OT Translation

Andrea

Hi English mother tongue. I have a doubt about these defition form ASME B30-2:

a) Structural and mechanical lifting devices: New and reinstalled lifting devices shall be tested by a qualified person
b) Vacuum lifter: Prior to initial use, all new, altered, or repaired vacuum lifting devices shall be load tested and inspected by a qualified person

It's mandatory to execute the load test on both cases or on the first case is only a raccomandation?

Thanks

rwhirley

While I can't speak to those specific standards, typically "shall" is used to indicate a requirement and "may" is used to indicate a recommendation.

Andrea

The doubt about the interpretation was born when I read the following site

https://www.crane1.com/about-us/blog/below-hook-lifter-standards/

That gives an unclear interpretation #Testing

Thanks, Andrea

Victor

Just some guesses -

Could it be "tested" doesn't mean "load tested"?

Or that it's a different version of the standard? The site has a to link what looks like B30.20 2013 but ends up at a page for 2018.

cwharpe

The ASME B30.20-2018 Standard refers to two classes of testing -- Operational Tests & Load Tests. Operational is qualitative -- clasps close, arms rotate, switches throw, etc. These things are mandatory. Whether to Load Test (typically 125% of rated load) was accurately summarized in the 'crane1' article you cited:

"...Structural and mechanical devices “should” be load tested, which means they aren’t required to be load tested, but it’s recommended. The other devices (vacuum lifters, magnetic lifters, grapples) are all written as “shall” be tested."

The crane engineer I have worked with over the years agrees that it sounds ambiguous, but as manufacturers they decided to load test whatever they send out the door. He noted the devices commonly "recommended" for testing are more passive in function, less reliant on exterior power sources, have statistically far lower rates of failure.