Overhead Crane Greasing and
Earthing by Rope Access

• Project Type: Overhead Crane Greasing and Earthing Installation
• Location: New build industrial facility, central Scotland
• Client: International crane manufacturer
• Duration: March to April 2025, 7 site visits
• Team Deployment: IRATA qualified rope access crew of 2

Overview

Think Access’s Scotland team was appointed by an international crane manufacturer to complete high level installation works on overhead travelling cranes at a major new industrial facility under construction in central Scotland.

Across seven visits our two person crew installed grease lines to the top of the crane legs and fitted earth straps across the east, west and south cranes in the main building, working at height above a busy construction floor.

The Challenge

Overhead travelling cranes are serviced from their own access platforms once commissioned, but the tops of the crane legs, where grease lines and earthing bonds are fitted, sit outside those platforms and high above the floor.

With the principal contractor’s fit out in full swing beneath the cranes, floor space for powered access was scarce and every MEWP movement had to compete with other trades. The crane manufacturer needed the work finished ahead of commissioning without adding congestion to an already crowded programme.

The Solution

Rope access removed the floor space problem entirely. Our technicians rigged directly from the crane structures and worked leg by leg around the building.

Across the visits our team delivered:

• Installation of grease lines to the top of the crane legs, routing and securing the lines so grease points can be serviced safely from below
• Earth straps fitted across the east, west and south cranes, completing the electrical bonding of each structure
• Mechanical preparation and touch up painting of identified patches on the crane legs as works progressed
• A close visual inspection of each leg during the drops, with any defects reported back to the manufacturer for action before handover

The crew worked under the site induction and permit regime, coordinating daily with the principal contractor so that drops never conflicted with lifts or trades working below.

Results

All three cranes were completed ahead of commissioning, with greasing and earthing systems installed and the legs inspected and touched up, and not a single square metre of the construction floor was taken up by access equipment.

The project shows how well rope access suits crane and high level plant work in congested new build environments, delivering mechanical and electrical installation at height while the programme carries on underneath.

Crane and High Level Plant Maintenance by Rope Access

Think Access provides IRATA qualified technicians for overhead crane maintenance, high level mechanical and electrical installation and plant inspection across Scotland and the UK. If you have cranes or plant that are difficult to reach, contact Think Access to discuss your requirements.