Overhead Crane Inspection and Maintenance Checklist

As the core equipment of industrial production, the safe operation of overhead cranes is directly related to the productivity of enterprises and the safety of personnel. Therefore, the overhead crane inspection and maintenance must strictly comply with national safety standards, otherwise, it may cause serious accidents. Long-term high-load operation easily leads to wear and tear of key components, and unstandardized maintenance may cause serious accidents such as wire rope breakage and brake failure. In this article, we will provide a safety inspection and maintenance checklist for overhead cranes in line with GB/T 14405-2011 standard, which will help you avoid risks and extend the life of your equipment. Please continue to read the following article:

This checklist is strictly based on the national safety technical specification for special equipment (GB/T 14405-2011 “General-purpose overhead travelling crane”), and applies to the daily inspection, regular maintenance, and compliance check of the following types of overhead cranes:

• General-purpose overhead crane--conventional workshop and warehouse material handling.
• Electric single girder overhead cranes - economic solutions for light material handling
• Electric Single Girder Suspension Overhead Cranes - Ideal for locations with space constraints.
• Electric Hoist Overhead Cranes - efficient configuration for small and medium tonnage lifts
• Metallurgical overhead travelling crane--Specialized for high temperature and high load smelting environment.
• Power Station Overhead Cranes--Key Equipment for Power Plant Installation and Maintenance.
• Explosion-proof bridge crane--Chemical, oil and gas, and other flammable and explosive places.
• Insulated overhead travelling crane--Electrolytic aluminum plant and other strong current working environments.
• Explosion-proof girder cranes--Low-cost safety solutions for explosion-proof areas.

"It should be emphasized that the installation, transformation, and maintenance (hereinafter referred to as construction) units of bridge cranes must obtain the appropriate special equipment installation, transformation, and maintenance permits, carry out construction within the scope of the permit, and be responsible for construction safety and construction quality."

Quote from "Lifting Appliances Safety and Technical Supervision Regulation—Overhead Travelling Cranes"

How To Inspect an Overhead Crane?

The following is a detailed overhead crane daily inspection list PDF and introduction:

Steel Structure Inspection (1-2 Times Annually)

Mechanical System Inspection

1. Hoisting Mechanism (Table 5-2)

Travel Mechanism (Table 5-3)

Electrical System Inspection (Table 5-5)

How Often Do Overhead Cranes Need To Be Inspected?

The following is the overhead crane maintenance plan list:

Professional Maintenance Recommendations

• Prioritize OEM Parts: Use OEM-matched components (e.g., German-made wire ropes, ABB VFDs) for critical parts like motors and gearboxes to ensure compatibility.
• Dynamic Balancing Service: Perform on-site dynamic balancing after replacing end carriage wheels to prevent uneven wear.
• Emergency Preparedness: Stock up on CE-certified safety switches and other wear-prone parts to minimize downtime.

Lubrication Management (Table 5-6)

Safety Alerts

• Power Off Protocol: All lubrication and electrical inspections must be performed with power disconnected.
• Fire Emergency: Use only carbon tetrachloride fire extinguishers; water/foam extinguishers are prohibited for electrical fires.
• Explosive Environments: Additional checks for Ex-rated cranes: integrity of explosion-proof markings and flameproof joint gaps.

We suggest downloading and saving this Overhead Crane Inspections Checklist and posting it in the equipment operation room, and have the person in charge sign and file it after each inspection. (For original spare parts or technical support, please contact Weihua Crane; we provide 24-hour emergency response service.)