As one of the eight categories of special equipment, the accident rate of lifting machinery has remained high in recent years. The reasons are multifaceted and mainly include lagging standards, insufficient design foresight, backward manufacturing process levels, inadequate quality control during installation, and improper management during use. To reduce the occurrence of lifting machinery accidents, efforts can be made in revising related regulations and standards and strengthening supervision and management.
Lifting machinery is categorized as one of the eight types of special equipment according to national regulations. Whether it is the equipment itself or its usage phase, from a safety perspective, it is less hazardous compared to other types of special equipment. However, based on accident statistics compiled by the State Administration for Market Regulation in recent years, the accident rate of lifting machinery and the absolute number of casualties resulting from these accidents have consistently ranked highest among the eight categories of special equipment. In 2009, the State Administration for Market Regulation prioritized the safety of lifting machinery as part of its annual "three action" plan, hoping to achieve a reduction in lifting machinery accidents through rectification.
**Complex Accident Causes**
Why has the accident rate of lifting machinery remained high? Through our extensive experience in conducting safety inspections of lifting machinery, we have identified several main reasons:
1. **Lagging Standards**: The delay in standard revisions has led to a weakening of innovation design awareness in lifting machinery. The basis for designing lifting machinery in China is the "Crane Design Specification" GB3811-1983, with the primary safety requirements outlined in the "Safety Regulations for Lifting Machinery" GB6067-1986. These two general technical standards were introduced in the 1980s and played a decisive role in the standardized management of lifting machinery at that time. However, with the current large-scale production and use of lifting machinery, along with improvements in production processes and the use of new materials, there are instances where the standards are no longer applicable. The "Safety Regulations for Lifting Machinery" serves as the main theoretical basis for inspection regulations, and the new version of the inspection regulations was released in 2009 and began implementation on April 1, 2010. However, the revised version of the "Safety Regulations for Lifting Machinery," which serves as its theoretical basis, has yet to be released. If there are significant discrepancies between the new inspection regulations and the new safety regulations, inspection agencies may find themselves uncertain about how to inspect lifting machinery.
2. **Insufficient Design Foresight**: Some manufacturers of lifting machinery fail to adequately consider the load conditions of stressed components under various usage environments when developing new products. The reliability of the hoisting mechanism's braking system is a critical factor determining the safety performance of the lifting machinery. Most safety accidents involving lifting machinery during use are related to the hoisting mechanism. The hoisting mechanism typically uses electromechanical brakes, and the key to ensuring reliable operation lies in controlling the electromagnetic coil. The design of electrical control systems for lifting machinery has been a weak point for Chinese manufacturers for over 20 years.
3. **Backward Manufacturing Process Levels**: There are certain differences between China's lifting machinery standards and those of Europe and America, making it difficult for Sino-foreign joint ventures in the lifting machinery sector to gain traction in China. The technical content of some medium and small-sized lifting machinery still needs improvement. Additionally, due to market competition, the profits of manufacturers are limited, leading to limited funds being available for new product research and development.
4. **Inadequate Quality Control During Installation**: For a long time, the acceptance inspection of lifting machinery installations has been conducted as a final completion inspection, with the entire installation process's quality control entirely dependent on the workers' qualifications and technical skills. The installation process is essentially a continuation of the manufacturing process, but the on-site working conditions are even worse than those in the manufacturing phase. The manufacturing and construction standards for lifting machinery lack clear criteria and requirements for the process control of construction techniques, leading to low-level construction practices in the installation phase. This, especially non-compliant operations and structural defects caused by insufficient construction techniques, poses hidden risks for accidents. Starting from April 1, 2010, the new inspection regulations have been implemented, revising the final acceptance inspection to a supervisory inspection throughout the entire installation process, providing strong assurance for the installation quality of lifting machinery in the future.
5. **Inadequate Management During Use**: Safety accidents occurring during use constitute the majority of lifting machinery accidents, with poor management by the user being the main cause. Here, management primarily refers to the management of personnel and equipment. With the restructuring of state-owned enterprises and the development of private enterprises, it is difficult to ensure that every piece of lifting machinery is operated by qualified personnel. Furthermore, the weak awareness of special equipment safety among private enterprise owners is also an important factor affecting lifting machinery accidents. Additionally, equipment management includes daily inspections and planned maintenance. Daily inspections mainly focus on checking the safety performance of the equipment, which is often overlooked. Some companies do not even schedule annual maintenance plans for their lifting machinery. Violations during operations are also one of the main causes of accidents during the use of lifting machinery.
There are other reasons for lifting machinery accidents, such as usage environment, load classification, illegal or unauthorized production of lifting machinery, etc.
**Addressing the Root Causes**
To reduce the occurrence of lifting machinery accidents, as inspection personnel for lifting machinery, we believe efforts should be made in the following areas:
1. Quickly issue (revise) universal technical standards that meet the current production, installation, and usage requirements of the lifting machinery industry while fully considering alignment with international standards. For example, the revision of the "Safety Regulations for Lifting Machinery" should focus on the control of hoisting mechanism brakes and make full use of the auxiliary braking function of electrical braking to protect the brakes.
2. Encourage Sino-foreign cooperation in the production of lifting machinery within China, introducing advanced technology to enhance the technical content, safety performance, and overall manufacturing level of lifting machinery in China.
3. Strengthen supervision and management of the lifting machinery industry, severely cracking down on illegal and out-of-scope production of lifting machinery. Provide policy support to high-tech and high-safety-performance lifting machinery manufacturers, eliminating or shutting down enterprises with low technical content, low safety performance, and reliance on low prices for market competition. Encourage lifting machinery manufacturers to introduce high-tech talent, particularly in control technology, to redesign lifting machinery with a new concept.
4. Strictly enforce the legal training and assessment of operators at all levels by quality supervision departments. Internal operation management skill training should be strengthened within user organizations, emphasizing the responsibility system for enterprise safety production. Enhance the safety awareness of the main responsible persons of enterprises regarding special equipment, standardize the operation procedures of operators, improve the safety awareness of personnel engaged in special operations within enterprises, and advocate the promotion of daily inspection management modes for lifting machinery users.
5. Due to the long-term practice of supervisory inspections after completion of lifting machinery, adopting supervisory inspections throughout the installation process according to the new inspection regulations requires all inspection personnel to change their mindset and improve their professional skills. Theoretically, they need to strengthen their study and understanding of the inspection regulations, understand the weak links in the manufacturing and installation processes, and thereby formulate practical inspection operation guidance documents to ensure inspection quality. On this basis, during regular inspections of previously installed lifting machinery, targeted checks should be conducted on links prone to safety hazards and defects in installation and manufacturing, using advanced detection methods to add necessary inspection items and prevent accidents.
6. Advocate managing lifting machinery used in construction sites through seamless communication between supervisory inspections and supervisory management, ensuring that construction lifting machinery with potential safety hazards cannot be put back into use until corrections are completed.