Defect Found at the Pre-Start Inspection
At the start of a shift you complete the pre-start inspection on a non-slewing mobile crane. You find a small hydraulic weep at a boom-luff cylinder gland, a slightly frayed edge on the hoist rope where it spools near the drum flange, and a missing split pin on a hook latch. The crane was used the previous afternoon and the previous operator's log records no defects. The day's first job is a 4.5 t lift at 10 m radius, which is close to the chart limit for the configuration. The supervisor says the weep is 'normal seepage' and asks you to do the first lift and report the items at smoko.
1. Assess each defect and decide whether the crane can be used.
Read the worked answer
Treat all three as defects until assessed. A hydraulic weep at a cylinder gland can indicate a failing seal; under load, pressure can force more fluid past and allow the boom to creep down, which changes radius and capacity. A frayed edge near the drum flange may be rope damage or mis-spooling that can worsen under load and damage the rope further. A missing split pin means the hook latch can open, letting a sling leg escape under slack or during landing.
With the lift close to the chart limit, there is little margin for boom creep or radius change, so the combination is not acceptable. I would not use the crane. I would isolate it, tag it out, and report the defects through the site's process. The weep and rope need assessment by a competent person against the manufacturer's criteria, and the split pin must be replaced before use. Doing the lift first and reporting later reverses the correct order.
2. How do you handle the previous operator's clean log and the supervisor's instruction?
Read the worked answer
A clean previous log does not mean the defects were absent then; they may have developed since, or the previous inspection may have been incomplete. I would record what I found, where, and when, with photos if permitted, and note that the previous log showed no defects so the maintenance team can review. I would not alter or backdate the previous record.
On the supervisor's instruction, I would explain the specific failure modes: boom creep changing radius near the chart limit, rope damage progressing under load, and a latch that can open. I would make clear the crane stays out of service until the defects are assessed and cleared, and ask for the lift to be replanned with another crane or deferred. I would report the instruction to proceed with a defective crane through the appropriate channel, because the pressure to meet the schedule does not transfer the risk away from the people under the load.