Bucket trucks and digger derricks require daily and annual structural inspections. Critical welds must be visually inspected as part of these checks. Cracked or fatigued welds can put operators and equipment at risk, so regular inspections are crucial.

ANSI A92.2 (aerial devices) and ANSI A10.31 (digger derricks) state that owners must ensure that inspections are conducted by a qualified person. Daily pre-shift checks and thorough annual inspections are required. For Terex equipment, manuals for each model specify the critical weld locations that need to be examined.

Daily Checks:

A qualified person should inspect structural members for cracks and permanent deformation. Examining the following is critical: structural components of the boom tip, booms, turntable, pedestal, subframe, outriggers, and vehicle attachment and support structure.

Annual inspections

For annual inspections, the qualified person needs to remove all covers as necessary to examine supporting structures thoroughly. Components cannot be inspected properly when covered with grease and dirt so remove and clean the component accordingly. Inspect all welds – from top to bottom of the unit – and look for deformation, cracks, electrical contact marks, fatigue or impending failure. Visible rust may be coming from cracks and will require careful cleaning and inspection. Any weld found with a defect needs to be evaluated, and corrected if needed, even if it is not on the critical weld manual location. Structural issues or damage in one area can grow over time to critical areas.

Terex Product Advisory PA731

Terex Product Advisory PA731 covers Critical Weld Inspections more thoroughly and provides reference figures at the end of the bulletin.

And Terex Can Help

Terex can provide training on inspections and maintenance for the various models both online, onsite and at factory service schools. Visit https://www.terex.com/utilities/en/support/training for more information.

Terex Services can also provide help by performing inspections. Visit https://www.terex.com/utilities/en/service/terexservices for more information.