R 408.11971 Maintenance generally.

Rule 1971. (1) An employer shall establish and maintain a preventative maintenance program under the supervision of an authorized and trained employee or outside service. (2) Before adjustments and repairs to a crawler, locomotive, or truck crane are started, the following steps shall be taken: (a) The crawler, locomotive, or truck crane shall be placed where it does not interfere with other operations. (b) A "warning" or "out of order" sign shall be placed at the controls, and the controls shall be in the "off" position. The sign need not be used if the energy source is locked out. (c) The power plant shall be disconnected, locked out, or made safe by other means. (d) The boom shall be lowered to the ground or otherwise secured against dropping. (e) All hydraulic cylinders used for boom hoist and boom telescope on a mobile hydraulic crane shall be retracted. (f) Hydraulic oil pressure from all hydraulic circuits shall be relieved before loosening or removing hydraulic components of a mobile hydrauliic crane. (g) The load block shall be lowered to the ground or otherwise secured against dropping, except when operation is necessary for the adjustment. (3) After adjustments and repairs have been completed, the crawler, locomotive or truck crane shall not be returned to operations until all guards have been installed, safety devices activated, trapped air removed from the hydraulic system of a mobile hydraulic crane and maintenance equipment and warning signs or out of order signs removed. (4) Hazardous conditions disclosed by the inspection requirements of R 408.11952 to R 408.11956 shall be corrected before operation of the crawler, locomotive, or truck crane is resumed. (5) Adjustments shall be maintained to assure correct functioning of such components as operating mechanisms, safety devices, control systems, power plants, brakes and clutches. (6) The original safety factor shall be maintained when repairs and replacements are made. Hooks showing defects indicated in R 408.11953 shall be replaced. Pitted or burned electrical contacts affecting their operations shall be replaced in sets. (7) A crane or its wire rope shall not be used as a ground or to carry current. The ground shall be attached to the part being welded while welding.