.

  • Center plate

Center plates for industrial vehicles are a necessity if you want to properly manage friction. The benefits include being self-lubricating and having a high-pressure threshold.

  • Snubber

Used predominantly in oil and gas wells, snubbers are used to decrease voltage, which increases lifespan. Snubbers are heavy-duty, so they should only be used for in high-voltage and extremely demanding situations.

How to bring it all together

There are many working parts to a well-managed friction system. You’ll need the details like we talked about above. But, you’ll also need a controlling and tracking device to oversee it all.

Our go-to is the RFM-100 from Elecsys. The RFM-100 will monitor friction and keep track of lubricant levels. Other features include:

  • Power status
  • Tank levels
  • Pump times/revolutions
  • Material volume
  • Door updates
  • Wheel count
  • Axle count

A regularly scheduled check-up isn’t enough to keep friction problems at bay. Using a remote control system is the best, most cost-effective way to keep your system on track.

Negative effects on non-equipped vehicles

Without proper management, vehicles can be hit with all types of issues due to high-stress friction, from disablement to complete failure.

The losses of being reactive to these realities can be completely eliminated if companies plan to succeed with proactive management.

Advantages of working with us

As industry leaders, we take innovation seriously. Working with Kor-Pak means working with the best.

For more than 40 years we’ve provided top-notch service and products to major rail companies, worldwide.

We pride ourselves on our ability to customize high-performance, railroad friction products, regardless of the different needs of the companies we work with.

Our pricing is competitive and we get the job done quickly because we know that your time is your money.

If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Feel free to contact our team of professionals anytime.

 

What are Torque Limiters and Why You Need Them

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Torque limiters are an essential part of safe operations. And some business owners and equipment operators may wonder if they are necessary at all.

Used in a wide range of machinery, these safety couplings have a variety of industrial uses. Torque is what makes engines and machines powerful.

Limiting torque is important too. It can preserve your machine.

Essential for the operation of wind turbines, limiters can be found in almost any type of engine you can think of.

They don’t just protect machines and operators from catastrophic failure, limiters can also protect delicate internal systems. They save money, energy, and extend the lifecycle of equipment.

Let’s find out more about torque limiters. Here we go:

What Are They?

Limiters prevent mechanical overload. Engineers set torque limiters to a certain measure when incorporating them in engine and system design.

If the machine begins to run at a higher torque than is safe and effective, the limiter will “slip” so as not to damage the machine.

Limiters can be set at nearly any torque level. They have applications in the highest powered engines as well as smaller food preparation.

Sometimes called “safety couplings,” these limiters are engineered into many areas of some machines.

Safe Operations Through Torque Limiters

While specialty limiters can be adjusted to very low torque settings, there are also many machines that require high torque for powerful operations.

When converting wind power to energy, harnessing as much torque safely is essential. With advances in wind turbine systems, engineers are trying to convert more torque to energy.

Limiters assure operators that this torque won’t become dangerous.

In our range you will also find the appropriate torque limiters – no matter whether you need them for dynamic servo applications or special hygiene requirements in the food industry, as a safety device in heavy machinery or for extremely small torques.

Maintenance

Many limiters require zero maintenance, depending on their installation. As with any other preventative maintenance task, you will want to make sure your machinery is operating clean of debris and dirt.

In larger industrial uses, limiters will have to be manually reengaged once they release. This allows operators and engineers to identify the issue that caused the slip.

Putting It All Together

If you are a business owner, all of your parts and systems require special care. Understanding their use and maintenance will save money and prolong the life of your machines.

Kor-Pak can help with all the systems and parts that keep your business running.

With knowledge and know how, you will also be keeping your operators, workers, and customers safe.

We serve numerous industries, including steel, rail, energy (wind), mining, and oil.

And we are both an OEM and distributor for products ranging from Heavy Duty Industrial Braking Systems, Wear Materials and Rubber Parts for Locomotives and Passenger Cars, Engine Seals, Kevlar Bearings, and Custom Machined and Fabricated parts.

We understand your business needs.

Our customers are important to us. Don’t wait to see how we can help with every aspect of your operations plan.

Contact us now and discover how Kor-Pak can help bring value to your business today.

Industrial Vibrators: A Complete Buying Guide

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Industrial Vibrators: A Complete Buying Guide

Industrial vibrators help keep your machinery working efficiently. They are used in countless industries from farming and agriculture to railroads. The functionality of chutes, hoppers, pipes and bins can all benefit from the use of a vibrator. But how do you select the right one for the job?

Several factors are involved. They include the size and shape of the machinery you’re clearing, the type of material you’re moving and where the vibration is needed. Once you determine these elements, you can choose the right vibrator design.

Here, we’ll provide a step-by-step breakdown of how to make the right selection.

How Do I Know if I Need an Industrial Vibrator?

It’s probably best you answer this question before moving onto researching the product. Industrial vibrators are used for aiding in material flow inside your equipment. They are also used for cleaning off the walls and corners of your vessels. Vibrators can even be used for sorting and positioning materials.

Keeping Materials Loose & Positioned Properly

Vibrating hoppers are most commonly found in the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries to help move or position bulk materials or small parts. The vibration moves materials more efficiently. It also positions smaller components so they can be reached by other automated equipment.

Compactors & Concrete

Vibrating compactors are often used to compact soil during the construction of road, building and railway foundations.

Concrete vibrators are used to consolidate freshly poured concrete in the formwork. The vibrations release trapped air and excess water.

Number of Vibrations

The number of vibrations needed for your equipment is first determined by the size and shape of the unit.

Industrial vibrators have a 5 foot “radius of influence.” This means they are only able to “shake” a certain area inside your hopper, chute or other machines. You might need multiple vibrators depending on the amount and consistency of the material you’re moving.

Some vibrators are designed to shake the entire piece of equipment, while others only shake a certain area.

Strength of the Vibrator

The strength of the vibrator you need is determined by it’s use.

If your vibrator is being used simply to keep materials “unstuck” from the walls of your unit, or clean out corners, then you only need to consider the wall’s thickness.

If your intent is to keep materials freely flowing inside your vessel, then there are several calculations involved. You must determine the weight of the material found in the transition area of the chute or hopper. Once you’ve determined the weight of the material, you can calculate the amount of force needed to keep things running smoothly.

Start Shopping For Industrial Vibrators

Now that you’ve calculated the job your vibrator needs to perform, the number of vibrators needed and the strength of the vibrator, you can start shopping!

A few additional things to consider when making your selection are noise levels, environmental concerns, and the vibrator’s required power source. Vibrators must also be mounted to the internal wall of your vessel, though there are some external models. Different vibrators offer different options for mounting, including portable and permanent units.

You can also decide between pneumatic and electric vibrators. Both types will require lubrication and maintenance.

Using an industrial vibrator is a great investment for improving your equipment’s functionality, efficiency and longevity.

How Often You Need to Have Crane Inspections

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Overhead cranes are integral to construction sites.

Cranes are responsible for moving heavy, large objects from one location to another.

What’s more, they perform the duties that other material handling machinery cannot.

So, crane inspections should be a basic maintenance procedure. After all, it ensures onsite health and safety, whilst helping to meet deadlines.

What is the Difference Between Frequent and Periodic Inspections?

The OSHA 1910.179 puts inspections into two categories:

  • Frequent
  • Periodic

Frequent

Every site has a responsibility to make daily checks to ensure crane safety, such as:

  • Hooks
  • Hoists
  • Wire ropes
  • Functional operational mechanisms

These checks are usually made by the crane operator.

Periodic

Periodic checks will take place at different points through the year.

For example, you will have to perform:

  • Normal service (annual basis)
  • Heavy service (semi-annually)
  • Severe service (quarterly)

The severe service checks will identify performance during arduous weather conditions or corrosive environments.

Why Do You Need Crane Inspections?

Serious and fatal injuries can occur if you fail to make regular overhead crane inspections.

Sadly, 4,379 private sector workers died at work in 2015, with 21% of fatalities in construction.

That is approximately 1 in 5 deaths.

Many lost their lives due to a fatal fall, electrocution, caught in machinery or from a falling object.

Injuries that can all happen when a crane is in operation.

Every site has an obligation to both its employees and the public to check its machinery.

Here are the four biggest reasons why you must inspect the crane:

  • It is a legal requirement
  • Human safety
  • Liability
  • Machinery reliability

It is imperative you have cranes inspected by trained, qualified inspectors.

As a result, you can maintain a safe, lawful and productive environment.

So, it is vital crane safety becomes a site’s top focus.

What are the Inspection Requirements?

Every site has a responsibility to make inspections on all machinery.

Cranes installed after August 31, 1971, must also meet ANSI/ASME specifications.

Cranes can pass an inspection even if they received modification. A qualified engineer/manufacturer must check the modified structure suits the re-rated load.

If it doesn’t, it will not pass the inspection.

Every site must mark the rated load on each side of the crane. You must also show the rating for each hoist.

You will not pass an inspection if the walkways compromise health and safety.

If you have a parallel crane, it’s vital to have a clearance between the two bridges.

It is also important to note that only designated personnel should operate a crane.

Conclusion

There is nothing more important than the lives of your employees and the public.

Every site has a legal and moral obligation to embark with regular crane inspections.

You should also aim to provide staff with health and safety training. This will help to create a safe workplace environment for all.

Never operate a crane without ensuring it is fit for purpose. Plus, ensure it is only reviewed by a qualified inspector.

Have you had any experience with any crane inspection issues? Got any advice to share? Write a comment below.