Drill Rig Setup, Inspection, and Maintenance
What the exam tests
Setup, pre-use inspection, and maintenance that keep the rig stable and structurally sound. Questions often turn on whether a defect is a stop-work item or a routine observation.
Core rules
- Setup: level the carrier within the manufacturer's tolerance; fully extend and pin outriggers; crib under pads; assemble the mast with correct pins, keepers, and torque; confirm safety devices function.
- Inspection: complete a daily walk-around before operation-wire rope, sheaves, hooks and latches, slings, hydraulic hoses, guards, alarms, emergency stops, and fire extinguisher.
- Wire rope: remove for broken wires according to rope type and lay length, kinks, birdcaging, corrosion, or heat damage. Do not field-splice.
- Maintenance: follow the schedule; use lockout/tagout before repair; document defects and corrections; never operate with a bypassed limit.
Worked example
During pre-use inspection, a 3/4 in hydraulic hose on the mast crowd circuit is chafed through the outer cover, and reinforcement wires are visible. Decision: remove the rig from service and replace the hose. Reasoning: the pressure boundary is compromised. Tape or a clamp is not a repair, and a burst under pressure can cause hydraulic injection injury or loss of control.
Traps
Leveling only the carrier frame, not the mast; leaving outrigger pins out; using a bent hook; replacing wire rope with a non-matching construction; treating a “little leak” as normal; skipping inspection because the rig ran yesterday.