SC&RA Creates Task Force on EN13000

April 23, 2008 • The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) has created a task force charged with addressing the revision of European standard EN13000. The Federal Europeenne de la Manutention (FEM) proposal includes removal of standard override key and reduction of operating speeds to 15 percent when in an override situation, among other changes, for cranes sold into the European market. SC&RA members, including crane manufacturers and owners, oppose these revisions because of their impact on critical safety issues. In fact, the revision is in violation of ANSI standards governing crane operations in the United States.

 

Following a meeting with the 11th International Crane Technical Liason Meeting, held in Las Vegas, Nev., in March, the European group agreed that cranes coming into the United States will remain “as is,” but will not be CE-certified, said Robert Weiss, who chairs the task force and has been named the SC&RA's representative to the International Crane Technical Liason Committee. “We are adamant however, that this is an unsafe regulation,” said Weiss, who is also vice president for Cranes Inc., Maspeth, N.Y. “We accomplished what we wanted for U.S. crane owners, but we want to take this further by trying to change the Europeans' minds [in applying this standard in Europe].”

 

The SC&RA has written a white paper on the topic, which addresses the safety concerns of the association. To read the paper, go to the “What's New” section at www.scranet.org. According to Beth O'Quinn, SC&RA vice president, a review of the white paper is on the agenda for an upcoming FEM meeting set for May 5. It's too late to effect change to the current code as it applies to Europe, but there will be an opportunity to make an amendment to the standard in 2009, Weiss said. “Our goal is to work with the European manufacturers to come up with an acceptable worldwide solution,” he said.

 

Another concern for crane owners is what impact EN13000 will have on the resale value of cranes sold into the European market. In order to do so, the machines would likely need to be made CE-compliant, which would mean the removal of the override key by a dealer or manufacturer. Likewise, there is no governing body in the United States overseeing the importation of used cranes, which could come into the country without the override key. In the meantime, U.S. crane manufacturers will need to comply with EN13000, just as it does with other CE-mark requirements, in order to export to Europe.