Third-Party Crane Inspection and Proof Load Testing
Third-party inspection and load testing of mobile, tower, pedestal and overhead cranes and lifting accessories, to ASME B30, BS 7121 and ISO standards.
Cranes and lifting equipment degrade continuously in service, and the defects that matter develop out of sight of daily operation: fatigue cracking at structural connections, wire rope deterioration, worn hook throats and failed overload protection. itmad provides third-party inspection and load testing of mobile, tower, pedestal and overhead cranes and of lifting accessories, carried out in accordance with the principles of ISO/IEC 17020. itmad operates across the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
Why independent inspection
Independent inspection at defined intervals is both the way those defects are found and the way a regulator or client can be shown that the equipment was examined by someone with no interest in the answer.
Crane types inspected
Mobile cranes, meaning all-terrain, rough-terrain, truck-mounted and crawler cranes, are inspected to ASME B30.5 and EN 13000. Tower cranes, fixed and climbing, are inspected to ASME B30.3 and BS 7121. Pedestal and offshore cranes, both fixed and slewing, on platforms and vessels, are inspected to API 2C and ASME B30.5, and overhead and gantry cranes, including bridge, gantry and jib types, to ASME B30.2 and BS 7121. The same attendance can cover forklifts and mobile elevated work platforms, and lifting accessories such as wire rope, chain and synthetic slings, shackles, hooks and rigging hardware, to ASME B30.9 and LEEA standards.
What the inspection covers
The inspector starts with the equipment history file, previous certificates and any repair or modification records, then examines the structure: boom, jib, mast, chassis and load-bearing welds. Hooks are checked for throat opening, wear, distortion and cracking, and a throat opening beyond 15% of nominal is a discard criterion under most standards. Wire rope is assessed against the discard criteria of ISO 4309, covering broken wires, corrosion, deformation and diameter reduction.
Sheaves, drums, brakes, clutches and reeving are examined, and hydraulic and pneumatic systems are checked for condition and leakage. Limit switches, anti-two-block devices, load moment indicators and overload protection are function tested, as are controls, emergency stops, warning devices and the operator position, and the inspector verifies that the safe working load is legibly and correctly marked.
Load testing
Proof load testing is carried out on new installations, after major repair or modification, after relocation of fixed cranes, and at the intervals that the applicable standard requires. The test load is set at the percentage above safe working load that the standard states, typically 110% for a static proof load under ASME B30, and is applied with calibrated test weights or water bag systems with dynamometer or load cell measurement. Deflection is measured and the structure is examined after the test.
Supporting non-destructive testing
Where the standard or the condition of the equipment requires it, load-bearing components are examined by NDT as part of the same attendance: magnetic particle inspection of hooks, pins and welded connections, dye penetrant on non-ferrous components, ultrasonic thickness measurement where corrosion is suspected, and visual weld inspection throughout. Qualified technicians carry out the work.
Standards applied
itmad works to the ASME B30 series (B30.2 overhead and gantry cranes, B30.3 tower cranes, B30.5 mobile cranes, B30.9 slings and B30.26 rigging hardware), BS 7121 on the safe use of cranes, ISO 9927 on crane inspection, ISO 4309 on wire rope discard criteria, EN 13000 for mobile cranes and API 2C for offshore pedestal cranes. LEEA codes of practice apply to lifting accessories, and LOLER thorough examination requirements are met where they apply.
Inspection intervals
Lifting appliances are generally examined at twelve-month intervals, and equipment used to lift persons and loose lifting accessories at six months. Offshore, harsh or high-duty-cycle environments shorten these intervals, and the governing authority and equipment type set the final interval. itmad can hold the client's lifting equipment register and give notice ahead of each due date, so that certificates do not lapse in the middle of a project.
What the client receives
An inspection certificate in the format that the governing authority or contract requires, and a report that identifies the equipment by serial number, capacity and location, with findings recorded component by component and photographic evidence of defects. Defects are classified by severity, separating what stops the equipment from what must be monitored, and load test results record the applied load, the deflection and the post-test condition. Equipment is tagged on site with colour coding, and the lifting equipment register is updated where itmad holds it.
Frequently asked questions
What types of cranes does itmad inspect?
Mobile cranes, tower cranes, overhead and gantry cranes, pedestal and offshore cranes, and lifting accessories including slings, shackles, hooks and wire rope. The same attendance can include forklifts and mobile elevated work platforms.
What does a crane inspection cover?
The history file and previous certificates, the structure and load-bearing welds, hooks, wire rope to ISO 4309 discard criteria, sheaves, drums, brakes and reeving, and hydraulic systems. It also covers function tests of limit switches, anti-two-block devices, load moment indicators and overload protection, and the marking of the safe working load.
When is crane load testing required?
On new installations, after major repair or modification, after relocation of fixed cranes, and at the intervals that the standard or client specification sets. The test load is applied at the percentage above safe working load that the standard states, and deflection and post-test condition are recorded.
Which standards does itmad apply to crane inspection?
The ASME B30 series, BS 7121, ISO 9927, ISO 4309, EN 13000, API 2C and LEEA codes of practice for lifting accessories. Where clients work to LOLER, the inspection meets its thorough examination requirements.
How often must cranes be inspected?
Lifting appliances are generally examined every twelve months, and equipment used to lift persons and loose lifting accessories every six months. Offshore, harsh or high-duty-cycle environments shorten these intervals, and the governing authority and equipment type set the final one.
What is a hook throat opening discard criterion?
A throat opening beyond 15% of nominal is a discard criterion under most standards, because it shows the hook has been overloaded or has worn. Hooks are also checked for distortion and cracking, with magnetic particle inspection where the condition or standard requires it.