The European association of abnormal road transport and mobile cranes (ESTA) has begun urging Europe’s national regulators to agree a common inspection procedure for mobile cranes.
EU states are presently revising their inspection rules to bring them into line with the new EU Machinery Regulation which comes fully into force from January 2027. The new regulation will bring about updated safety requirements, including measures covering technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.
“To have a common inspection regime would be a huge boost to the efficiency of the industry. It makes no sense for a crane that has already been inspected in the Netherlands to be re-inspected just because it has crossed the border into Belgium or Germany,” said ESTA director Ton Klijn.
“ESTA is simply trying to stop the scenario whereby every European country develops its own, unique inspection regime – which will be grossly inefficient and completely unnecessary,” he added.
The new Machinery Regulation includes rules on cybersecurity for all machinery integrated with digital technologies, and stresses the importance of protecting machines from unauthorised access. It also allows for digital instructions and documentation, reducing the need for printed materials.
One of the regulation’s most contentious provisions specifies that mobile machinery must be designed to prevent contact with energised overhead power lines or, where this cannot be fully avoided, to prevent any resulting electrical hazards. Industry experts have said this is impossible to deliver and have instead called for closer integration of practical equipment safety measures alongside effective site management practices.
