The acceptance test by a technical expert is a legally required inspection which the manufacturer must perform before the crane is first operated. We provide qualified technical staff who carry out both the acceptance test performed by a technical expert and the recurrent inspections.
The acceptance test by a technical expert distinguishes between inspections for which the manufacturer is responsible (e. g. preliminary and in-process tests) and inspections for which the crane operator bears responsibility. The legal foundations are stated in the German Social Accident Insurance regulation (DGUV) 52 "Cranes" and the scope of the inspection in DGUV GS 309-001.
The inspection must be performed on the operational crane. The acceptance test focuses on the functionality and safety of the crane system. For example, there is a test that determines whether the tested and nominal loads can be picked up safely by the crane, the machinery track and its substructure. Existing safety equipment is also tested for effectiveness, suitability and completeness. A significant part of the test is dedicated to checking the documentation, since this constitutes an essential condition for approving the system for traffic operations.
A technical expert is someone who has the specialised knowledge and familiarity with relevant standards and regulations to properly evaluate the safety and serviceability of a crane. When it comes to the acceptance test for an operational crane, this can be either technical experts from the crane manufacturer or those who are qualified according to section 28 DGUV regulation 53 “Cranes”.
Technical expert from the crane manufacturer: This is a person the crane manufacturer has assigned as a technical expert due to his or her professional training, experience and specialised knowledge. Technical expert according to section 28 DGUV regulation 53: According to this regulation, a technical expert is someone who is authorised as such by the accident insurance carrier or the technical inspection agencies.
If a new crane is not yet operational on delivery but must first be installed or constructed (such as an overhead crane), the mandatory inspection must take place before its initial operation. It must be conducted by a technical expert. It is different for recurring inspections which are allowed to be made by a trained professional.
As a trained professional, the person must be able to evaluate the operational condition of a crane system on the basis of his or her (specialised) knowledge. However, this does not require an official authorisation so that qualified technicians (crane foremen, civil engineers and machine foremen) may also serve as trained professionals for an inspection.
On the whole, the differentiation between a technical expert and trained professional is relevant not just in terms of the acceptance test and inspection before first operation but also regarding recurring accident prevention inspections (UVV).