Crane Maintenance and Check Point
Crane Maintenance and Check Point
Crane Maintenance and Check Point
What should you check for when inspecting a crane before maintenance?
• Take a crane to a location where repairs will least interfere with other cranes.
• Ensure that all controllers are placed in the "off" position, and the main
switches are open and locked.
• Place on the switch a standard warning tag stating "DO NOT START." The tag
must be filled out and signed
• Place rail stops or make other safety provisions when another crane operates
on the same runway.
• Use fall protection equipment.
• Do not carry anything in your hands when going up and down ladders. Items
that are too large to go into pockets or belts should be lifted to or lowered
from the crane by a rope.
• Prevent loose parts or tools from falling to the floor.
• The area below the crane must be cleared and a barrier erected to prevent
injury from a falling object.
• Replace all guards and other safety devices before leaving a crane.
• Remove all stops, tools, loose parts and other material and dispose of them
before completing the repair job.
• Enter all service inspections and repairs in a crane log book or file.
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Crane Hitches
How should you use a vertical hitch?
• In most cases use more than one sling. A
single rope sling load tends to rotate in a
twisting action that unwinds cables causing
them to weaken.
Choker hitch
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Doubled choker hitch
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Double Wrap Basket Hitches
Bridle hitches
• The angle affects the working load limit. The smaller the angle, the less load a
sling can carry.
Before lifting any load you should start the crane and inspect it when it is moving
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When should you eliminate the rope from its use?
Assess the condition of the rope at the section showing the most wear. Discard a wire
rope if you find any of the following conditions:
• Use plain or shoulderless eye bolts or ring bolts for vertical loading only. Angle
loading on shouderless bolts will bend or break them.
• Use shoulder eye bolts for vertical or angle loading.
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How should you use eye bolts safely?
• Inspect and clean the eye bolt threads and the hole.
• Screw the eye bolt on all the way down and properly seat.
• Ensure the tapped hole for a screw eye bolt (body bolts) has a minimum
depth of one-and-a-half times the bolt diameter.
• Install the shoulder at right angles to the axis of the hole. The shoulder
should be in full contact with the surface of the object being lifted.
• Ensure all loose materials, parts, blocking and packing have been removed
from the load before lifting.
• Remove any slack from the sling and hoisting ropes before lifting the load.
• Make sure that the lifting device seats in the saddle of the hook.
• Move crane controls smoothly. Avoid abrupt, jerky movements of the load.
• Follow signals only from one slinger in charge of the lift, except a stop signal.
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• Make sure everyone is away from the load before hoisting. Sound a bell, siren
or other warning device and start to hoist slowly.
• Ensure nothing links or catches on the load while raising it or traveling.
• Ensure that nothing obstructs the movement of a load.
• Keep the load under control when lowering a load. If the braking system stops
working, the load can usually be lowered by reversing the hoist controller to
the first or second point.
• Stay in a crane cab during power failure. Attract attention and wait for help.
• Do not carry anything in your hands when going up and down ladders. Items
that are too large to go into pockets or belts should be lifted to or lowered
from the crane by rope.
• Do not operate a crane if limit switches are out of order, or if cables show
defects.
Use of Shackles
What are the types of shackles that you can choose?
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Anchor (bow type) and chain ("D" type) shackles are
used with screw or round pins.
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• Do not use screw pin shackles if the pin can
roll and unscrew. If the load shifts, the sling
will unscrew the shackle pin.
• Follow the manufacturers' charts and tables on sling types, angles, and rope
diameters.
• Follow the manufacturers' recommendations on clips and clamps of suitable
size and design for ropes of different size.
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• Do not bend slings around sharp edges. Protect them by using corner saddles,
padding, or wood blocks.
• Do not use slings with knots.
• Do not slide the load along a rope.
• Do not use a single leg hitch on a load that cannot be controlled. Rotation of a
load can undo the wire rope strands and weaken the rope.
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