Cranes are used in almost every heavy-duty industry and every construction project. There are various types of cranes for different applications. Guess what is common in all these different types of cranes? It is the need for regular servicing to maintain the cranes and keep them in top working condition. The crane may appear to be a huge and a sturdy machine but even the mighty ones can crumble if not given proper attention.
There are 3 types of crane services for every crane:
- Monthly normal crane service and inspections: The hooks, chains, wire ropes and all other operating parts need to be checked every month and replaced when needed. Some qualified personnel has to conduct a complete and thorough inspection of the machinery and determine the degree of wear and tear and repair malfunctions if any.
- Monthly severe load testing crane service: Load testing should be done quarterly or monthly depending on the usage. Severe load testing means normal or heavy use in some irregular or non-standard environment. This test ensures to maintain the efficiency of the crane during bad weather conditions like unusually high or low temperatures, or during exposure to corrosive fumes, dust or wet, or otherwise hazardous environments.
- Semi-annual heavy load testing crane service: This test is to be performed every six months or yearly depending on the usage of the crane. Heavy load testing crane service is defined as use at 80% of 100% of the rated load of 10 lift cycles per hour as a normal procedure. This inspection ensures to keep a check on the efficiency of the crane and then repairs can be done accordingly to maintain it.
These 3 crane services are a must for any crane. According to the government regulations, each equipment is supposed to bear the details of its last service along with the details of the machine capacity.
There are several reasons for conducting regular crane services:
- Safety: When it comes to operating cranes, the first thing that comes to your mind is the heavy and bulky objects it lifts and moves. If the crane were to break down during an ongoing operation, it can be hazardous. Regular servicing ensures that the crane would not suddenly break down like that and create a havoc. Missing out on regular maintenance can even lead to huge mishaps, cause a lot of damage and even lead to casualties sometimes.
- Prevent downtime due to breakdowns: Regular crane servicing is a way of saying “A stitch in time saves nine.” You can rectify all the flaws before they turn into bigger problems that can cause breakdowns. Thus, your work is done without interruptions that are caused due to crane breakdowns.
- To maintain efficiency: With regular load testing inspections and crane services, you can be assured of the efficiency of the equipment being constant. If the crane is not well maintained, daily wear and tear can reduce its capacity levels greatly and eventually cause it to breakdown. With regular servicing, you can be fully aware of the condition of the crane and you are able it to use it according to its original design and capacity.
- Liability: In the case of untoward incidents during the operation of cranes, if the crane used was in a badly maintained state, or if the reason for the occurrence of the incident is due to the crane breaking down, you may face legal consequences alleging you of negligence. Nobody wants to go through the ordeal of a trial. By getting your crane serviced regularly, you can avoid such lawsuits.
There are several crane service providers who take servicing contracts as well. This means they take the responsibility of remembering the service due dates and ensure that the servicing is done regularly and you have to pay them yearly for that. Owing to how essential crane service is, you cannot afford to forget about it or be negligent.