Electric hoist basic: Hoist safety and pre-operation hoist inspection

As for hoist safety, the pre-operations inspection is very important. How do inspect your hoist before operation? Generally, the hoist safety inspection before operations concerns the topics, such as, what is the Hoist safety Standards and Regulations? What is the difference between frequent and periodic electric hoist inspection? How to make makings and labels? How to inspect your hoist controls before hoist operation? Operation inspection? How to inspect your hook and chain? Read on for detailed information now.

Types of electric hoists 

Lifting capacity:0.1~100ton（0.1 ton, 0.25 ton, 0.5 ton, 1.5 ton, 1 ton, 2 ton, 3 ton, 5 ton, 10 ton, 20 ton, 25t on, 30 ton, 50 ton, 60 ton, 100 ton), lifting height is 3~120m.

Dongqi offers types of electric chain hoist which inculdes electric trolley chain hoist, manual trolley electric chain hoist, and fixed type electric chain hoists, low headroom chain hoist, with different chain falls, etc, Types of electric wire rope hoists including Single speed wire rope hoist, double speed wire rope hoist, exploson proof wire rope hoist, and European standard wire rope hoists, etc.

All Dongqi electric hoists can be supplied with various voltages,such as, 220v hoist, 240v hoist, 380v hoist,etc.

500kg -35 ton trolley electric chain hoist

0.5-35 ton Hook electric chain hoist

0.5 -32 ton wire rope hoist cheap price

0.5 -80 ton European Standards rope hoist

Custom designed electric hoists are available from Dongqi Hoist and Crane. Contact to get your custom electric hoists at very pleasant hoist price.The standard electric chain hoist and electric wire rope hoist are in stock which can be delivered quickly. If you need custom desgined electric hoist, please feel free to contact us by email to sales@cranesdq.com.

Hoist safety and hoist inspection：Safety Standards and Regulations

Before hoist inspection, it is important to know and understand all the hoist safety and inspection standards which apply to your hoists. To different types of hoists, different standards are used, which may confuse you for the different regulations are used to different parts of the hoisting system.

Main safety standards to the main parts of the hoists

Besides OSHA regulations, the hoist design and inspection standards provided by ASME needs your attention.

• ASME B30.16. ASME B30.16. Standard is applied to underhung powered hoists, such as, electric hoist and air hoists, and hand chain falls. This hoist standard covers construction, marking, inspection, use, and training.
• ANSI E1.6-2. ANSI E1.6-2.hoist standards is applied in the entertainment industry. It is recommended that if you are in entertainment, it is better to obtain a copy of both hosts’ standards.
• ASME B30.21：ASME B30.21, which applies to lever hoists, including chain, wire rope and strap hoists.

Examples on lever hoist inspection and whole hoisting system

Where it gets complicated is that, in many cases, there are multiple safety standards you need to understand to use or inspect a single hoist.

Example 1: Take the lever hoist inspection for example:

• ASME B30.21 applies to the entire lever hoist
• ASME B30.10 applies to hook inspection, how to use the hook properly, etc.

In this case, you have to understand two standards to ensure proper use and inspection of the lever hoist.

Ex.1. Inspection to the lever hoist, Ex.2. Inspection to the full lifting system

Example 2：Inspection to the full lifting system

Ex.2. is a diagram of all the standards that can affect a single lifting system. Depending on whether you’re an operator or inspector, there are specific parts of these regulations you need to know detail. When in doubt, always check with the equipment manufacturer.

Hoist safety and hoist inspection: Hoist Frequent inspection and Periodic hoist Inspections

Frequent Inspections and Periodic Inspections are the two classes of hoist inspections to ensure your hoist safety.

Frequent Hoist Inspections

Frequent Hoist Inspections are what Pre-Operational Inspections are. Frequent hoist inspections are conducted between the Periodic Inspections The frequent hoist inspections is not required to be recorded, which is commended to be conducted at the start of every shift to ensure safe working order of the hoist. Frequent inspections enable you to detect if anything is wrong with the hoist before lifting a load.

Periodic Hoist Inspections

Periodic Inspections are thorough, detailed hoist inspections, which requires complete disassembly of the hoist.

The periodic hoist inspections are conducted based on the hoist service duty (how often the hoist is used) and hoist application environment. The periodical hoist inspection is required by OSHA, ASME and the hoist manufacturers, which needs to be recorded well to keep on file to ensure your hoisting equipment is safe to use.

How to determine the inspection schedule?

Usually, the hoisting equipment have to be inspected according the service duty, shown in the following table:

If you find a lot of issues with an electric hoist during a Periodic Inspection:

• The number of inspections can be increased each year.
• The hoist operators should be trained to make sure the hoist operation is correct for the electric hoists should not be damaged if they has been used properly. While inspection records don’t need to be maintained for Frequent (Pre-Operational) Inspections, a pre-operational checklist can serve as a quick reference when conducting these inspections.
• Contact us for more information on frequent hoist inspection and periodic hoist inspection.

Hoist safety and hoist inspection：Markings and Labels

• Markings and labels are the places where your hoist needs to check firstly.
• Lock-out tag or label is usually used during the hoist repair and maintenance.
• Tag or plate with hoist identification and capacity information should be checked.
• Warning labels on the hoist should be checked which be kept on the hoist all the time.

Hoist safety and hoist inspection：Controls

Hoist controls is critical to be checked before the hoist operation. If a hoist control is not properly labeled or is not working correctly, injury might occur and damages to the loads might happen. The hoist control should be inspected in two aspects, one is the hoist overall condition the control is in, including clear markings and labels and the second is whether or not the hoist control functions properly. Read on the details on the hoist inspection on controls.

Hoist safety and hoist inspection：ASME B30.10 Hook Inspection

ASME B30.10 covers hook inspection for all hoists, cranes and rigging hooks. Hook inspection is required to ensure safety and to detect defects before operations. When inspecting the hook, there are a few key things to look for:

Deformation

• Deformation is an indication of overloading, side loading or using improper rigging techniques.

Wear Corrosion

• The hook should be out of services if there is any wear exceeding 10% of the original section dimension of the hook or its load pin.

Nicks and Gouges

• Easy way to check nicks and gauges: The nick or gouge that you can fit your finger nail into is cause to replace the hook.

 Latches

• Hook latches hold the rigging in the hook when in slack position. The latches should be inspected to ensure that the latch bridges the throat of the hook when in the closed position and that it operates properly.

Bolts & Pins

• All bolts and pins in the hook should be make they are secure.

Markings

• Look for proper hook markings, including the manufacturer’s logo.

Field modifications

• The place of hook modifications should be inspected. If you have a modified hook, the modification field should be conducted by an experienced manufacturer

Hoist safety and hoist inspection: Chain Inspection

Chain inspection is the final step of hoist inspection. The main procedures of the chain inspection mainly goes in this way:

• Clean the chain before inspection to enable the all the damages can be observed. Checking the entire length of chain of the electric hoist will be part of a Periodic Inspection.
•  Through inspection of the chain. When conducting the hoist chain inspection, you should look for Inner link wear, gouges, nicks and twists, Chemical damage or corrosion, Stretch, etc.
• Finally, check for proper lubrication. 

Hoist safety and hoist inspection：Operation Inspection

After taking these precautions, the hoist’s upper and lower limits can be tested according to the following procedures:

• With no load on the electric hoist, start running up the electric hoist.
• Listen for abnormal noises.
• The limit switch should stop the electric hoist prior to the hook block hitting the hoist. If it fails to operate, or you think it will fail, do not run into the bottom of the electric hoist. This can damage the electric hoist.
• If the limit switch fails, the electric hoist needs to be removed from duty.

Next, lower the electric hoist hook to test the operation of the lower limit switch.

Follow the same steps you took when testing the upper limit switch of your electric hoist. As it is lowering, listen for unusual sounds to inspect your hoist Check the chain or wire rope of the electric hoist for defects.
Again, if the limit switch fails, remove the electric hoist from service.

Testing your electric hoist’s upper and lower limits is a vital part of your electric hoist pre-operational inspection to ensure your hoist safety. Whenever you have questions about the functioning of the limit switch on your electric hoist or think there is an issue, take the electric hoist out of work and contact the electric hoist manufacturer. Hoist safety always ranks the top.