Cranes play a vital role in lift operations on construction sites, as well as other heavy industries such as cargo, transportation, mining, and manufacturing. Despite their widespread use, it’s essential to remember that cranes are mighty machines capable of catastrophic damage if used carelessly.
Regular service and essential crane safety systems are proven to reduce the risk of crane operations. In this blog post, we’ll go over the critical crane components that should be regularly inspected and maintained.
Checking Controls
Trained and certified crane operators should ensure that all controls are in proper working order before attempting to use the crane of the actual lift. Test all controls and ensure they are working smoothly. Additionally, if you’re using any operational aids such as crane LMI systems, make sure they are also functional before starting the lift.
Wire ropes
Ropes or chains used to lift the heavy objects often undergo significant wear and tear. It’s essential to ensure that all cables are working properly before the lift. In many cases, small tears or gaps have the potential to break the chain altogether when excessive load is put on the chain.
The OSHA recommends that when the wire rope has more than six breaks in various strands or more than two breaks in any one strand, the rope should be replaced regardless of the lay length.
Moving parts
Moving parts such as sheaves, pulleys, and hooks are subject to substantial friction during crane operations. To prevent accidents, it’s important to get these parts changed if they are malfunctioning or worn out before the replacement date specified by the manufacturer. It’s also a good idea to provide regular maintenance for critical safety components, such as the emergency brake, that provides the last safety resort.
Choose High-Quality Crane Safety Systems
Crane Warning Systems Atlanta provides a wide variety of crane safety systems that are designed to improve the efficiency and safety of your lift operation.
From multi-purpose crane load indicators and crane rated capacity indicators that use the latest CAN bus technology to wireless crane anemometer, we’ve got the right solution for your mobile crane lift.
As one of the leading distributors of crane operational aids from top-rated manufacturers, we’re committed to helping our construction site managers and crane operators ensure safe operations.
Check out our product selection here.