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CRANE • EQUIPMENT • SAFETY

Crane Inspection
Requirements [With
Checklists]
By: Dustin Eusebio on June 7, 2023

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When you conduct regular crane inspections, you can identify

potential hazards and proactively perform preventative
maintenance. OSHA has two classifications for crane
inspections: frequent and periodic. Frequent inspections
occur at daily, weekly, or monthly intervals, testing the crane
for function and proper operation, while periodic inspections
can occur bimonthly, quarterly, or yearly.

In this post, we go over the basics of crane inspection,

including relevant OSHA standards, different types of
inspections, and general inspection requirements.

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Table of Contents
OSHA Crane Inspection Requirements

Who Should Inspect the Crane?

When Must Crane Inspections Take Place?

How to Conduct a Crane Safety Inspection

OSHA Inspection Requirements for Idle Cranes

Crane Safety Tips

Do You Need a License to Operate a Crane?

OSHA Crane Inspection

Requirements

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OSHA standard 1926.1412 establishes crane inspection

requirements. Here’s an overview of what’s required for a
crane inspection.

The crane must be inspected by

a “competent individual”
If you’re an employer, OSHA (1926.550) requires you to
designate a competent person as the crane inspector. You
must select a person familiar with crane components and
capable of identifying potential hazards. They also must be
authorized to take measures to eliminate those hazards, if
any are found.

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You must perform a functional

test of the equipment
To prevent any potential problems or injuries that could occur
while using the machine, cranes must be inspected before
use, including initial use.

A functional test evaluates how the crane works and if it’s

operating normally. The person you select to perform the
inspection must look at and test all critical crane
components, including the control system, braking system,
power plant, and load-sustaining structural components like
the hoisting equipment.

You must perform “frequent”

and “periodic” inspections
Depending on how much and how often your crane is in use,
you have to perform frequent and periodic inspections at
appropriate intervals. OSHA Standard 1910.179 classifies
frequent inspections as occurring daily to monthly, and
periodic inspections as occurring at 1 to 12 month intervals.

Cranes in normal service to heavy service usually undergo

visual inspections daily or weekly with annual inspections to
test global structure integrity, while cranes in severe service
need to be inspected both ways more frequently.

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Who Should Inspect the

Crane?
According to OSHA, crane inspections must be performed by
a competent individual who is capable of identifying hazards
and authorized to take corrective measures for them. A crane
inspector can be a qualified employee appointed by the
employer or come from a third-party company.

In addition to testing a crane for function, an inspector is

responsible for identifying any maladjustments, defective
parts, or deformations before the crane is used.

When Must Crane

Inspections Take Place?
Frequent inspections must be done at daily to monthly
intervals. They cover day-to-day operating mechanisms,
making sure parts like the hydraulic system and hooks and
hoist chains are working properly.

Periodic inspections happen bimonthly, quarterly, or annually

depending on the crane’s activity. They look at overall wear,
examining parts like the sheaves, rivets, sprockets, and
brakes.

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In addition to frequent and periodic inspections, initial

inspections must be done on new or altered cranes. You must
conduct comprehensive inspections at a minimum of every
four years after the initial one for all new, altered, or used
cranes.

Annual inspections must be conducted on or before the

anniversary date of the last annual inspection.

How to Conduct a Crane

Safety Inspection
Both frequent and periodic crane inspections follow set
inspection checklists. Here’s an overview of what each type of
inspection looks for. These standards apply to overhead
cranes and gantry cranes as well.

Initial Inspection

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Under OSHA Standard 1910.179, an initial crane inspection

must be done prior to first use. The main difference between
this type of inspection and a frequent or periodic inspection is
that it’s performed before the initial use of the crane. This
means that any issues should be reviewed and damaged parts
should be replaced before the machine is ever operated. The
basic crane functions should be tested and a load test should
be performed.

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Whether you’re dealing with a new crane, an altered crane, or

a used crane, the procedures of an initial inspection are
repeated every four years after the very first inspection.

Frequent Inspection

Frequent inspections can occur at daily to monthly intervals.

They include inspections for defects or issues during
operation hours and between regularly scheduled inspections.

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Here’s a general checklist for daily crane inspections. The

crane inspector must check:

All functional operating mechanisms to make sure there’s

no maladjustment that could interfere with proper
operation or excessive wear of any components

All parts of air and hydraulic systems, like lines, tanks,

valves, and drain pumps, for deterioration or leakage

Hooks for deformation or cracks

Hoist chains, including end connections, for excessive wear,

twist, distorted links, or stretch beyond manufacturer’s
recommendations

Rope reeving to make sure it complies with manufacturer’s

recommendations

Periodic Inspection

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Periodic inspections can occur bimonthly, quarterly, or

annually depending on the crane’s activity, severity of service,
and work environment. Here’s a general overview for periodic
inspections. The crane inspector must check for:

Deformed, cracked, or corroded members

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Loose bolts or rivets

Cracked or worn sheaves and drums

Worn, cracked or distorted components, like pins, bearings,

shafts, gears, rollers, and locking and clamping devices

Excessive wear on brake system parts, linings, pawls, and

ratchets

Load, wind, and other indicators over their full range, to

catch significant inaccuracies

Excessive wear of chain drive sprockets and excessive chain

stretch

Improper performance in gasoline, diesel, electric, or other

power plants for noncompliance with applicable safety
requirements

Pitting or any deterioration of electric apparatus parts like

controller contactors, limit switches, and push-button
stations

OSHA Inspection
Requirements for Idle
Cranes
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If a crane has been idle for one month or more, but less than
six months, inspectors should follow the frequent inspection
procedure when they inspect the crane.

If a crane has been idle for six months or longer, it should

undergo a complete inspection. This entails going through the
procedures of both a frequent inspection and a periodic
inspection.

Crane Safety Tips

As with any piece of heavy-duty equipment, a lot can go
wrong when a crane is used improperly. Here are some basic
crane safety tips to help keep your team safe around a crane.

Select the right type of crane. Make sure the crane is

appropriate for the tasks you want to perform with it. Some
cranes are mobile and some are fixed. Within these
different types, you’ll find different load capacities and
other capabilities, so you need to know your tasks’ details
so you can choose the right equipment for your job.

Read your crane operator manual. The manual gives you an

accurate sense of your crane’s capabilities and limitations.
You can get an idea of the layout of the controls and your
specific model functions.

Understand your crane’s load limits. Overloading your crane

can cause hazards like tipping or deformation. Make sure

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you only load your crane to its designated capacity.

Be aware of your jobsite environment and surroundings.

When operating a crane, keep an eye on people, structures,
and obstructions around you. Operate the crane on
designated paths and use a spotter to alert you of any
hazards.

Do You Need a License to

Operate a Crane?
Yes, according to OSHA, crane operators must be certified,
and you have to pass both written and practical tests. While
the written test evaluates your knowledge of the machine, the
practical test ensures you can operate it properly. A practical
test generally assesses:

Evaluating the crane per OSHA standards

Operating and maneuvering the crane

Applying load chart information

Using safe shutdown and other securing procedures

If a crane operator needs to be recertified, OSHA requires a

valid assessment of the operator’s performance. This usually

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involves completing a requisite number of work hours without

any incident, along with a written and practical test.

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