Counterfeit sections cause crane companies concern

The spotlight has once again been thrown on tower crane safety with one manufacturer issuing warnings about counterfeit tower sections and the mixing of tower sections. Examples of both have been seen in the UK and could pose serious safety risks.

The manufacturer, which is currently unwilling to be named, carried out independent tests on the counterfeit tower sections. One expert that has seen the results said the tensile strength of the steel was at best only two-thirds of what the manufacturer specifies. In cold conditions, the strength fell to around an eighth of the OE specification.

"Most, if not all, tower crane manufacturers are having problems with counterfeit sections," said consultant Tim Watson. "Some copies are very crude others look very good - right down to falsifying the identification plates."

In addition to poor-quality steel, destruction testing showed sub-standard welding, even though the external appearance was good. The counterfeit sections are thought to have been produced in China, coming via the Middle East. They can turn up as part of a second-hand crane or as direct sales.

The second alert concerns crane owners mixing tower sections from different manufacturers.

Some crane owners have been known to make up adapters to join mast sections from different manufacturers, or to connect one make of crane top to another make of tower.

"Technically, this is a new machine and unless one of the manufacturers involved gives its approval, the company creating the combination is liable for CE marking," said Watson. "As crane companies don't know all the data concerning another's products, that's not going to happen," he concluded.