Routine Pre-Operational Checks and Maintenance
Daily checks versus maintenance
A pre-operational check is a look, listen and test routine done before every shift, by the operator, and recorded in the logbook. It is not a service, and it does not authorise you to repair. Work through the machine in a set order so nothing is missed: base and foundation for movement, cracking or water; mast sections and bolts for looseness; rack and pinion teeth, or wire ropes for broken wires, wear, corrosion and correct termination; sheaves and guides; the platform floor, gates, toe boards and interlocks; brakes, limit switches, emergency stop and overload device; communication and alarms; signage and lighting.
Test the interlocks properly - the platform must not move unless gates are closed and locked, and a gate must not open unless the platform is at a landing. Confirm the upper and lower limits stop travel with margin, not by hitting the structure.
Maintenance is scheduled, documented and performed by a competent or licensed person. Isolation and tag-out come first. Any defect that affects safety means the hoist is removed from service, tagged and reported - not run carefully until smoko.
Trap: limit switches are safety devices, not operating controls. Using them to stop at a landing is a defect, not a technique. Another common trap is treating a wire rope with a few broken wires as acceptable without checking the discard criteria in the manual.
Rule of thumb: if it is written in the logbook as a defect, the hoist does not move until a competent person signs it off.