Pre-Operational Inspection, Maintenance, and Setup Checks
Pre-operational inspection is a documented, systematic walk-around. Candidates should know the major checkpoints: wire rope (broken wires, kinks, corrosion, end terminations, sheave wear), hook block (cracks, latch, sheave condition, swivel), boom (bent chords, cracked welds, worn pins, missing cotter pins), pendants, sheaves, drums (spooling, flange condition), brakes and clutches, hydraulics (leaks, hose condition), track and undercarriage (shoe condition, track tension, sprocket wear), fluids and filters, safety devices (load moment indicator, anti-two-block, boom angle indicator, level indicator, horn, lights), and fire extinguisher.
Traps include treating a pre-shift inspection as a substitute for periodic inspection, ignoring the anti-two-block device, and assuming a load moment indicator replaces the load chart. The LMI is an aid; the operator must still verify capacity manually. Also know that wire rope removal criteria are specific (for example, broken wire counts in a given lay length, or diameter reduction), and that any safety device that is malfunctioning should take the crane out of service until repaired.
Setup checks after assembly include verifying boom pins and retaining devices, confirming counterweight is fully seated, checking that the boom hoist system is rigged correctly, and testing limits and brakes before the first lift. Function tests should be done without a load, then with a test load if required.
Worked rule of thumb: if any safety device is inoperable, the crane is out of service. Document the deficiency, tag it, and do not lift until corrected.