Mobile Crane Daily Inspections

Mobile cranes are one of the most common but also one of the most dangerous types of heavy equipment used in the construction industry. Over 200 crane-related fatalities occurred in the United States during the past 10 years, with other incidents resulting in numerous injuries and thousands of dollars worth of property damage. The majority of these accidents could have been avoided if the operators had taken the proper precautions before performing a lift.

Daily Visual Inspections

Performing daily inspections is the first step crane operators can take to ensure the safety of both themselves and others working around them. Routine inspections can forecast future maintenance needs as well as help predict potential equipment failure. Failing to inspect a crane, or other heavy equipment for that matter, may ultimately lead to excessive replacement cost, extended down time or accidental failure.

Typical deficiencies encountered during routine crane inspections can include:

• Cracked, deformed or corroded members
• Loose bolts, rivets or hardware
• Worn, cracked, or distorted parts, such as pins, bearings, gears, shafts, rollers, and locking or clamping devices
• Cracked or worn sheaves or drums
• Excessive wear on brake system parts, lining, pawls and ratchets
• Excessive wear of chain drive sprockets and excessive chain stretch
• Cracks on crane hooks
• Pitting or any deteriorating of controller contactors, limit switches, pushbutton stations or other electrical apparatus

The daily inspection process should be included in a company’s overall equipment preventive maintenance program. Documentation of inspection deficiencies should be forwarded to a qualified mechanic, who will then take the unit out of service until it can be properly repaired. The crane should not be put back into operation until all guards have been reinstalled, safety devices reactivated, and maintenance equipment removed. All inspection reports should be maintained on file for future reference and as a chronological history of the crane’s servicing and maintenance.

Regularly Inspect And Monitor

While a daily visual inspection is essential to the safe operation of a crane, more complete inspections at 1 to 12 month intervals are also required to identify less obvious structural or mechanical defects that might compromise the crane’s safety and performance. Similarly, a crane that is idle for more than a month should be inspected thoroughly before it is put back into service. While cranes vary by design and usage, they tend to share common characteristics that require regular monitoring and inspection. These include:

• Oil and hydraulic fluid levels
• Rated capacities, load charts, operating speeds, special hazards (such as overhead electrical, barge listing and other overhead hazards), and instructions
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-approved hand signal chart
• Battery
• Fire extinguisher, rated at 5BC or better
• Spills or stains on the ground
• Operational boom angle indicator and boom length indicator (for hydraulic cranes)
• Lowering rate regulator
• Outriggers
• Crane level
• Boom straightness
• Each component used in lifting
• Control mechanism adjustments
• Safety devices and alarms, hydraulic and air hoses
• Guards for belts, chains and other moving parts

Worksite Inspection

Since the majority of crane accidents involve dangerous worksite conditions, the worksite should be thoroughly inspected prior to crane operation. Accidental contact with overhead power wires, for example, has claimed more lives than all other types of crane-related accidents. Therefore, overhead wiring and obstructions, proper cribbing and blocking, adequate swing clearance, and ground conditions should always be evaluated prior to operation. Other considerations, such as weather conditions, visibility, and concurrent operations on-site, should also be taken into account during pre-operation crane inspections.

Develop Checklists

There are generic crane checklists available to document daily crane inspections. However, since every crane’s construction is dependent upon its application, a specific checklist should be developed to address each type of equipment being operated. To obtain specific inspection and servicing guidelines, contact the manufacturer. The manufacturer will also be able to supply a list of recommended repairs.

Training

The performance of a daily pre-operation inspection will familiarize crane operators with the principal components of their equipment, as well help them recognize and identify potentially hazardous conditions before they result in a serious accident. A qualified instructor should train operators in inspection techniques and periodically re-evaluate their inspection skills if equipment modifications are made.

If a crane operator has doubts concerning the safety of the equipment or the operation, he or she should contact the supervisor and not start the job until the problem has been properly resolved. Only by taking a proactive approach to identifying and eliminating safety hazards can employers truly ensure the well-being of their employees on the job.

XL Environmental • Risk Control Division • 520 Eagleview Boulevard, PO Box 636, Exton, PA 19341 • Phone: 800-327-1414 • Fax: 610-458-7285 • xlenvironmental.com

XL Environmental is a division of XL Specialty Insurance Company.