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TESTING LIFTING EQUIPMENT IN THE INDUSTRY. (SAFETY).

A safe working environment is something most of us take for granted. However, overlooking even basic safety regulations can pose a serious threat to the efficiency of steel companies. Regular lifting equipment inspection is vital to ensure safe operation,detect faults, confirm the suitability of the tackle and, most importantly, prevent accidents.

The lifting industry is fraught with potential hazards. Heavy-duty machinery, bulky loads and low visibility locations make it one of the most perilous sectors to work in. Yet despite this, safe lifting regulations are sometimes overlooked, placing the safety--and the welfare--of staff in jeopardy.

The only way to gain complete peace of mind is to examine every piece of lifting equipment on a regular basis according to the appropriate regulation. OHSA Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations, for example, state that before lifting equipment is put into service for the first time it should be visually examined for any defects. After that, equipment should be thoroughly examined every 3 months for lifting equipment and load testing every 12 months for all lifting equipment or at any time when `exceptional circumstances' which are liable to jeopardise the safety of the appliance have occurred. The following advice is not a substitute for official inspecting regulations, but rather a guide to everyday preventative assessment. Always ensure all operators and members of staff are familiar with the relevant regulations and consult appropriate documentation on a regular basis.

WHY LOAD TESTING?

Load testing tells you how much load an application can handle before it breaks or performs improperly. 1

Finding the breaking points and performance bottlenecks, as well as identifying functional errors that only occur under stress requires load testing. All business decisions are ultimately monetary judgments, and the justification for load testing is no different. In this case justification is achieved through the following two major benefits: Reducing the number of application failures, in terms of both performance and actual errors or even outages. Lowering costs for the application infrastructure

Implementation of a lifting equipment inspection System The following procedures are carried out to maintain the highest possible service: Pre survey on all lifting equipment to determine quantities and standards Implementation consists of:

All equipment will be numbered and colour coded, with permanent I.D. and S.W.L. (Safe Working Load) Markings All hooks to be pop marked for measurements Colour code notification boards placed in designated areas Register books made up Default sheets issued after each inspection

Inspections carried out by qualified persons at all times (LMI)

As required by law, annual load tests are carried out on lifting equipment, electric hoists, overhead cranes and crawl beams by a qualified lifting material inspector. Crane Tech Industrial Lifting Services ccimplements a colour code system on all lifting equipment on a quarterly basis for the purpose of load testing on lifting equipment, electric hoists and overhead cranes.