Boom truck cranes are highly versatile and popular in the US. They’re used for myriad applications, but their main purpose is to lift and move heavy-duty loads vertically. Also known as a telescopic crane, a boom truck crane is a type of mobile crane mounted on commercial trucks.
These trucks have large boom cranes mounted and fixed on their chassis. But as useful and efficient boom trucks may sound, they are vulnerable to wear and tear and external impact damage. That’s why OSHA maintains a strict inspection policy for boom truck crane operators and spotters.
In this blog, we have outlined all the details about OSHA-compliant annual boom truck crane inspection. So let’s delve into it right away!
Why Are Annual Boom Truck Crane Inspections Necessary?
Boom truck cranes can perform heavy-duty material management operations at construction sites, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities. They’re usually operated in multiple shifts throughout the day in peak periods. Hence, they’re highly prone to damage and malfunctions.
Annual inspections are imperative to ensure that your boom truck crane doesn’t have any major faults that may lead to harmful or possibly fatal accidents. They’re also important to comply with the OSHA crane regulations and safeguard crane operators’ health and well-being. Discussed below are the main annual boom truck crane inspection requirements by OSHA:
Only Licensed Inspectors Can Inspect a Boom Truck Crane
Just like any other crane inspections, boom truck crane assessments also require qualified and licensed crane inspectors. These individuals are taught, trained, and certified under the NCCCO’s crane inspector certification program.
Your boom truck crane inspector must possess the necessary knowledge of boom truck crane configurations, make, model, limits, records, efficiency, and all other nitty-gritty aspects.
The Inspection Must Include Functional Testing
OSHA stipulates that boom truck crane annual inspections should start with thorough functional testing. A functional test is a complete assessment of a crane’s physical and hardware components, such as boom, jib, hook, hoist, engine, control system, etc. Annual functional testing should include crane inspectors, braking, hoisting, loading, power plant, and in-use operating system inspections.
Moreover, there’s a slight difference between new and modified boom truck crane inspections. While new cranes need inspections before the first operation, the latter can only be inspected after the structural or software modifications have been completed.
Ground Conditions
Ground conditions and worksite safety measures also play a key role in determining a boom truck crane’s safety and performance. The 1926.1412(d) code mentions that a boom truck crane must have adequate support, stabilizing features, and supporting foundations. The work site should be free of water accumulations, potholes, slopes, and rough tracks. It’s also ideal for crane operators, riggers, and spotters to have their dedicated tracks for easy, safe, and quick mobility.
Moreover, an annual inspection must also include crane load limit testing, compliance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, and additional crane warning indicators performance testing.
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