b'Partner News Winter 2022 33CorporateThese standards are now more closelyThe competent person must produce a aligned with marine cranes codes forReport of Thorough Examination (RoTE), shipboard and crane vessel applications,which contains the information specified in rather than land-based cranes, which haveOffshore cranes wereLOLER 10 Reports and defects, Schedule greatly influenced the style and suitabilityintroduced to the UK in 1. In circumstances where no defects or of these 2nd generation cranes. weaknesses have been detected during the late 60s when oil and thorough examination the RoTE must be In the UK, offshore cranes associated withgas exploration, discovery completed and issued to the duty holder oil and gas activities are covered by Theand/or person(s) responsible for the crane Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipmentand subsequent productionwithin 28 days.Regulations 1998 (LOLER) and The Provisionbegan.and Use of Work Equipment RegulationsWhere the competent person detects 1998 (PUWER), together with theirdefects or weaknesses, which in their respective Approved Codes of Practice, byopinion is or could become a danger to virtue of The Health and Safety at Workpersons within six months of completing the Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain)thorough examination, they must notify the Order 2013, for which the Health andduty holder forthwith and submit the RoTE Safety Executive (HSE)Energy Divisionpromptly to allow the duty holder to take the has jurisdiction. necessary corrective action(s) to make the crane safe.LOLER covers important aspects, such as strength and stability, crane for liftingSecondly, where the competent person persons, positioning and installation,detects a defect in the crane involving an organising of lifting operations, thoroughexisting or imminent risk of serious personal examination and inspection, reports andinjury, they must send a copy of the RoTE as defects. soon as practicable to the HSE. Thankfully, this circumstance seldom occurs due to the PUWER covers other important aspects,robust safety culture adopted offshore and such as maintenance, providing informationthe high level of competence of persons and instructions, and training. involved in the operation and management of offshore cranes.Various standards apply to the design, construction and testing of offshoreLOLER 10(3) stipulates that the duty holder cranes, however, there isnt a Britishshould not use the crane where a defect has Standard (BS) applicable to the inspection,Ensuring safety been identified for immediate rectification, maintenance, and thorough examinationThe thorough examination of offshoreuntil it has been rectified. Where other of offshore cranes. Albeit, The Liftingcranes is specified in LOLER 9 Thoroughdefects are identified a date for their Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA)Examination and Inspection, which isrectification must be provided and the crane have announced that the BSi Technicalrequired at several points during the life ofshall not be used after that date unless the Committee have granted permission toan offshore crane: defect(s) have been rectified.revise BS 7121-11:1998 Code of practice for safe use of cranes and potentialA) On initial use or following installation toWhere defects are not habitually detected opportunity to create a new part BS 7121- ensure its been installed correctly andor rectified until the competent persons 2-11 Inspection, maintenance and thoroughsafe to operate; thorough examination this indicates examination. B) Periodically during its life to ensure itinadequacies in the duty holders remains safe to operate; and management systems. Hence, the competent Offshore crane maintenance and inspectionC) Following certain exceptionalpersons reports are a vital diagnostic aid in regimes should follow the instructionscircumstances, e.g. if it is damaged,the safe management of offshore cranes.specified by the manufacturer or follow aoverloaded etc.strategy set out by a competent engineer.The above highlights the importance of the The thorough examination must be carriedvarious disciplines involved in managing the In many instances, offshore cranes haveout by a competent person of independentsafety of offshore cranes and the significant exceeded their design lifespan and it isstanding, who can exercise impartialrole they play to ensure the machine is best practice to undertake a Failure Modes,judgement without fear or favour. Themaintained in a safe manner. Failure to carry Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA),competent person must have appropriateout appropriate inspection, maintenance and identifying any single line components, basedpractical and theoretical knowledge andthorough examinations on offshore cranes on a risk assessment, the results of whichexperience, enabling them to detectcan lead to a major accident hazard, which should feed into redefining the maintenancedefects or weaknesses and to assesshas resulted in serious personnel injury/strategy to ensure the crane remains safe fortheir importance in relation to the safefatality, significant property damage and continued service in later life. continued use of the crane. operational delays.'