Had a main hoist brake fail on a tower crane in Denver yesterday

We were lowering a concrete bucket about 50 feet down when the brake just stopped holding, letting the load run for a good 10 feet before I could get it under control with the emergency. It was a real jolt, and the bucket swung pretty hard. What's the best way to check these brakes before a shift to catch a problem like this early?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathanbennett7d ago

Used to just do a quick visual check, but a guy on my crew showed me the importance of a proper load test at the start of the day. Now we always run it up a few feet and see if it holds solid before anything goes on the hook.

anthony1277d ago

Ever try a quick bounce test too?