Crane Inspection Knowledge and Skills
This domain tests whether you can select the correct inspection type and apply component removal criteria to real crane conditions.
Inspection types and intervals
Crane inspection is built on a tiered schedule. A frequent inspection is performed before each shift or at least daily and covers controls, brakes, hooks, wire rope, rigging, limit switches, fluid leaks, and obvious structural damage. A periodic inspection is more thorough and is performed at intervals from monthly to annual depending on use, environment, and manufacturer; an annual comprehensive inspection is the common baseline. ASME B30.5 and OSHA 1910.180 both use this frequent/periodic framework, while construction cranes under 29 CFR 1926.1412 use shift, monthly, and annual inspections. Know which standard governs the machine and which interval applies.
Component removal criteria
Wire rope: remove for broken-wire counts exceeding the rope-class limit in one lay (for example, six in 6x19 class and ten in 6x37 class), severe corrosion, kinking, crushing, bird-caging, or diameter reduction beyond the rope manufacturer's limit. Hooks: remove for a throat opening increase greater than 15% (or 1/4 in, whichever is greater), wear greater than 10% of the original dimension, or bend/twist greater than 10 degrees. Slings follow ASME B30.9, not B30.5. Structural members: reject cracks, unauthorized welds, bent chords, and loose or missing pins.
Worked example
A hook's original throat opening is 2.00 in; the measured opening is 2.40 in. Increase = 0.40 in = 20%, which exceeds both 15% and 1/4 in. The hook is removed from service, tagged, and replaced regardless of its otherwise good appearance.
Traps that cost marks
Treating a monthly inspection as a substitute for an annual; applying B30.5 wire-rope limits to slings; passing a hook because it is not cracked while ignoring throat opening; and failing to verify that safety devices, not just structure, were inspected.