Sunday, 26 January 2014

A Look At Overhead Crane Inspections

By Eliza Mendoza


Department of safety has set requirements that demand overhead crane inspections to be carried by all plants that posses lifting machines. A company that performs compressive assessments enjoys various benefits. For instance, cases of fatality will go down if inspections are undertaken in the proper manner. The actual productivity level of the machine will be sustained and its life span increased.

Effective assessments can only be possible if a company comes up with a plan or program that will guide its officials in executing the task. The first step in designing a quality inspection program is creation of controlled document manual which contains work instructions as well as procedures. The manual is supposed to be revised periodically so as to cater for changes in technology and legislation. It is through coming up with a manual that it will be possible to facilitate a systematic approach which is repeatable.

A company will be able to experience seamless transitions at times of changes if it has a manual that guides examination procedures. It is the handbook that is be utilized in training recruits and also to show existing procedures to new management. The handbook should clearly state the responsibilities of various officers in a given assessment exercise. Additionally, the training qualifications of the inspectors required must be outlined in it.

Information on inspection forms to be done on different cranes in the plant will be sourced from the assessment handbook. It will serve inspectors with details on when assessment is to be done, how to document findings and the way to keep records. The manual should also state the criteria for reporting faults to the engineer in charge.

The engineer mandated to control assessment procedure is expected to be certified in the field of structure design and also inspection. He is the one who review and approve each inspection report documented by the inspectors. The engineer should perform his own inspections on random basis so as to make sure that the assessors comply with the minimum quality standards in their work.

All the workers taking part in the inspection task must adhere to safety measures laid down by the local authorities and the plant management. Before the process kicks off, all the people working in the plant are supposed to be informed of it. The crane being inspected should be placed in a safe place such that it is not hit by those in operation while the inspection is going on.

Safe and close access to all the parts of a given crane is required at time of examination. Where possible, the crane is supposed to be placed in an area with good lighting and away from production processes. An inspector will be require to assume various postures such as standing, bending, sitting, kneeling and also squatting so as to achieve his duty. A good examiner is the one who has physical agility to walk on runway parts, climb tall ladders and go up the bridge or trolley.

Enough two way radio devices should be supplied to the assessors when overhead crane inspections are being carried out. Protection materials which include gloves, coveralls and dust masks are equally important. It is the mandate of the management of a given plant to supply the inspectors with all tools and equipment they require in order to execute their duty.




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