WH SCOTT
Cleanroom Cranes for Controlled Environments
Crane and hoist systems specified for contamination-controlled production, from 50kg to 20 tonnes — engineered around your cleanroom class, headroom and available floor space.
Lifting Equipment Designed for Contamination Control
A cleanroom crane is a lifting system built so that the act of lifting does not compromise the environment it works in. Standard industrial cranes shed particles — from painted surfaces, exposed gearing, open bearings and conventional greases — and in a classified space that is enough to put the room out of specification.
WH Scott supplies and installs cleanroom crane systems for semiconductor, pharmaceutical, aerospace, medical device and food production facilities across the UK and Ireland. Because we are not tied to a single equipment range, the crane is specified around your cleanroom classification, load and building structure. Systems are available from 50kg to 20 tonnes, freestanding or ceiling suspended, and can be supplied with the load testing, certification and inspection your validation and compliance regime requires.
What Makes a Crane Cleanroom-Suitable
Materials
Stainless steel structure and fasteners, with UHMW polyethylene wheels, guides and wear components in place of particle-generating alternatives.
Lubrication
Synthetic, low-migration lubricants with sealed or shielded bearings, so grease and wear debris stay out of the airstream.
Surfaces
Smooth, cleanable, unpainted finishes that tolerate repeated wipe-down with the sanitising agents used on site.
Cable management
Covered festoon or energy-chain systems and enclosed drive components, containing particulate at source.
Position in the airflow
Keeping the crane and its travel path clear of the critical zone, which matters most under unidirectional downflow.
Ropes and chains
A hoist’s rope or load chain sheds wear debris every cycle. Stainless rope or chain with a cleanroom-compatible lubricant, and enclosed drums or sealed chain containers, keep that debris out of the room.
Lifting Solutions
Part of a complete lifting range
This is one of the complete lifting solutions delivered by WH Scott across the UK and Ireland — from radio remotes, hoists and crane components to fully bespoke crane systems. Explore the full range to find the right fit for your operation.
Cleanroom Crane Specification
- Capacity: 50kg to 20 tonnes
- Cleanroom classification: Class 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000 — equivalent to ISO Class 4, 5, 6 and 7 under ISO 14644-1
- Construction: stainless steel, UHMW components, synthetic lubricants
- Configuration: freestanding or ceiling suspended
- Control: pendant or radio remote control
The Class 10 to 10,000 designations come from US Federal Standard 209E, which was withdrawn in 2001 but remains in everyday use. If your facility is validated to ISO 14644-1, we work to the ISO class.
Freestanding or Ceiling Suspended?
Freestanding cleanroom cranes carry their own support structure, so no load is transferred into the building. That makes them straightforward to install in an existing facility and simple to relocate — but the legs and runway supports take up floor space and can obstruct operator movement in a small room.
Ceiling suspended systems hang from the building structure or dedicated steelwork, keeping the floor clear and maximising working area. They depend on the roof or ceiling being able to carry the load, which is confirmed at survey. Where it cannot, our own engineers can design and fabricate the supporting steelwork as part of the installation.
Lifting Equipment Compliance in the UK and Ireland
In Great Britain and Northern Ireland a cleanroom crane is lifting equipment under LOLER 1998 and work equipment under PUWER 1998. It must be thoroughly examined by a competent person before first use where its safety depends on how it is installed, and then at least every 12 months — or every six months for lifting accessories and for anything used to lift people — unless a written examination scheme sets different intervals (HSE guidance on thorough examination). New bridge and gantry cranes are designed and verified to BS EN 15011.
In the Republic of Ireland the equivalent duties sit in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299 of 2007), enforced by the Health and Safety Authority). Under Regulation 52, fixed lifting equipment must be tested and thoroughly examined before it is used for the first time and a certificate specifying the safe working load obtained, with periodic thorough examination thereafter — generally every 12 months for lifting machines and every six months for lifting accessories. WH Scott can carry out the thorough examination and certification on the equipment we install and fold it into a preventative crane maintenance programme scheduled around your production windows.
Get in Touch
Tell Us About Your Project
Whether you need a single piece of equipment or a fully engineered lifting system, our specialists can help. Tell us your load, environment and compliance requirements — we’ll do the rest.