Pre-operational inspection, testing and maintenance checks
Pre-start inspection
Before each shift, a competent operator inspects the derrick: guys and turnbuckles for tension and damage, anchors for movement or pull-out, mast foot and bearings, boom and mast for cracks or deformation, sheaves for wear and free rotation, rope for broken wires, kinks, corrosion and correct spooling, hooks for throat opening and latch function, and the load chart and signage present. Test the hoist, luff and slew functions without load, and test the limit switches and brakes.
Planned maintenance and periodic inspection
Beyond the daily check, the crane needs periodic inspection by a competent person at intervals set by the manufacturer or regulator, plus maintenance of ropes, brakes and sheaves. Traps: treating a pre-start check as a substitute for periodic inspection; signing off a check you did not perform; and returning a crane to service after a defect without documented clearance.
Defects and tagging
Any defect affecting safety - a broken wire beyond the discard criteria, a non-functioning limit, a cracked weld - means the crane is out of service. Tag it, isolate it, and report it. Never "work around" a faulty limit switch.
Worked example
If the hoist limit fails during the test, the crane is out of service until repaired and re-tested. A common exam trap is offering "operate carefully and monitor the limit" - that is always wrong.
Records
Log the inspection, defects found, actions taken, and who cleared the crane for service.