EN
Pipe Layers
Periodic inspection of pipe layers: sideboom lifting ropes, welding station, hydraulic winch and tipping-load safety checks by authorised engineers, reported.
Pipe layer (sideboom pipelayer) periodic inspection is the at-least-annual testing by authorised engineers of specialised machines moving, lowering and lifting long pipeline strings (oil, gas, water) across the right of way, built as a sideboom and winch set on a tracked tractor: lifting ropes and brakes, boom structural organs, the pipe welding station, hydraulic-electric winch systems and stability safety are examined. Pipeline equipment runs tonnes of pipe column in the same field as manual crews, making it the group where lifting safety legislation is applied most strictly.
Inspection Items
- Sideboom: Crack-weld-repair scan on fixed and swing-pitch boom bodies; boom pin-bushing and ratchet behaviour; tip sheave wear. Conical headache ball and cradle skid integrity preventing pipe slipping off the boom tip.
- Lifting rope and winch: Broken-wire-distortion-diameter examination per rope with discard criteria (TS EN 12385-9); drum spooling, end clamp-socket control; hoist brake (auto park) holding and controlled lowering behaviour; dual-drum synchronisation.
- Stability and load control: Load chart-plate against boom position-capacity; hoist limit cut-off under overload; side slope stability limits and ballast-counterweight integrity; load sharing plan when one string is lifted by two machines.
- Welding station: Generator-converter insulation and earthing, overhead shielding integrity, hot work equipment and extinguisher; pipe roller drive and synchronisation.
- Tractor and tracks: Engine-brake-emergency stop; track tension undercarriage wear; cabin ROPS/FOPS; vision-signal gear and site marking.
Periodic Tests and Measurements
Rope examination is critical: ropes exceeding broken wires-crush counts are replaced immediately and tracked by last load-cycle log. Winch brake test runs as lift at 110% nominal and drift measurement during 10-minute hold (with the proof loads set by manufacturer condition and standard; where field proof is impossible, certified no-load behaviour measurement); it is verified that the lowering control device does not free-fall the pipe in a brake failure scenario — the deadliest field failure model. Swing-pitch boom cylinders pass drift tests; ratchet full engagement is verified. Where an LMI exists, alarm-cut thresholds are calibrated with a trial load.
Legislation and Standards
Carrying a lifting organ, pipe layers fall under Law No. 6331, the lifting annexes of the Work Equipment Regulation (periodic rope-hook-accessory examination) and the 2006/42/EC Machinery Directive, at least annually. References: mobile crane LMI rules ISO 11591, lifting ropes TS EN 12385, tracked tractor side TS EN 474-1, fluid power ISO 4413 and arc welding equipment TS EN 60974-1. Lift plan, column weight calculation and two-machine sharing are inseparable pipeline safety documents.
Risks, Recommendations and Outcome
The heaviest failure models: pipe dropping onto the crew line when the boom rope parts, machine tipping on side slope and uncontrolled lowering driving the pipe into the trench. Hence rope life is logged; the winch is controlled on lowering and no one stays under the string; two-machine lifts need a common rigger and speed-sync plan. Near the hot welding station, fire shielding and extinguisher join shift-verified earthing continuity. Facilities are recommended daily rope-connection checks, monthly brake-valve function tests and lift plan training. At the end of the examination a signed report is issued. Controls are in our Construction Machinery group; see Cable Excavators and Sling, or contact us for your programme.
FAQ on Pipelayers
A pipelayer is a tracked lifting machine that lowers and places heavy pipeline segments into the trench-bed using a boom plus rope-hook or a loader arm. Because the load travels suspended over and in front of people, the hook-rope-sling, load moment and brake drop-prevention duty is that of a lifting machine; the trench-bottom-slope stability also adds tip-over risk. TS EN 474 plus the lifting proofs of the Work Equipment Regulation, yearly control.
Lifting gear: rope (wire break-corrosion-discard limit-ISO 4309), hook-latch-opening measurement, sheave-flange, drum winding-brake (hold-grip), load moment (LMI)-weight limit-alarm cut, boom cylinder-leak-burst-valve-drop prevention, the hook load-release scenario; undercarriage-track-travel tension-idler-brake, slew tower lock, ROPS-FOPS-cabin belt, rear-side view-camera-alarm, lighting-signal-horn, emergency stop, hydraulic pressure-level-filter. A load proof (nominal-static) where required. Capacity-load chart-hook-load label. Results are a per-machine finding-levelled report.
Rope beyond discard limit-break-corrosion, hook opening-lost latch, drum brake not holding (load slip), bypassed LMI-weight limit-alarm cut (overload unnoticed), missing-leaking boom burst valve (boom fall), tower lock fault, thrown track-loss of control, cracked ROPS-cabin structure-no belt: red tag. No suspended work without lifting accessory (hook-rope-sling) tests. Return after repair-verification and load proof; the pipeline lift plan with banksman-signaller coordination is mandatory.
No pedestrian under the suspended load-corridor barrier, trench-bottom-slope bearing safety (pipelayer route), temporary pipe support-seating rule (force-lift), lift plan-closed road-traffic direction, night lighting-overhead signalling. Operator plus slinger-rigger competency-coordination-hand-signal-radio protocol. Daily check card (rope-hook-brake-LMI-camera). Manufacturer maintenance calendar plus a rope-hook discard schedule. Report-log-load test-certificate-fault enter the OHS file.