Thursday, September 17, 2015

Professional Overhead Crane Inspections In Tennessee

By Kenya England


When in operation, cranes must be safe and reliable. To ensure this, professional overhead crane inspections in Tennessee are mandatory. This includes preventative maintenance and anything related to safeguarding personnel. The idea is to extend the life of the equipment, and while inspections are costly, they are necessary and vital.

Inspecting equipment is par for the course when cranes are in frequent operation, no matter where they are or how long they have been in use. Maintenance must be thorough and often. There are rules about standard care dictated by the federal organization known as OSHA. Good service providers even go beyond their requirements to the highest level of inspection available.

While maintenance can be costly, it cannot be avoided for this reason alone. Consider it an investment in safety. You cannot shirk hitting all the items on the checklist of a crane inspection. Failure of moving parts does not come with a warning sign. It happens at a moment's notice with dire consequences. It is not enough to feel guilty after the fact.

Crane's operate according to an O. E. M. Manual that include manufacturer's recommendations for inspection and maintenance. It is important to heed these instructions, particularly in regard to frequency. All major moving parts are subject to failure. It behooves companies to design a program right from the start.

The O. E. M. Manual that comes with a crane is your best guide as it includes manufacturer's recommendations as to inspection and maintenance frequency and the parts that require continual consideration. Companies don't always follow suit, however, putting them and their employees in jeopardy. A low effort can be deadly; reliability is a must. Thus, it behooves managers to follow safety guidelines at all times, and not just the bare minimum. Why spend money on costly construction equipment, only to let it fail.

When you hire a service, be sure to have them enumerate the stages of the inspection and to answer any and all questions. You want someone recognized in the field with the requisite knowledge of the industry. They should never cut corners to save you money. They must know what is standard and what is desirable. They must go beyond fluid changes, greasing of bearings, runway checks, and other routine tasks on the schedule. It is all for the employees' protection.

If you feel your current provider is not adequate, feel free to comparison shop for a better one. It could save a life. You want more than routine cursory work. Your existing provider may add items to the inspection or you can let them go. If you feel they are too expensive, discuss rates and possible adjustments over time. In a tight economy, you want to save, but not when it comes to people's lives. Thus going with the lowest bidder is not always a wise course of action.

Safety of operation is the owner's responsibility and it is best not to delegate it to junior level employees. It is part and parcel of a business, not a peripheral concern. It is also part of normal overhead and not an "extra" burden. Make it a priority and ensure maximum safety of valuable personnel and equipment.




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