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ASME PALD 12a-1987 — Shop Cranes Safety Standard Addenda (a)
🏗️ ASME/ANSI PALD-12a-1987 is the first addenda to the Shop Cranes volume of the Safety Standard for Portable Automotive Lifting Devices, developed by the ASME Committee on Portable Automotive Lifting Devices (PALD). Approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) on October 5, 1987 and issued on November 30, 1987, it updates ASME/ANSI PALD-12-1986 through replacement pages: revisions, additions, and deletions are incorporated directly into the affected pages of the 1986 edition, so the standard stays current without waiting for the next full edition.
💡 The PALD standard is organized as separate volumes, PALD-1 through PALD-17, each complete for one equipment type. PALD-12 is the Shop Cranes volume. The addenda mechanism lets the Committee publish revisions responding to public review comments and committee actions on a regular basis; addenda changes become effective 3 months after issuance.
1. Framework and Scope of This Revision 📌
PALD-12 covers self-contained shop cranes characterized by a pair of laterally spaced legs, an upright mast, a pivoting boom with extension and hook, and a hydraulic unit to move the boom up and down at a pivot point, used to raise, remove, transport in the lowered position, and replace automotive engines, transmissions, and other components in capacities of 8000 lb (3630 kg) or less. The Standard exists to guard against and mitigate injury to workers, protect life, limb, and property, and provide direction to purchasers, owners, employers, supervisors, and regulators.
This addenda (a) modifies the base edition in the following locations:
| Page | Location | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General | First and second paragraphs revised |
| 2 | Section I (Scope) | First paragraph revised |
| 2 | Section II (Application) | First paragraph revised |
| 7 | 5.1.2 Travel Limit Test | Revised |
| 7 | 5.1.5 Secondary Load Holding Means Test | Revised |
| 8 | 5.1.7 | Revised |
| 9 | 7.1.4 Inspection requirements | Revised |
⚠️ Addenda are issued as replacement pages. Users should retain the addenda title and copyright pages and all replaced pages for reference, and file each set with the base edition to preserve an auditable revision trail.
2. Technical Requirements and Specifications 🔧
PALD-12 imposes systematic design and performance requirements on shop cranes, which the subsequent addenda series continued to strengthen:
- Operating Controls (3.1): controls must be readily visible and accessible, designed so the operator’s hands are not subjected to pinch points, sharp edges, or snagging hazards; the release system must require positive action by the operator to prevent accidental lowering.
- Travel Limit (3.2): each crane shall have a positive means to prevent the load from being raised or lowered beyond design limits.
- Overload Capacity (3.3): all cranes shall be designed to meet the requirements of para. 3.4 as minimum overload capacity.
- Proof Load (3.4): cranes without internal load limiting devices shall lift a proof load of 150% of rated capacity throughout the range of travel without functional damage.
| Test | Conditions | Acceptance Criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Proof Load Test 5.1.1 | 150% of rated capacity applied to the hook; lift, sustain, and lower through full travel | No functional damage; operating characteristics not detrimentally affected |
| Travel Limit Test 5.1.2 | Full extension to the travel limit with no external load | Travel limiting means effectively prevents further extension |
| Instantaneous Load Loss Test 5.1.3 | Loaded to rated capacity, raised to maximum momentum height, load suddenly removed | Crane leaves the ground no more than 12 in. (300 mm) |
| Load Sustaining Test 5.1.4 | Rated load applied at ~100% of lifting range | Descent ≤ 1/8 in. (3 mm) in first minute; ≤ 3/16 in. (4.8 mm) total in 10 min |
| Secondary Load Holding Test 5.1.5 | Raise rated load, then release internal hydraulic pressure | Holding means stops the load automatically within 7 in. (178 mm) of descent |
| Release Test 5.1.6 | Rated load at ~100% of lifting range | Descent rate no more than 3 in./sec (75 mm/s) |
🚨 Proof load and load sustaining tests are the core safeguard for shop cranes. Any crane showing permanent deformation, loss of sealing, or excessive load drift must not be put into service, and design changes affecting safety require new sample proof tests.
3. Marking and Warning Requirements 🏷️
Section 4 of the Standard defines product marking: rated capacity must be marked in a prominent location by casting imprint, metal stamp, or durable materials and attaching methods; each crane shall carry the original manufacturer’s identification (label, decal, cast imprint, or metal stamp); and a serial number or date-of-manufacture code shall be marked. A warning shall be affixed with durable materials in a location readily visible to the operator, containing: the word WARNING as a heading, a statement of the hazard, what to do to avoid or reduce the hazard, and a statement that the operator must study, understand, and follow all instructions.
4. Engineering Practice Essentials 🛠️
- 🔍 Procurement and acceptance: verify rated capacity marking, manufacturer identification, and serial number; confirm design qualification tests per Section 5 were performed and records retained.
- 🔧 Operating discipline: use only on hard level surfaces; secure loads properly, avoid overloading and off-centered loads; never use a shop crane to support a vehicle — transfer the load to appropriate stands immediately after lifting.
- 📊 Routine inspection: per 7.1.4, inspect hydraulic system, hook, boom welds, and legs regularly; take the crane out of service on cracks, deformation, or hydraulic leakage.
- 📋 Documentation: keep the 1986 edition, this addenda (a), and subsequent addenda pages as a complete change chain for audits and liability review.
💡 This addenda became effective 3 months after issuance, with prospective application only; equipment already in production follows transition arrangements agreed between manufacturers and users.
5. Frequently Asked Questions ❓
❓ Q: Is PALD-12a-1987 a standalone shop crane standard?
A: No. It is the first addenda to ASME/ANSI PALD-12-1986, which revises the base volume by replacement pages and must be used together with it.
A: No. It is the first addenda to ASME/ANSI PALD-12-1986, which revises the base volume by replacement pages and must be used together with it.
❓ Q: Does the 150% proof load apply to every shop crane?
A: Para. 3.4(a) requires cranes without internal load limiting devices to satisfy the 150% proof load; models with internal load limiting devices follow the lower proof-load multiplier in the applicable clause of the governing edition.
A: Para. 3.4(a) requires cranes without internal load limiting devices to satisfy the 150% proof load; models with internal load limiting devices follow the lower proof-load multiplier in the applicable clause of the governing edition.
❓ Q: When do addenda revisions take effect?
A: Three months after the date of issuance of the addenda, with prospective application only — they do not retroactively affect previously manufactured equipment.
A: Three months after the date of issuance of the addenda, with prospective application only — they do not retroactively affect previously manufactured equipment.
🔍 Q: How does PALD-12 relate to ASME B30.1?
A: PALD-12 covers shop cranes used in automotive service, maintenance, and storage. Similar lifting devices designed for other commercial or industrial use that fall within the scope of ANSI B30.1, Jacks, are excluded.
A: PALD-12 covers shop cranes used in automotive service, maintenance, and storage. Similar lifting devices designed for other commercial or industrial use that fall within the scope of ANSI B30.1, Jacks, are excluded.
