Telehandlers are mobile plant, forklift and — when fitted with a jib or hook — crane, all in one machine. AS 2550.19 and AS 1418.19 recognise this by requiring a load chart for every attachment, a longitudinal load moment indicator, and annual and ten-year major inspections. Most telehandler incidents are overturns caused by operating outside the chart for the attachment in use.
We inspect fixed and rotating telehandlers to AS 2550.19, covering the boom and frame structure, attachment interface and attachments, safety and stability systems, and the documentation that ties the machine, attachments and load charts together.
Inspection checklist areas
- Boom and extension sections
- MT of boom pivot, lift and compensating cylinder mounts and section welds; wear pad condition and adjustment; extension chain or cable condition and tension; boom head and carriage tilt pivots.
- Carriage and attachments
- Quick-attach locking pins and engagement indication, carriage welds, fork arms to ISO 5057 criteria, jibs, hooks, buckets and work platforms with matching load charts.
- Frame, axles and stabilisers
- Chassis welds, axle mounts and oscillation lock, stabiliser beams, pads and interlocks, frame levelling (sway) system, rear counterweight mounting.
- Load moment and stability systems
- Longitudinal load moment indicator calibration and cut-out function, boom angle and extension sensors, stabiliser and axle lock interlocks, tilt indication on rotating machines.
- Braking, steering and hydraulics
- Service and park brake performance, steering modes and alignment, cylinder holding valves and boom drift test, hose condition.
- Cab, protection and documentation
- ROPS/FOPS identification and condition, seat belt, visibility aids, log book, load charts for every attachment on site, previous inspection records.
Known failure modes
Overturning
Lifting outside the load chart for the attachment fitted, LMI bypassed, or travelling with the boom raised on uneven ground.
Boom structural cracking
Fatigue at the boom pivot, cylinder mounts and section welds, particularly on machines used for repetitive lifting at reach.
Attachment release
Quick-attach pins not engaged or worn, with indication faulty or ignored.
Extension chain or cable failure
Worn or stretched extension chains allowing section retraction or misalignment.
Uncontrolled boom lowering
Holding valve or hose failure on the lift cylinder circuit.
Applicable standards and regulations
| Reference | Title | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| AS 2550.19 | Cranes, hoists and winches — Safe use — Telescopic handlers | Inspection, major inspection, log book and attachment load chart requirements. |
| AS 1418.19 | Cranes, hoists and winches — Telescopic handlers | Design basis, including the longitudinal load moment indicator and stability requirements. |
| AS 2550.1 | Cranes, hoists and winches — Safe use — General requirements | General inspection framework. |
| ISO 5057 | Industrial trucks — Inspection and repair of fork arms in service | Fork arm inspection and discard criteria. |
| AS 2294.1 / ISO 3471 and ISO 3449 | Earth-moving machinery — Protective structures | ROPS/FOPS identification and condition. |
Inspection intervals
- Annual inspection
- At intervals not exceeding 12 months by a competent person, recorded in the log book (AS 2550.19).
- Major inspection
- At ten years from manufacture under AS 2550.19, and thereafter at intervals set by the competent person.
When to inspect
- Annual inspection due or log book not up to date
- Machine reaching ten years of age
- A new attachment or work platform being introduced
- After overturning, overload or boom contact
- Before hire, purchase or introduction to site
Frequently asked questions
Do attachments need their own load charts?
Yes. AS 2550.19 requires a load chart for each attachment in the configuration used. The inspection checks that charts exist for every attachment on site, are legible in the cab, and match the machine and attachment identification.
What does the longitudinal load moment indicator do, and is it tested?
It warns and cuts out boom functions as the machine approaches forward tipping. Its calibration and cut-out are tested during the inspection, and any evidence of bypassing is reported as a critical finding.
Is a telehandler with a crane jib treated as a crane?
When fitted with a jib or hook for freely suspended loads it operates as a crane under AS 2550.1 and AS 2550.19, and the jib, hook and the crane-mode load chart are inspected accordingly.