Load testing, Inspection of cranes,

Lifting gears and appliances

The "ALK-CS" company holds technical inspections and tests of hoisting

mechanisms and attachments of any type. The standard examination certificate is
issued after the inspection. The "ALK-CS" company is certified in accordance
with rules of RMRS and the State Committee for Supervision of Industrial and
Mining Practices (SCSIMP) to hold the complete technical inspection and hoisting
test. Here you can find an example of a typical examination of a crane, as
described below.

Technical examination of cranes

Technical examination establishes the following:

a) the load-lifting machine and its installation correspond to the Rules and represented
documentation;
b) the load-lifting machine is in an operational condition ensured its safety;
c) the machine maintenance meets all the requirements of the Regulation.

These are the fixed terms and conditions of time, scope and the order of technical
examination, as following.

Cranes should be subjected to the complete technical examination before the work
start-up. Cranes subject to a registration in the authorities of SCSIMP. Technical
examination should be carried out according to the operating manual for cranes. If there
are no orders about an examination from authorities than cranes should be conducted
according to current safety regulations 10-382-00.

During the normative working service period cranes must undergo a periodic technical
inspection:

a) partial - not less than once per year;

b) full - not less than once per 3 years, except seldom-used cranes (cranes for servicing
generator halls, electrical and pump stations, compressors, as well as other cranes used
only when repairing the equipment).

Infrequently-accessed cranes must undergo a complete technical examination at least

once per 5 years. The owner of the crane should subsume it as infrequently-accessed
after the consultation with the authorities of the SCSIMP.

An extra technical inspection of a crane shall be carried out after:

a) mounting caused by the crane installation in a new place (except fast-erecting tower
and boom cranes);
b) reconstruction of the crane;
c) repairing estimated crane metal structures with a replacement of elements or fittings
by welding;
d) installation of a removable boom equipment or replacement of the boom;
e) thorough repair or replacement of load and boom winches;
f) replacement of the hook or the hook assembly (static tests only);
g) replacement of track or guy-rope crane cables type.

Reeving of cables and attachments must be checked on its safety after replacement the
worn-out load, boom or other types of cables, as well as in all cases of interpassing of
cables. The proof loading of cables must be also checked. Results must be recorded in
the passport by a crane operator responsible for the upkeeping of cranes in a good
condition.

Technical inspection of the crane shall be carried out by technical personnel to

follow regulations of safety with the participation of technical personnel
responsible for keeping cranes in a good condition.

A fully assembled crane repaired in a specialized repair shop and delivered to a site
must undergo a full technical examination in the repair shop before sending it to the
owner. The technical inspection certificate shall be attached to the crane passport. Prior
to starting the work the crane owner shall conduct its partial technical examination and
record results in the passport.

Technical inspection is intended to establish that:

a) the crane and its installation conform to present safety regulations 10-382-00,
passport data and all the documentation submitted for the registration;
b) the crane is in a stable condition which ensures a safe operation.

Full technical examination of the crane shall be subjected to:

a) inspection;
b) static test;
c) the dynamic test.

In case of partial technical examination, static and dynamic testing of the crane are not
held.
When the technical examination of the crane takes place, its mechanisms, brakes,
hydraulic and electrical tools and safety equipment must be inspected and tested. One
must hold an inspection of the crane overload limiter of a jib type and should take into
account its load characteristics.

Moreover, after the technical examination of the crane, following parameters must be
checked:

a) state of metal structures and welded (riveted) connections (should be no cracks,

deformations, wall thinning due to a corrosion, slacking of riveted connections etc.), as
well as the cabin, ladders, platforms, and fencing;
b) state of a hook and blocks. The industrial laboratory should test cranes transporting
molten metal and molten slag; hoisting and tilting of a scoop, forged and stamped hooks
and details of their suspension and components of lamellar hooks according to the
instruction regulations and using nondestructive inspection methods. The surveyor’s
report should be kept together with the passport of the crane.

The nondestructive testing means to check if there are cracks in the threaded part of the
forged (stamped) hook, cracks in the threaded part of a fork and the joint axis of the
lamellar hook with a fork or traverse. This review should be conducted at least once per
every 12 months. The crane owner assigns how necessary and frequent the inspection of
suspension parts should be;

c) the actual distance between the hook suspension and a back stop when the limit stop
switch is activated and the hoist was stopped;
d) state of the insulation of wires and electric crane grounding to identify their
resistance;
e) compliance between the mass of a counterweight and a ballast of the jib type crane
and technical parameters specified in the passport;
f) state of the gantry rail and its compliance with current safety regulations 10-382-00,
the design and the manual;
g) state of wires and their fastenings;
h) state of illumination and alarm systems.

A rejection rate of the gantry rail, wires and crane components must be specified in the
instruction manual. If there are no relevant rules in the manual, the rejection of wires
and crane components must be carried out in accordance with the recommendations
specified in current safety regulations 10-382-00.

Static tests of the crane are conducted under the load, which is 25% above its capacity
parameters according to the passport data.

Static tests of the overhead crane must be carried out as follows. The crane must be
mounted on supports of the gantry rail, and its trolley - in the position corresponding to
the maximum deflection of the bridge. The test load must be lifted by crane to a height
of 100-200 mm and kept in this position for 10 minutes.

Static tests of the full gantry crane and the transshipment crane must be conducted in the
same way as the inspection of the overhead crane; however, each console of the crane
should be tested separately.
After 10 min the load must be down. Then an inspection of a permanent deformation of
the bridge crane must be carried out. If there is a residual deformation, which is a result
of the load test of the crane, than the crane must not be allowed to work before finding a
specialized organization which should decide what is the cause of the deformation and
if the work of the crane can be continued.

Static tests of the jib-type crane having one or more load characteristics are periodically
or extraordinarily held in a position corresponding to a maximum load lifting capacity
of the crane and / or the largest loading moment.

Tests of cranes with replaceable boom equipment can be carried out with equipment
installed on it. Once the replaceable boom equipment installed on the crane, the test is
held in a position corresponding to the maximum load lifting capacity of the crane.

Tests of jib-type cranes without a derricking mechanism (the boom is supported by

stretching) are carried out in specified testing spots of boom extension. Subject to
satisfactory results of the technical inspection, the subsequent work of the crane is
permitted.

When static tests of jib-type cranes are carried out, the boom must be installed relatively
to the leading substructure in the position corresponding to the lowest rated stability of
the crane. The load must be lifted to a height of 100-200 mm.

If the lifted load does not fall on the ground within 10 min, and there no cracks,
permanent deformations or other damages of metal structures and mechanisms, than the
crane positively passed the test.

Dynamic tests of the crane are carried out by lifting a load, which is 10% heavier than
its nominal capacity, and are intended to check the work of mechanisms and brakes.

Dynamic tests of cranes (except crane cable type) should be held multiple times (at least
three times). It contains rising and lowering of cargo, as well as checking the actions of
all other mechanisms after combined working actions as specified in the crane manual
instruction.

Each mechanism of cranes equipped with two or more lifting mechanisms should be
tested.

If the valve is used only for lifting and lowering of the cargo (gates lifting at a
hydroelectric station), dynamic tests can be carried out without a movement of the crane
or a trolley.

Static tests of overhead type cranes intended for hydro and thermal power plants
maintenance can be carried out using special tools that create the load test without a
cargo. In this case there is no need for dynamic tests.

To test cranes using special attachments the crane owner or specialized organizations
should develop extra instructions.
Testing of the crane having several removable load handling devices shall be carried out
using the load handling device, which was installed during the test.

To hold static or dynamic tests, the crane owner shall supply it with a set of test
(control) goods and indicate their actual weight.

Results of the technical inspection of the crane should be written in its passport by
an engineer or technical personnel, who were responsible for safety during the
operation, specifically indicating a date of the next inspection. If the mounted crane is
re-examined there must be a record in the passport, which confirms that the crane is
mounted and installed in accordance with all the rules and operating instructions; it
means that the crane passed the test.

After the periodic technical inspection there must be a record in the passport which
confirms that the crane meets current safety regulations 10-382-00 and that it is in a
good condition and has been successfully tested. The responsible technical personnel
must

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