Comprehensive Guide: 5 Essential Steps for Overhead Crane Inspection

A whopping 2.9 million injuries and illnesses in private U.S. workplaces occurred in 2016. Granted, this was almost 50,000 fewer than the previous year, but it’s still a considerable number.

What’s more, many of these were preventable, if only employers made sure they conducted proper workplace safety policies.

This is especially true for organizations relying on heavy machinery, such as cranes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that from 2011 to 2015, 220 crane-related fatal injuries occurred. After all, there are over 250,000 crane operators throughout the country.

It’s for this reason; complete overhead crane inspection programs are a must in your business. Failure to can cause serious repercussions extending beyond legal liabilities. It’s the safety and lives of your people (and the general public), after all.

So, read on to make sure your inspections are complete and thorough!

1. Make Sure You Have a Qualified Inspector to Do the Job

First, make sure the person who’ll carry out the job has adequate experience in conducting OSHA crane inspection services. That means a complete understanding of the appropriate crane-related Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.

For instance, there’s the OSHA 1910.179, ASME B30.2. It consists of regulations for the inspections for overhead cranes. It also covers general and maintenance requirements, as well as proper operating procedures for such equipment.

In any case, it’s essential that your overhead inspector meets all the required qualifications.

2. The Daily Inspections

To comply with all regulations surrounding crane safety, you need to ensure your inspector conducts the necessary daily inspections. These include a thorough checking of the following components:

• Possible incorrect adjustments or excessive wearing of functional operating mechanisms
• Damages, such as leaks, in the equipment’s air/hydraulic components (including drain pumps, lines, tanks, and valves)
• Visible cracks or damages of hooks
• Excessive wearing or deformation (twisting or distortion) of hoist chains

Again, the inspector should perform these checks on a day to day basis.

3. The Monthly Inspections

At the end of the month, your crane inspector should take a closer look at any deformed or cracked crane hook. The inspector should have a written, signed, and dated record of the findings.

The same is true for the hoist chains, and end connections found to have excessive wearing (during the daily inspections).

Finally, there’s the once-a-month wire rope inspection. Again, the inspector should note and sign all details of wearing and damages, such as broken strands, for each identified rope.

4. The Periodic Inspections

How “often” depends on how much use your cranes receive. You may have to carry out these inspections once a month, every quarter, or twice a year.

• For load inaccuracies, the inspector needs to perform a crane load test
• Any type of damage (deformation or cracking) on members
• Unsecured (too loose) bolts or rivets
• Worn parts of the braking system
• Excessive wearing of pins, gears, lock and clamp systems, etc.

Periodic inspections also include checking for any deterioration of electrical components (limit switches, pushbuttons, etc.).

5. Proper Maintenance

No matter how serious your inspectors are in doing their jobs, it’s all to no avail without preventive maintenance. Proper inspections and crane maintenance always go hand in hand.

In other words, if the inspector finds damages on any components, they should undergo the needed maintenance or repairs ASAP.

Keep the Jobsite Safe and Injury-Free with an OSHA-Complying Crane Inspection Program

Workplaces that depend on heavy machines are some of the most dangerous job sites in the U.S. With a complete crane inspection program, along with proper equipment maintenance, you can bring down the safety hazards your workers are at risk of.

Ready to create a safer, healthier place for all your hardworking people? Then please feel free to connect with us! We can help you reach OSHA compliance with all your crane-related inspections.