Bridge cranes must comply with all current local regulations and standards, regardless of their manufacturing year. This is why regular inspections and maintenance works are an absolute must. When work health and safety are at stake, there’s nothing more important than abiding by the law. Overlooking scheduled inspections may result in lawsuits and other problems, so it’s best to make sure all your workers are safe. This is a brief overview of bridge crane maintenance.
The first thing to remember is that all regular inspections(inspecciones regulares) and maintenance works are the responsibility of the bridge crane operator. This means that the manufacturer won’t call you to warn you that you need to undergo scheduled maintenance or inspections of your equipment. Furthermore, you should instruct the operators to perform visual inspections and other regular checks at the start of their shift, before using the machine. They need to report ant unusual noises that may indicate a problem, as well as eventual crane runway disconnects. Ideally, the operator should regularly inspect a wide range of elements such as trolley, hoist, drum, runway, bumpers, wheels and any other parts that are mobile or generate normal wear and tear during the functioning of the bridge crane. In fact, the list of elements to be inspected and the optimal interval between these inspections depends on the type of bridge crane. This is why you should seek for the manufacturer’s recommendations and follow them closely if you want your workers to be safe at all times.
Apart from the bridge crane operator inspections, you should consider scheduling various service professionals to inspect the mechanics and the electronics(electrónica), as well as the electrical system and everything else that might break because of the normal wear and tear. Sometimes, you may have to replace some parts, simply because they’ve served a certain number of hours. Waiting until something collapses and injures someone is not an option. You have to take all cautionary measures to avoid such incidents. Basically, the more cautious you are the better. Simply replace all elements that appear to be out of order, even if they still work as expected. Waiting for too long may lead to disasters and losses that could cost you the whole business.
If you don’t know what are the maintenance requirements of your bridge crane model, you should hire a crane expert to help you determine your maintenance needs. These professionals know what elements are more prone to breaking, thus endangering your employees and everyone in the operation area of the bridge crane.
Once you have your maintenance plan, ensure that you strictly follow it. Don’t overlook any minor repair, as small problems can easily turn into very big ones. All heavy lifting(levantamiento pesado) and hoisting equipment needs to be in pristine shape and perfectly functional at any given time. Just imagine what if a cable breaks and a massive item falls over the heads of workers in your factory? Besides, not abiding by the law might attract severe penalties, particularly when it comes to health and safety regulations.