Lifting and access equipment is the most tightly prescribed asset class on a mine site. The AS 2550 series sets out periodic, annual and major inspection requirements for cranes and elevating work platforms, AS 2359 covers powered industrial trucks, and AS 4991, AS 3775 and AS 1666 cover the lifting gear hung beneath the hook.
We inspect lifting and access assets to those standards and report in the form site plant registers and regulators expect: what was inspected, against which standard, what was found and whether the asset is fit for continued use.
Equipment we inspect
Inspection scope
- Cranes
- Mobile, overhead and vehicle loading cranes — structure, slew, hoist, wire rope, hooks, limit and load moment systems, to AS 2550.1 and the relevant part of the series.
- Elevating work platforms
- Boom and scissor EWPs — structure, platform, controls, safety devices and log book compliance to AS 2550.10.
- Telescopic handlers
- Boom, carriage, attachments, load moment indication and stability systems to AS 2550.19.
- Forklifts
- Fork arms, mast, chains, carriage and load-handling attachments to the AS 2359 series and ISO 5057.
- Lifting gear
- Chain slings, wire rope slings, synthetic slings, shackles, hooks, lifting beams and spreader bars to AS 3775, AS 1666, AS 4497, AS 1353, AS 2741 and AS 4991.
- Major inspections
- Ten-year major inspections of cranes, EWPs and telehandlers, including strip-down scope, NDT and engineering sign-off.
What you receive
- Inspection certificate identifying the asset, standard applied and inspection type (periodic, annual, major)
- Defect register with rejection criteria referenced to the standard
- Wire rope, hook and lifting gear examination records with discard criteria applied
- Load test records where a test forms part of the scope
- Lifting gear register update with tag and identification checks
Applicable standards and regulations
| Reference | Title | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| AS 2550.1 | Cranes, hoists and winches — Safe use — General requirements | Inspection regime (pre-operational, routine, periodic, annual, major) applying to all cranes. |
| AS 2550.5, 2550.3, 2550.11 | Safe use — Mobile cranes; Bridge, gantry and portal cranes; Vehicle loading cranes | Type-specific inspection and major inspection requirements. |
| AS 2550.10 and AS/NZS 1418.10 | Mobile elevating work platforms — Safe use and design | Annual inspection, major inspection and log book requirements for EWPs. |
| AS 2550.19 and AS 1418.19 | Telescopic handlers — Safe use and design | Inspection, load chart and attachment requirements for telehandlers. |
| AS 2359 series | Powered industrial trucks | General requirements and operation for forklifts; fork arm inspection practice follows ISO 5057. |
| AS 4991, AS 3775, AS 1666, AS 4497, AS 1353, AS 2741 | Lifting devices; chain slings; wire rope slings; round slings; flat webbing slings; shackles | Design, care, inspection and discard criteria for below-the-hook lifting gear. |
| Model WHS Regulations, Schedule 5 | Plant requiring design and item registration | Registration obligations for mobile cranes over 10 t, boom-type EWPs with boom length of 11 m or more, and vehicle loading cranes of 10 metre-tonnes or more. |
Evidence base for procurement
Public sources · reviewed 19 Sep 2026These regulator and standards sources provide the public basis for the inspection context on this page. They describe requirements and application context; they do not claim that Mining Inspection Australia holds a qualification, accreditation or project history.
Safe Work Australia
The model framework for plant duties, inspection, maintenance and records; check the adopted law in the relevant jurisdiction.
Standards Australia Store
General requirements for cranes, hoists, winches and their components. Confirm the applicable part for the equipment and current project scope.
Standards Australia Store
Requirements for lifting devices connected to a crane hook, including spreader beams, magnet lifters, vacuum lifters and friction lifters.
Standards Australia Store
Safe-use practices for mobile elevating work platforms, including management, planning, selection, operation and maintenance.
Typical findings
- Cranes and EWPs beyond ten years without a documented major inspection
- Wire rope broken-wire counts, corrosion or core damage at discard limits
- Hook throat opening and wear beyond manufacturer limits, or missing safety latches
- Fork arm heel wear exceeding 10 percent of original thickness
- Chain sling links with wear, stretch or nicks beyond AS 3775.2 discard criteria, and missing identification tags
- Load moment indicator and limit switch faults, or overridden safety devices
- Incomplete or missing log books and inspection records
When to inspect
- Annual inspection due under AS 2550.1, AS 2550.10 or AS 2550.19
- Ten-year major inspection for mobile cranes, vehicle loading cranes, EWPs and telehandlers
- Before first use on site and after relocation or reassembly
- After overload, contact with structures or powerlines, or any incident
- Quarterly or annual lifting gear inspection cycles
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a periodic, annual and major inspection?
Under AS 2550.1, periodic inspections are set by the owner from the manufacturer's recommendations, an annual inspection is a comprehensive inspection by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months, and a major inspection is a detailed inspection — usually with disassembly and NDT — at the end of the design working period, which for mobile cranes, EWPs and telehandlers is ten years.
Do you inspect lifting gear as well as cranes?
Yes. Chain, wire rope and synthetic slings, shackles, hooks, lifting beams and spreader bars are inspected to their governing standards and the lifting gear register is updated with each item's identification, condition and next inspection date.
What records do I need to keep for lifting equipment?
A log book or equivalent record for each crane, EWP and telehandler showing inspections, maintenance and defects; certificates for annual and major inspections; and a lifting gear register. Design and item registration details must also be available for plant in Schedule 5 of the WHS Regulations.
Can you carry out ten-year major inspections?
Yes. Major inspections are scoped to the relevant AS 2550 part and the manufacturer's requirements, including component strip-down, NDT of critical welds and pins, and engineering review before the crane or platform is certified for a further period.