A Mobile Crane Inspection Company Helps Control Costs While Increasing Worker Safety

By Leslie Ball


In many cities the economic recovery from the 2008 downturn has resulted in a flurry of construction activity highlighted by the presence of massive mobile cranes stretching skyward. Their silhouettes may be a sign of progress, but some have been involved in past high-profile accidents that have proven both dangerous and costly. A Tennessee mobile crane inspection company helps keep these machines operating safely and without interruption.

Crane manufacturers today apply technology that creates lighter and stronger units designed for specific lifting jobs. They are vital to completing work in a timely manner, and any interruptions due to mechanical problems become a liability financially, as well as potentially endangering lives. Regular inspections during a project help detect mechanical issues as well as increasing worker safety by preventing unnecessary mishaps.

OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Association, creates and maintains national safety regulations in the workplace. Current rules prevent operators from taking the controls until they have received an accredited certification, and the actual cranes they will operate are required to have frequent checkups performed by individuals who must also be certified based on education, experience, and official recognition.

Construction firms are still allowed to train in-house inspectors, but an outside agency is usually able to perform the same work more economically, and without the appearance of any conflict of interest. More than one agency is able to grant certification today, with the most widely recognized being the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators. Training courses have expanded, and more companies are providing inspection services.

An independent firm has current, specific information not only regarding equipment issues, but is increasingly welcomed on site to administer new protocols or requirements. Training a current construction worker to do the same work is costlier, and risks undermining the confidence of other employees. In some past incidences, a lack of external objectivity has allowed some problems to persist that eventually resulted in serious trouble.

A certified, documented inspector is indispensable to insurers, providing them a benchmark for extending equipment and operator coverage, and using one can potentially have a beneficial effect on rates. Because inspection companies have only one major focus, they are able to provide necessary services both quickly and efficiently, and complete any required documentation that can affect future costs.

Pre-inspections help determine operational readiness, and approve the initial setup of equipment in order to ensure stability and guarantee structural integrity. Electrical safety is paramount when operating near adjacent power lines, and inspectors help coordinate with providers to guarantee proper grounding, clearance, and necessary line deactivation. They consult load charts to prevent the possibility of exceeding capacity and risking complete failure.

These experts determine the time intervals between inspections based on site conditions including terrain and weather, as well as making sure the equipment used meets all standards. In the past, those regulations often varied by locale. Today, national, state, and local regulators require uniform compliance. The result has been a decrease in the number and severity of mishaps, in addition to fewer dollars being wasted by preventable delays.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment