Buying a Second Hand Crane

Buy cheaply and pay dearly

The legal requirements governing the sale of second-hand cranes have significant cost implications which mean it is not as cheap as you might think to buy a fully compliant, properly documented solution. Follow the links below for some authoritative and unbiased advice and make yourself aware of the pitfalls.

To make an informed decision, Request a Quote and get a comparison price for a new Street Crane. We think you will be pleasantly surprised. Our volume production techniques mean the price of new is less than you might think. When reliability and associated downtime are taken into account, the cost of owning a new crane over time is often much less than that of a second-hand crane.

The responsibilities placed on those who own operate or have control over cranes under UK law are onerous and we strongly advise you to follow the guidelines laid out in the HSE’s LOLER and PUWER publications to ensure the health, safety and welfare of your employees and also that your business remains legally compliant.

10 things to request before buying second-hand

If you do decide to buy second-hand lifting equipment, we recommend that you ensure the seller is suitably qualified, experienced, trained, equipped and that they have all the appropriate procedures in place to provide you with the correctly documented solution you will need for an acceptable risk assessment.

Ensure that you request the necessary documentation before you buy including but not limited to:

1.  A full calculation of remaining DWP in accordance with BS ISO 12482:2014
2.  Evidence of the manufacturer’s original crane classification
   (including individual mechanisms).
3.  A documented history of previous crane usage consistent with DWP calculation.
4.  All previous service, maintenance & inspection records.
5.   Records of any replacement parts, repairs or modification work done to the crane.
6. Statement of changes made to the crane since commissioning including reference to standards.
7.  Original manufacturer’s operating and maintenance instructions.
8.  Original manufacturer’s Declaration of Conformity.
9.  Original electrical schematic(s).
10.  All relevant test certificates for crane, hook, rope etc.

Next, consider if any modifications or refurbishments to the crane will be required and the duties this places on you and your supplier which may include but are not limited to:

•  User (owner) responsible to update the crane to the requirements of current standards.
•  User (owner) responsible to ensure the crane is subjected to a “thorough examination” under Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER).
•  Statement of changes made to the crane by the supplier including reference to standards.
•  Updated operating and maintenance instructions.
•  Updated electrical schematic(s).