ISO 9927-7:2016 Bridge Crane Inspection Procedure Explained

Inspection Classification and Intervals

Inspections are organized into four levels: daily (before each shift, 10–15 min), monthly (half a day), annual (1–2 days), and special (after installation, retrofit, or an incident). Daily checks cover the main girder exterior, rail running surface, wire rope, hook, brake, limit switches, and safety devices. The crane must not be put into service unless the daily inspection is passed.

Key Points of Periodic Inspection

Monthly inspection — MPI of main girder weld seams, camber measurement (residual camber ≥ S/2000), trolley rail wear ≤ 2 mm, wheel flange wear ≤ 40%, brake lining wear ≤ 50%, and wire rope diameter measurement. Annual inspection — full-coverage UT and MPI, camber re-measurement (annual deflection ≤ S/3000), load test at 110% for 10 minutes, and load moment limiter (LML) calibration within ±5%.

Inspection Record Management

Keep daily logs for at least 3 months, monthly inspection reports for at least 3 years, and annual inspection reports until 3 years after the equipment is decommissioned. Digital record-keeping is recommended for better traceability and compliance.

Daily inspection of an overhead crane is a mandatory safety confirmation procedure that operators must complete before each shift. While the standard requires only about 10–15 minutes, the scope of coverage must be thorough and meticulous. For the visual inspection of the main girder, pay particular attention to the lower flange plate and web plate at the mid-span region—check for any visible deformation and paint surface cracks, as fine linear cracking in the paint is often an early indicator of fatigue cracks. Inspect the crane bridge and trolley runway rails to confirm they are free of foreign objects (such as tools, bolts, or shims left on the rails) and accumulated lubricating grease. The visual inspection of the wire rope should cover its entire length, from the drum anchorage to the hook connection point, with special focus on the sections in contact with the pulley grooves and the area near the drum anchorage.

Key points for wire rope inspection—the operator should stand to the side of the rope and conduct the visual inspection while the rope is running at low speed (≤0.5 m/s). Look specifically for wire breaks (broken wire ends typically have an irregular shape, clearly distinguishable from wires thinned by abrasion), outer wire wear (when diameter reduction reaches ≥40%, the wires develop sharp-edged profiles), severe corrosion (brownish-red or dark red pitting patches on the wire surface), and abnormal deformation (kinking, twisting, birdcaging, or exposed rope core). If any defect exceeding the allowable limits is found, stop using the wire rope immediately and report it to the supervisor. Daily inspection records should be entered into the crane's operation log, including the inspection date, operator's signature, inspection results (normal or description of abnormalities), and the corrective action taken (replace immediately, derate the load, or schedule maintenance, etc.).

Frequently Asked Questions