Crane Inspections: Why, Who, and How Often?

Operating and owning a crane is a major investment. They require regular inspections to ensure they are operating at an optimal level. It is time consuming to know all the reasons why your crane may need an inspection, how often this needs to happen, and who is qualified to perform the inspection.

The team at SuperService™ are well versed in crane inspections and can work with you to provide this service and much more.

Allow us to detail some of the key information and reasons why you should work with SuperService™ for your crane inspections and maintenance.

Why Does my Crane Need an Inspection?

Safe Work Australia oultines the requirements for all active cranes to be annually inspected and recommends preventative inspection, maintenance and testing programs are established with your service provider to keep your crane operating safely. Usage causes wear and tear on components which can lead to reduced performance, breakdown, or worse, a dangerous failure.

Routine inspections can help identify potential problems and address them before a costly or irreversible incident occurs. At SuperService™, we take great pride in creating suitable maintenance plans appropriate to your specific needs. Just ask us for more details and we will provide a suggested crane maintenance plan for you.

Who Is Qualified to Inspect My Crane?

According to the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA), a competent person to inspect and service a crane is:

• Accredited through training, qualification, and experience, providing them with the knowledge and skill to carry out the task.
• A CraneSafe endorsed assessor – meaning a 3rd party crane expert who has been endorsed by CraneSafe to carry out CraneSafe assessments of specified crane types; or
• A professional engineer who is registered under a professional accreditation, i.e. CPeng, RPEQ.

The CICA states that under no circumstances should an individual perform inspections if they have not received appropriate training and do not have knowledge of the applicable codes and regulations of the equipment.

The team at SuperService™ have extensive experience to ensure your cranes and heavy equipment is being looked after by the best personnel available. Our technicians have a depth of experience across all types of machinery and there isn’t much they haven’t seen before! You are in safe, qualified hands when you deal with the SuperService™ team.

How Often Should I Get My Crane Inspected?

SuperService™ recommends a thorough routine inspection and maintenance schedule. Regular inspections, maintenance, and repairs must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, however, inspections must be completed at least annually. SuperService™ maintains service and maintenance records for all of our customers and can provide you with updates on when calendar inspections and services are approaching.

Cranes should be routinely inspected and tested even if they are not operated regularly due to deterioration.

Routine inspections can take place weekly, monthly, or quarterly pending the usage of the machine.

What Is Involved in a Crane Routine Inspection?

SuperService™ completes the following tasks as part of our routine inspections:

• Crane functions and the controls for speed, smoothness of operation, and limits of motion.
• Emergency and safety switches and interlocks, including limiting and indicating devices.
• Lubrication of moving parts.
• Verify accuracy of any load moment indicator (LMI) and rated capacity indicator (RCI) devices.
• Check filters and fluid levels and leaks.
• Visual inspection and measurements as necessary of structural components and critical parts including brakes, gears, fasteners, pins, shafts, wire ropes, sheaves, locking devices, and electrical contactors.
• Signage, including warning signs and control markings.
• Wear on wheels and tyres; and,
• Extra items nominated in the crane manufacturer’s instructions.

We provide a written report when the inspection is finished and if replacement parts are needed as a result of the inspection.

If a crane has been damaged and there are risks to health and safety, it should be immediately taken out of service and appropriate inspection, tests, and approval certifications completed.

What Happens in an Annual Crane Inspection?

An annual inspection should include every item specified by the crane manufacturer in the routine inspection and maintenance programs, all of which the team at SuperService™ are qualified to undertake.

A written report will be provided and necessary recommendations discussed with you to ensure your machine is in top condition.

It is evident that crane maintenance and inspections are a critical part of any business operating this type of heavy machinery. The experience, knowledge, and attention to detail that our team at SuperService™ provide will ensure your equipment is in capable hands.

For more details or to receive a custom plan for your business, please contact the team at SuperService™ on www.sservice.com.au or call 1300 895 895. We look forward to working with you.

*Information contained in this article was sourced from Safe Work Australia