Cranes are an important tool used by many different industries within Edmonton, Alberta. As we try to completely eliminate workplace fatalities, the tools that we use need to be at the highest level of safety. In this blog we are going to talk about the requirements of the 10 year boom disassembly inspection for cranes. We will discuss the role cranes play in the industry, what a 10 year boom inspection is, the benefits of this inspection, and what you can do to prepare for the 10 year boom inspection.
Alberta has a thriving construction and Oil and Gas Industry. Both of theses industries use boom trucks to perform a lot of their work. Boom trucks will be used to lift equipment and personnel into place to help complete the project. As we have all heard on the news, construction is a dangerous job with at least a few fatalities a year in Edmonton alone. It is important that we make sure anything used on a construction site is completely safe for the workers.
A 10 year boom disassembly inspection is a requirement in Alberta on any crane that falls under the CSA Z-150-98 code. Which is essentially any truck mounted crane, All-terrain crane, and Rough Terrain crane. It does not include Articulating/Knuckleboom cranes. The purpose of the inspection is to make sure parts of the boom that are not normally visible can be thoroughly inspected once every 10 years or 10,000 hours, whatever comes first. By gaining access to these hidden areas the owner can be comfortable knowing that their crane is fully inspected and safe. This inspection helps reduce the risk of the crane failing due to a structural issue.
The inspection starts with removing all the boom sections from within each other and setting them on a stand, leaving a gap between each boom section for our inspector to walk around it. Even though the butt section is usually accessible on the crane, we still recommend the butt section be removed as well. This allows us to get a better inspection of the pin area on both the boom and the turret. After this the boom needs to be cleaned of all grease. A clean boom allows for a quality inspection where the inspector is able to find all defects that could hurt the safety of the crane. This includes looking for dents and weld cracks in all accessible areas. Once all defects have been noted, the last thing our inspector will do is measure each boom section to make sure they still align with the allowable specifications. Boom sections are constantly being twisted and bent each time they lift something. So we need to make sure the boom sections are able to continue doing that for another 10 years. At the end of the inspection we will provide a field report with all the issues we have noted and our recommendations to fix these issues.
What are the issues if you don’t do your 10-year boom inspection? Well as far as we know there is no direct fine for not performing your 10 year boom disassembly inspection. However, if your crane is involved in an incident that involves Alberta OHS, they will probably fine you for non-compliance. And if the incident involves a fatality that fine could be upwards of 6 figures. The cost of getting your boom inspected is far less than the costs you will encounter if you don’t.
After completing many 10 year boom disassembly inspections over the years we have seen pretty much everything you can. The most common issue we find are weld cracks at the ends of each boom section. Dents in the top and bottom of the boom, and the occasional bulging at the base of a boom section. Without pulling the booms apart we wouldn’t be able to find some of these defects.
In conclusion, a 10 year boom disassembly inspection is required by law in Alberta. It helps reduce the risks for the owner of the crane as we do find defects sometimes. Our goal is to help our clients navigate these requirements in the most cost effective way possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.