Poll exposes industry's ignorance

The poll in question assessed the industry's understanding of crane and hoist inspection and, thus, the importance it places upon it. The results will raise some eyebrows.

The poll asked: how long do you think it takes two technicians to conduct a thorough inspection of a 10t double girder top running bridge crane and hoist?

Here's how the answers were spread: 30 minutes, 12%; 1 hour, 11%; 1-2 hours, 14%; 2-3 hours, 28%; 3-4 hours, 26%; Longer, 9%.

So, visitors were undecided whether it takes 30 minutes or more than four hours. The difference of opinion was clear from the moment the poll went live, as I outlined in a previous blog. And it didn't improve.

I don't mean to condemn the knowledge of the visitors to this site (in fact, they've proved their awareness to be generally high and astute), but surely it's a concern that they do not know the difference between a thorough inspection (as the question asks) and a bit of a Spring clean and a dust-down, as surely you'd only have time to do in 30 minutes.

It demonstrates to me a real lack of education regarding service and I wonder if it's one that manufacturers and service providers seize upon.

As I've said before, the problem for end users is that there is such a variety of service on offer, literally. They can't all be expected to have a full understanding of the complexities of the lifting equipment they use or the service of it. For many end users a crane is a simple bit of kit. It lifts something up, moves it, then puts it down again.

Will a plant manager at, say, a local production firm really know how long it takes to service his 10t double girder top running bridge crane and hoist? So how can he be expected to choose between a plethora of service packages, without using cost as his only yardstick?

There's a new poll on the site now, asking: what is the biggest problem with rigging? Don't forget to have your say.

Richard Howes, Editor

rhowes@progressivemediagroup.com