Through a hazard alert, the organisation has acted to remind all groups of their responsibility to maintain plant in a safe condition under the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act 1986 and the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1995. The warning extends to other cranes with similar hoist drum brake assemblies.
The action comes after a 200 HC tower crane accident in Adelaide in August last year, which SafeWork SA said resulted from a broken output shaft directly connected to the hoist drum. This caused the hoist drum to go into freefall and sent a workbox loaded with 2t of building materials falling 25m to the ground. “Similar incidents occurred in other states in the preceding 12 months,” SafeWork SA said.
SafeWork SA has called for three immediate steps to be taken, including: checking the alignment of the output shaft with the hoist drum shaft; corrective work should the tests show a problem with the alignment, including non-destructive testing; and the establishment of this procedure as part of the documented major inspection programme.
“Failures of this type cannot be predicted by observing the gearbox in operation,” SafeWork SA said. “It is essential to have a scheduled strip down, inspection and non-destructive testing programme for the gearbox shafts and bearings that meets the manufacturer’s specification.”
