“A crane inspection does not usually verify the type of wire rope. This is normally done by the installer and purchaser of the wire rope,” the crane inspector said.
But the breakage prompted a more detailed investigation, which found that the 40 US ton (36t), 100 ft (33m) span Zenar crane had been fitted with 6 x 19 wire rope, instead of the manufacturer’s recommended 6 x 37 rope. The replacement 6 x 19 rope is less flexible and requires large-diameter sheaves.
The steel processor has now changed its inspection and maintenance procedures. The company now consults with the hoist manufacturer when fitting all wire ropes, changes the ropes regularly with or without wear, uses only US-made wire ropes. It also changed the frequency of Morris inspections from annually to quarterly.
The report was first published in a recent issue of Overhead Insights, the Morris Material Handling internal magazine.
