Saturday, May 31, 2014

Information Pertaining Tower Crane Inspections

By Lila Bryant


A large number of tools as well as equipment will be found at all construction sites present today and are applied in carrying out the various activities involved in establishing the intended structures. One of the most important machines found in places where structures are being set up is a crane. According to the current statistics, the largest number of machine related accidents result from cranes. It is thus required that constructors ensure that tower crane inspections are performed as required so as to reduce accidents and damages.

Through application of modern technology, it has become possible for manufacturers to come up with stronger as well as lighter lifting equipment. Thus, factors like capacity, speed, utility and also effective radius have been largely improved to a level that it is almost impossible to omit the machine when doing any kind of construction. For this reason, a good understanding of hoist machines is very important to everyone who is involved in construction in one way or another.

There has been major upgrades in the technology that is utilized in hoisting and it is for this matter that professionals who carry out inspections should keep on training. By doing so, they will be able to inspect even the latest crane models to the required standards. Through proper inspection, it will be possible to identify problems that lead to unsafe conditions.

Poor preventive maintenance for hoists is what leads to most mechanical related failures. On the other hand preventive maintenance may fail to be done as required if the workers involved in assessments do not have adequate training and experience. Also if the process is not performed on regular intervals as required, the crane is very likely to experience unexpected mechanical failures.

Currently, there is a wide range of lifting machines in the market. There are those that are used for general purposes while others are tailored for particular activities. Cranes also come in different sizes and there is many types of controls that are employed by manufacturers. This creates need for all inspectors to undergo specialized training so that they are in a position to handle various kinds of machines available.

An inspector is supposed to be aware of the rules that are provided for a given site on top of crane inspection standards. The workers taking part in the construction are also expected to be aware of all restrictions that have been established by the inspector. An inspector should seek to know how activities are coordinated in the site before he starts his work.

The guidelines provided by the manufacturer regarding the operation of hoists should be adhered to the letter. In case the manufacturer did not define the limits of a given machine, then a qualified engineer should be hired to do so. The engineer will specify operating speeds and load capacities while the inspector will ensure that they are obeyed.

The conditions in which a crane is to be applied cannot be easily focused. It is for this reason that the manufacturer is not in position to outline the specific inspection intervals. The information that is supplied by the producer is only valid when the machine is used under average operating conditions.




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