If a defect is found during pre-operational inspection, you should:

• A. Operate anyway
• B. Ignore
• C. Mask the defect
• D. Document any defects and do not operate until corrected.

Answer: (D)

Safety hinges on acting on any defect found during pre-operational checks. When a defect is found, you document it and do not operate until it is corrected. This ensures the equipment is repaired and safe before use, preventing failures under load that could injure people or damage the crane or surrounding assets. Documenting creates a record for maintenance and guarantees the issue is addressed before the crane returns to service. Operating with a defect, ignoring it, or masking it bypasses safety controls and can lead to serious harm or equipment failure, so the correct course is to report, tag out if needed, and only proceed after the defect is corrected.