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820 Cranes and Derricks Safety I
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Defects Requiring Evaluation

The following defects must be evaluated by the inspector to determine whether they constitute a safety hazard:

A wire rope must be evaluated when significant distortion, such as birdcaging, is visible.
  • significant distortion of the wire rope structure such as kinking, crushing, unstranding, birdcaging, signs of core failure, or steel core protrusion between the outer strands;
  • significant corrosion;
  • electric arc damage (from a source other than power lines) or heat damage;
  • improperly applied end connections; and
  • significantly corroded, cracked, bent, or worn end connections (such as from severe service).

If these defects are found to be hazardous, the rope must be removed from service or the defective part severed.

If they are not found to be an immediate hazard, you may continue to use the rope. However, if such a defect is identified during an annual inspection, you must check it during each monthly inspection. This may require a more complete monthly inspection than would otherwise be required because the annual inspection must cover the entire rope and may reveal a defect in a part of the rope that would not normally be visible during a shift or monthly inspection.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

6-3. What must you do if you detect a non-hazardous wire rope defect during an annual inspection?