This post was last updated on June 7th, 2022 at 01:33 am
Street CraneXpress Ltd provides users with a full range of mechanical handling services from installation of bespoke lifting equipment through to servicing and repair. Street CraneXpress started using CheckedOK as the core of their XpressView system in 2013.
When Street CraneXpress wanted to extend the technology support to their crane servicing operations they turned once again to CoreRFID and the CheckedOK inspection and certification system.
Now, CheckedOK enables XpressView to help carry out risk assessments and create method statements and inspection reports for installations supported by Street CraneXpress engineers.
– Ray Fletcher, Director, Street CraneXpress
Safety in Overhead Crane Maintenance
Street CraneXpress maintenance services cover a wide range of overhead cranes, jib cranes and other lifting equipment. Their users span almost every area of UK industry from manufacturing to the energy sector. UK health and safety legislation means that maintenance operations have to comply with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations1998.
Known as PUWER, these regulations are designed to ensure that equipment used in the workplace is suitable for its intended purpose and safe to use. Meeting the requirements of the PUWER regulations means that Street CraneXpress has to conduct risk assessments of installations that they will service. Then, on the back of those risk assessments, a method statement is required defining the way in which the work is to be carried out.
Although many aspects of risk assessment and method statement creation follow a set of standard templates, the engineers’ expertise and judgement is essential. Supporting engineers with the routine aspects of the inspection and assessment task allows them to provide a better service with less tedious administration.
CoreRFID’s latest version of CheckedOK runs on Android tablets, whose screens can display the large amount of information required for the risk assessments and method statements.
Using this, Street CraneXpress has been able to introduce PUWER support as a part of their XpressView service for their customers, allowing Street CraneXpress to extend the use from supporting all existing clients to offering an added benefit to new prospects.
Safety Assessment Workflow
The new features in the XpressView system, delivered by CheckedOK, allow the safety assessment and service inspection workflow to be automated. The engineer arrives on site with a list of cranes to be serviced, pre-loaded on their tablet from the system’s database. If there are differences between the expected list of equipment and the site, this can be resolved prior to inspection and the list updated.
This can also be completed by the engineer on site. A risk assessment and related method statement are needed prior to inspection. This is often complex because multiple cranes and hoists may be involved – as many as 300 on one site – and because of the risks inherent in the site – handling hazardous materials or involving equipment installed alongside conveyors or with moving vehicles, for example. Over twenty separate issues need to be considered as part of the risk assessment and method statement. The tablet software prompts the engineers with a list of questions, allowing the risk assessment and method statement to be generated.
Automating the production of the documents allows the engineers to focus their time and skills in carrying out the assessment, watching out for those aspects of the installation that might otherwise be missed. Once completed, the documents can then be electronically signed off by the customer before service inspection commences. Signed versions are emailed to the customer and held on the database.
You can learn more about this in this short video…..
There are savings in engineer and administration time and improvements in accuracy by automatically generating documents but the central driver for the introduction of the system was that this way of working allows Street CraneXpress to present a professional image – an important competitive benefit. The crane service inspections are complex.
Typically one installation site will have several cranes and a single crane may need 50 points checking. During service inspection, the results of each check are recorded and any failures identified. At the end of the inspection, if the crane is considered safe, it is returned to service. If, however, the crane fails or some concern about the installation is identified, then the crane has to remain out of service. Details of failures and engineers observations are emailed to the Street CraneXpress sales team and this aspect of the system is potentially one of the most valuable to Street CraneXpress. With information about failures, the sales team can discuss possible solutions with the customer, ranging from repair and re-test, through to sub-system or whole lifting device replacement.
Street CraneXpress runs the application on Android tablet computers. CheckedOK is also available on the Apple iOS operating system.
The Benefits
The tablet version of XpressView, built on CheckedOK, provides:
- Professional image tuned to customer needs.
- Immediate statements for customer approval.
- Feedback of opportunities from failed equipment to sales team.
