Page 112 - Alex Ruscuklic - Complete Works

INDUSTRY WATCH
INDUSTRY WATCH
CRANESAFE COUNTS UP CRANE FAULTS IN AUSTRALIA
A survey of more than 3,000 Australian mobile cranes by inspection body CraneSafe has found that one of the most common faults across all crane types except all terrain cranes are safe load indicators and load moment indicators. Other common faults were markings for alternate outrigger widths, markings with tare weight of boom and attachments, and main and auxiliary wire rope faults. The most common all terrain faults were leaking drive systems, suspension and steering.
The most faults were found in lattice boom truck cranes (average of 2.84 faults per crane), and the least were in crawler cranes. All terrain cranes and articulated (loader) cranes were found to have the youngest average age, less than six years. Lattice-boom crawler cranes and rough terrain cranes averaged about 12 years old, lattice-boom truck cranes more than double that, and telescopic crawlers averaged about eight years old.
CraneSafe is a voluntary crane inspection system across Australia.
(Cranes Today Magazine – 28 May 2008)
Crane tips and crashes on building in Brighton (Bayside Leader photo by Jason Sammon)
CRANE TOPPLES ON TOP OF BUILDING IN BRIGHTON
Inappropriately loaded or used cranes are involved in a number of serious incidents each year, according to statistics recorded by WorkSafe. Overloading, over-extension of the lifting boom, and ground that is too soft or unstable on site are common causes of crane tip-overs.
An example of this occurred early in February this year, when a large crane lowering roofing steel on to the top of a retail outlet in Nepean Highway Brighton lifted off the ground under its excessive load and toppled over onto the building. All of the truck’s wheels were raised several metres off the ground as the lifting boom crashed on to the side of the building, leaving the vehicle completely suspended in mid-air. A rescue operation involving four other cranes was needed to lower the crane to the ground.
(See: http://bayside-leader.whereilive.com.au/photos/gallery/crane-crash-in-brighton/)
Thankfully, no one was hurt in this incident. However, in October last year, a crane driver was unfortunately crushed and killed at Northcote when the truck tipped sidewards as he unloaded steel at a building site.
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