CPA Bulletin

www.cpa.uk.net CPA Bulletin > August 2024 41 ESTA: 2 ESTA is appealing to members to reconsider their approach to mobile crane winch gearbox maintenance following publication of the first edition of the association’s new guide. The document was formally handed to Mammoet’s Wouter van Noort, President of ESTA Crane Section President, at ESTA’s Spring meeting in Paris. It can be found in the members’ section of ESTA’s website. The requirement to calculate the remaining life of a winch is a crucial safety consideration and supporters of ESTA’s work in this area believe the new proposals could both improve safety and – in some cases – save money. They have been drafted by a small group led by ESTA’s crane expert Klaus Meissner along with Mammoet’s Hermen Kamp and Gerrit van Hove from Sarens. The current regime involves a major overhaul after ten years to check that the winch gearbox is still in good condition, but many experts argue that the ten-year threshold is an arbitrary deadline and does not reflect the equipment’s actual usage. ESTA’s expert group is proposing a maintenance regime that is based on technical analysis, for example by implementing regular oil analyses, that will provide detailed information for other inspections. Further details are in the news section of the ESTA website. New guide on mobile crane winch gearbox maintenance now available ESTA meetings - from Paris to Istanbul In April, ESTA concluded a series of successful meetings in Paris of the transport and crane sections plus the association’s General Assembly. The next round of meetings will be held in Istanbul on October 24th and 25th . If any member wants to add a subject to the agendas for discission, they are invited to contact the ESTA Office. Search begins for Section Transport vice president ESTA members are being asked for nominations for the position of Vice President of the Section Transport to replace current postholder André Friderici who is stepping down. Friderici – technical director of Swiss heavy transport and lifting company Friderici Spécial – has spent more than a decade helping to lead ESTA’s transport section, but under ESTA’s rules, he is not allowed to stand for a further term in office. Nominations should be sent to the ESTA Office for consideration by ESTA’s September Board meeting with a final decision to be taken by the association’s General Assembly. US construction giant Bechtel and Turkey’s Yilnak join ESTA Bechtel - one of the world’s leading construction and project management companies - and Turkish transport specialist Yilnak have both joined ESTA as affiliate members. Bechtel is the biggest contractor in the US. It works worldwide and has offices in London, Warsaw and Istanbul. Ankara-headquartered Yılnak was founded in 1973 and today is part of the Alp Özler Group of Companies. It works across a wide range of sectors including heavy industry, oil and gas, construction and renewable energy. More information about all these stories and more is on the ESTA website at www.estaeurope.eu . Copies of the new guides can be downloaded by members from the website.