Below we outline some of the different variations of overhead cranes. While all these overhead cranes look the same to the untrained eye, the way they can be used greatly differ.

Where are overhead Cranes frequently used?

• Steel and Metal Refinement

• Aviation hangars

• Automobile workshops

• Concrete product manufacturing

• Power plants

• Waste Water treatment plants

• General industry.

Types of Overhead Cranes

1. Single Girder Top Running Cranes

With load capacities up to 120 tonnes, and a spanning lengths up to a lengthy 35 metres single girder top running cranes are useful for lifting some of the heaviest loads. In comparison to under running cranes top running cranes can also move at higher speeds than their underhung counterparts. The single girder top running crane has a lower cost to produce than the double girder model, although its lifting height is less than the double girder since the hoist is mounted underneath the girder bridge rather than above it.

2. Single Girder Under Running Cranes

Typically supported from the building’s ceiling structure, underhung cranes are the superior solution when headroom is limited and in tight spaces. The crane trolley travels underneath the bridge runway instead of above it, but normally less heavy loads are available (up to 8 tonnes) are supported and shorter spans up to 25 metres. Single girder underslung cranes are best used in light to medium applications where space may be limited.

3. Double Girder Top Running Crane

Double Girder top running cranes are most often used in spans of 20-30 metres and since the hook travels between the two beams instead of below the beams a higher lift is available which gives greater clearance options for transporting taller and wider loads. They are often used when higher speeds are needed or supplementary equipment like walkways are needed to be fitted to the crane.

We can visit your site around Brisbane and south east Queensland to advise which crane might be best suited to the industrial needs of your business. If you need the right advice on all things crane related, call Austwide Cranes and Chains today on (07) 3823 5880

The post Understanding the Uses of Overhead Cranes appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.

Austwide Cranes and Chains can take care of all overhead crane inspections in Brisbane. In this post we explain what inspections and maintenance of cranes must be carried out as a minimum under workplace health and safety legislation. 

1)    Pre operational inspections

Before use employers need to make a quick pre-operational inspection of the overhead crane as part of the crane inspection process before each shift.

2)    Full Inspections Every 12 weeks.

Some crane manufacturer’s might specific more frequent inspections than this depending on the slights and the amount of use, but as a general rule a full inspection should be every 12 weeks.

3)    Major Inspections

After 10 years of use the equipment should receive a major inspection to assess the suitability for continued use.

What an Inspection Record Should Include:

• What was looked at, including the specific areas of the plant, equipment, chains or slings
• Any signs of wear and tear that the inspector was looking for, e.g corrosion, or other wear of tear. These should be documented specifically i.e 3cm crack on left underside  beam
• What the pass or fail criteria are. E.g what factors constitute a fail or pass.
• Any recommendations that were made which could include better lifting slings, what parts be repaired or replaced after a nominated period.

All paper work regarding inspections should be kept and filed so it can be easily referred to. Too often businesses are missing inspection reports from not keeping them together in one place. We ensure all our reports are thorough and detailed to give you the right information to make prudent decisions and a proper paper trail based on our recommendations which can protect your business in the unlikely event of any compensation claims.

We stock parts, are able to provide solutions and repairs on the spot to minimise any downtime – for your next annual overhead crane inspection call the team at Austwide Cranes and Chains today on (07) 3823 5880

The post How often should workplace cranes be inspected? appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.

Austwide Cranes and Chains explain some of the risks and areas that need to be addressed to ensure safe lifting in our latest blog post.

What causes unsafe lifting situations?

• Damaged lifting gear, slings and hoists or gear that is inadequate for the job.
• Overloading the crane
• Loads that are dropped or poorly secured.

It’s essential that different approaches are taken to address these three areas.

Limiting and indicating devices

Limiting devices are used to prevent a specific motion of the crane before it moves into an unsafe location or position.  They will be engaged to physically limit the crane moving into an unsafe situation.

Indicating devices work to send a warning sound to alert only of the potential of a crane approaching its set limit or another unsafe situation, but require the intervention of the operator.

These safety devices are used to improve safety for the crane operator and others, but shouldn’t be relied upon and replace the load chart or specific operating instructions of the equipment.

Lifting Gear

Lifting gear should be checked before EVERY use and inspected more thoroughly to determine it’s ongoing suitability. Lifting gear should be tagged with listed information including the grade of the chain, the rated capacity, and relevant Australian marking. Hooks should have safety latches, and eyes and inserts are compatible. Slings need to be free from damage, corrosion, cracks, fraying or damaged strands. The sling also needs to be appropriate for loads that are lifted including the right sling for the right capacity and should offer protection from sharp edges.

All lifting gear should be inspected regularly, but for synthetic and fibre sling should be every 3 months. For loads in synthetic slings protective sleeves and corner pieces are recommended even if the edges of the load don’t appear sharp the sling can be damaged when under tension. All inspections should be recorded with the date.

Crane Overload

Cranes should never be overloaded and the marked loads should be checked to see that they are not in excess of the cranes rated capacity.

Reducing the risk of falling objects

Ideally loads should not travel over public areas like roads, highways footpaths and other buildings should be avoided. If this is not possible exclusion zones should be enforced to stop people entering the area.

Austwide Cranes and Chains can provide the right advice to ensure your  lifting equipment is in good working order and safe to use while providing on site guidance to reduce risk of operating the crane in the area that you are working.

Call us on (07) 3823 5880 for inspections, recertification, compliances and all related crane services in Brisbane.

The post Minimising the risk when lifting heavy loads appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.

Before buying a crane, the business should consult with their staff to understand the tasks the crane equipment will perform, what operational requirements will be needed to use the crane, and an assessment of any possible hazards or barriers which may impact use.

Questions to ask include:

• What are the size, type and weight of the load to be lifted?
• What are the operational parameters for the use of the equipment? This includes the composition of what is being moved, its temperature, and other measurable factors which will influence the design of the lifting equipment and its specifications.
• What are the physical constraints and design of the workspace?
• How often will the lifting equipment be used?
• Will weather play an impact in the operation?

Businesses with existing crane equipment

Sometimes a business will occupy premises where there is already bridge or gantry crane equipment installed. In this circumstance, its important that employer assesses the premises before occupying to determine in the plant equipment is suitable for their needs by asking the questions asked above.  If unknown the manufacturer of the equipment should be contacted, or an independent assessment from a crane technicians like the crew at Austwide Cranes and Chains should be called. We will be able to assess any limitations of the equipment, and in many cases configure existing lifting equipment to better suit the needs of your operations.

Choosing the wrong crane can cost you

Choosing standard crane equipment when the crane is going to be used daily for several hours of operation can not only become unsafe, it can quickly make repair costs add up.

Consider this example: A manufacturing business needs a crane that can lift 5 tonnes, a bridge spanning 15 metres overhead, and two speed all motion capacity. The crane will operate 12 hours a day.

The business purchase of a standard crane equipment for $30,000 but repair costs exceed 6000 per year. The other option of a production manufacturing crane is designed for a higher frequency of use and despite a 45,000 price tag, the repair costs only amount to around $2000.00 per year. The crane’s lifetime will also be more likely to exceed 20 years, where the standard crane is only safe to use for 10 years.

This shows how the frequency of use is just one area that is so important to properly asses before buying a crane. But it’s just one of many factors the team at Austwide Cranes and Chains can help you assess. For more advice to get the right crane for your business in Brisbane or Queensland simply give us a call today on (07) 3823 5880

The post Selecting the right overhead crane for your business appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.

Bridge Cranes

Bridge cranes are commonly used inside factories for a wide range of lifting jobs. Running on overhead rails they connect to each side of the factory wall. A travelling bridge spans the gap of the factory or workshop and connected to this are girders, trucks, end ties and a drive mechanism that carries the trolley.

Gantry Cranes

Gantry cranes have a bridge of varying lengths but have two upright supporting legs (portals) running along the ground and the overhead fixed rails. There are many different classifications of gantry cranes, and different scales and sizes. A container crane used to lift shipping containers is one version of a gantry crane, but there are other customised gantry cranes for use in factories or outdoor storage facilities including ship and railway yards.

How are they operated?

Gantry and Bridge cranes are operated in one of three ways. They can be operated by a dangling pendant below the bridge, a detached remote control, or in larger scale or environments where extra protection is needed in a cabin. Mostly there are only three different operating modes. These include:

Travelling – the movement of the crane along the runway or bridge

Traversing – the movement of the crab (mechanical gear machinery) or trolley from one end of the bridge to the other

Hoisting – the process of raising and lowering the load.

Typically the more operating functions of the crane, the more risky it can be and more training that is required. There are many safety devices that can be fitted to cranes to control risks, these include anti-collision devices, deceleration features, and load limiting devices. The team at Austwide Cranes and Chains in Brisbane are happy to explain the safety features of overhead cranes and can conduct overhead crane training.

When it comes to cranes and chains in Brisbane, Austwide Cranes and Chains are the team to speak to, call us today on (07) 3823 5880.

The post The Different Types of Gantry Cranes (and their uses) appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.

There are many things that can make a crane accident more likely, and while not all accidents are fatal, there have been a number of deaths around the world from incorrect use, or poor maintenance schedules of crane equipment – among other reasons. We explain the main causes of crane accidents in this post. 

1.     Cranes that topple over. (Also called overturns)

This can be caused by balancing issues where counter weights are not equally distributed causing uneven distribution of weight. When lifting heavy weights is essential that there is the right amount of stabilising weight to evenly compensate for the material being lifted.

2.     Mechanical Failure

There can be a range of issues that can cause accidents from mechanical failure. Outriggers (the mechanical legs on both sides may not completely retract which can also cause balancing issues causing the overturn scenario explained above.

3.     Poor training or other user error

Operator error is the next biggest reason for crane accidents, but sometimes errors can also be a result of the signalperson, site workers or oversights from the lift planner or rigger. While there is always the potential for concentration lapses and human error, proper training in usage and operation for all people working with cranes is absolutely essential. Sometimes these training requirements can be overlooked, rushed or inadequate causing damage from cranes or worse, injury or death.

Other accidents involving cranes have been contact with power lines or incorrect crane assembly

As Brisbane’s leading crane and lifting system service, we can supply, manufacture and train you in the correct and safe assembly, usage and operation of crane equipment. To speak to Luke and the team at Austwide Cranes and Chains call us today on (07) 3823 5880

The post The Common Causes of Crane Accidents appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.

Our training is custom to your crane, and any other specific requirements you may have, it will emphasise the correct way to operate your crane and highlight features that will enable better efficiency on the use of the crane. Correct training will translate to less operator errors, reduce crane misuse and possible damage, thus saving you time and money in the long run. Our training has been designed in accordance to the unit of competence, RIIHAN305A Operate a gantry or overhead crane, it is presented by a service tech, someone who knows what the customer needs to know not someone who just sits in a classroom and may not even know the parts on your crane. Training is carried out on site in the customer’s workshop using the cranes the operator uses every day.

• Pre-start inspection.
• Design and markings on the crane.
• Operational checks.
• Safe operating.
• Planning the lift.
• Use for intended purpose.
• Prevention of accidents.
• How to deal with disturbances.
• Instructions concerning malfunctions.
• Power supply, isolation switches and limits.
• Use of radio control.
• Shut down procedure.
• Lifting slings and chain slinging methods.
• Inspecting your lifting equipment prior to use.

The post Crane Operator Training appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.

The recent release of Australian Standard “2550.1 Cranes, hoists and winches – Safe Use”, has updated the servicing requirements for your equipment. All cranes now require Third-party Inspections every 52 weeks.

Austwide Cranes and Chains can fulfil this requirement for your organisation.

 What does “Third Party Inspection” mean?

“AS 2550.1 Clause 1.4.15 Third-party inspection”, states:

“An inspection carried out by an independent competent person, who is not Involved in the maintenance of the crane. Note: For the purpose of this definition, ‘independent’ means not employed by the same organisation unless that organisation uses a quality process that Confirms independence.”

Austwide Cranes and Chains comprehensive quality process guarantees that the Periodic Third Party inspection is carried out by a qualified and competent service technician who has not been involved with the maintenance of your crane. As proof of compliance you will receive:

1.  Periodic Third Party Inspection Report.
2. Certified Copy of your cranes service history detailing the technicians who

have serviced your crane in the last 12 months. Austwide Cranes and Chains can meet all your service requirements.

The post Third-Party Inspections appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.

• No cross travel isolation supply.
• No long travel isolation supply.
• Anchor point load pin worn.
• No earth on the busbar supply (Refer to clause 5.4.1.1 from AS 3000).
• No final upper limit on the hoist (Refer to clause 8.8.8.1 from AS 1418.1.)
• No load limiting device (Refer to clause 8.8.8.1 from AS 1418.1).
• Main hoist gearbox has a large oil leak (seal kit req)
• Hoist panel has no drawings and wires everywhere (rewire req)
• Long travel torque arm requires new rubbers (a lot of movement in motor)
• No drop plates on end carriages.

The post Inspection Example appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.

The post Precinct Property Management appeared first on Austwide Cranes & Chains.