More and more, the crane industry depends on being able to retain the value of used cranes. One factor that plays a vital role in the retention of value of used cranes is their ability to be traded internationally between different regions.
At ConExpo, manufacturers’ and users’ representatives met to discuss the state of the crane industry, and the effect of different regional standards.
One of the main sticking points for trade between crane users in Europe and the rest of the world has been the revision to the EU mobile crane standard, EN13000. Under the revision, the rated capacity limiter override key was moved outside the crane cab, in order to prevent misuse. Many US users said they would not buy new or used cranes built to the standard.
At the end of 2010, European users’ group ESTA conducted a survey of users, aimed at assessing the affect of the change. Cranes Today understands the questionnaire received responses from a representative number of users. The respondents raised concerns over the ability of their operators to respond to accidental overloads, and cited at least two cases where near misses were made more hazardous due to the lack of an emergency switch, placed within the reach of the crane operator, allowing full speed on all crane movements in an emergency situation. Crane operators also said that, as a result of the new RCL, they were now more careful in planning and executing jobs.
CEN’s TC147 WG11, the European work group responsible for drafting the standard on mobile cranes, intends an amendment of the standard EN13000:2010 covering several topics. They have received a letter from ESTA, outlining the ESTA survey’s findings. They will consider that, along with points raised by the SC&RA through events like the ConExpo meeting, and will discuss a proposal for a one-use override switch, which can be used in emergencies, but not as a routine way of ignoring the RCL.
The approach taken to EN13000, bringing in stakeholders from across the industry and around the world, points to a smoother method of developing industry standards. As I discussed with one user association leader at ConExpo last week, this sort of development might not lead to true global standards, but does at least make it more likely that regional standards will be globally acceptable.
