Maintenance is one of the most overlooked factors when specifying a new crane, yet it has a direct impact on running costs, downtime and legal compliance for as long as the crane is in service.
Before choosing a crane, it’s worth understanding what ongoing maintenance will actually involve, and how the crane you choose can make that easier or harder down the line.
Why Maintenance Should Factor into Your Buying Decision
Every crane requires regular maintenance to remain safe and compliant, regardless of make or manufacturer. But the design, build quality and accessibility of a crane all affect how straightforward and cost-effective that maintenance is over its lifetime.
A crane that’s harder to inspect or service will typically mean:
- More downtime per maintenance visit
- Higher long-term servicing costs
- Greater risk of missed or delayed inspections
Factoring this in at the specification stage, rather than after installation, can make a meaningful difference to total cost of ownership.
PUWER and Your Maintenance Obligations
Any business operating a crane in the UK is bound by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), which require equipment to be maintained in an efficient state, in working order and in good repair.
In practice, this means:
- Maintenance must be scheduled as often as the manufacturer requires, or sooner if a fault is identified
- Maintenance records need to be kept and available for inspection
- Insurers will typically expect to see a maintenance log in the event of a claim
Choosing a crane from a reputable supplier with clear manufacturer guidance makes it easier to stay on top of these obligations from day one.
What to Look for When Specifying a Crane
When specifying a crane with maintenance in mind, it’s worth considering:
- Accessibility – can components be inspected and serviced without extensive dismantling?
- Build quality – higher-quality components generally mean less frequent repairs and longer service intervals
- Manufacturer support – is clear guidance available on recommended maintenance schedules and replacement parts?
- Application fit – a crane specified correctly for its environment and duty cycle will experience less wear than one that’s under-specified for the job
Getting this right at the specification stage reduces the likelihood of costly retrofits or premature replacement further down the line.
Specify the Right Crane at Metreel
At Metreel, we help businesses specify cranes that are built for their environment and duty cycle, from workstation cranes and overhead cranes to jib cranes and gantry cranes.
Use our online configurator to start specifying your crane, or get in touch for advice on choosing the right solution for your business.
Call us on 0115 647 0422.