Page 28 - KFTL Report

7.2.4 Boom Ropes
KFTL DUE DILIGENCE – Kingston, Jamaica
a) Boom ropes are reported as being 16 years old, with evidence of significant corrosion during Trent’s inspection
b) This represents a potentially serious safety issue, with potentially imminent failure, which could lead to boom collapse and at worse, a fatality or multiple fatalities.
c) It was understood by Trent that KFTL has ordered some boom wire ropes and intends to replace the worst one as soon as the parts become available. In their current state they present a significant risk to KFTL, with potential fatality outcomes.
7.2.5 Snag Cylinders
a) Some snag cylinders on the QC’s have been leaking and not repaired. These snag cylinders would be classed therefore, as inoperable and have been this way between 1 & 2 years.
b) Snag cylinders are designed to absorb the shock when a spreader is snagged during the hoisting motion. In the absence of the snag cylinders not functioning, the snag impacts forces will now be absorbed by the crane structure.
c) With no data, information or evidence at KFTL on this matter, verbal discussions did state snag loads were common insomuch that they would happen on average around one time per week. Not knowing and/or understanding the impact on the crane structure does pose another potentially serious risk to KFTL.
7.2.6 Sheaves
a) Many sheaves on the QC’s are worn out. One determines sheave wear by measurement of the ‘groove profile’.
b) A visual check would see the hoist rope for example sitting in the bottom of the sheave groove, which is incorrect and a sign of a worn sheave. Such a condition will accelerate the wear and premature discard (possibly failure) of a hoist rope.
c) As there was no documented evidence of the number of worn sheaves throughout all cranes, Trent was advised that the number was large.
7.2.7 By Passing of Electrical Circuits
a) The bypassing of electrical circuits on cranes in KFTL could be described as now epidemic!
b) There are two potential ways of bypassing a circuit in the event of an emergency (hard wire and soft wire). Both should be strictly controlled by the terminal, with robust procedures in place that document each and every bypass and to ensure removal of these at the earliest time.
TRENT ASSOCIATES 28