Inspection and documentation of cranes

A crane is a lifting device where failure can have serious consequences. That's why there's both a daily inspection carried out by the user and a periodic thorough inspection performed by a qualified person. The two complement each other.

Before the crane is used, the operator checks that it is in order. It is a quick but systematic review of the functions that matter most for safety. Faults discovered here mean the crane is not used until they are fixed.

• 01Emergency stop and operating controls work.
• 02Brakes hold load without slipping
• 03Wire, chains and hooks are without visible damage
• 04The hook's safety flap closes
• 05Possible overload protection and end stops function

In addition to the daily check, cranes and other lifting equipment must have a main inspection by a competent person at least every 12 months (BEK no. 428 of 05/04/2022 § 58). This covers mechanical and load-bearing parts, the safety equipment including overload and stability protection, the controls, the energy supply and hydraulics, pneumatics and electrics. The manufacturer's instructions determine the rest of the content — but 12 months is the longest interval. After every main inspection the crane must have a static load test at 125 % of the maximum permitted working load, with loose weights and by a competent person who issues a certificate (§§ 70-71). If the crane has been laid up, it must have a main inspection before it is used again (§ 58, subsection 4).

Cranes and other mechanically driven lifting equipment used outdoors with a maximum permissible load over 1,000 kg must have a 10-year inspection no later than when it is 10 years old, counted from the year of manufacture — and then at least every 10 years. It replaces the 12-month inspection that year. The inspection is a main inspection plus a particularly thorough examination of load-bearing parts, welds and joints for cracks, fatigue fractures and permanent deformation, and the competent person writes a report to the owner. Cranes permanently mounted on a registered lorry or van with at most 8 tonne-metres are exempt (BEK 428/2022 § 73).

Inspections must be documented. For all lifting equipment used at changing locations — such as mobile and lorry cranes — and for everything used for lifting people, a log must be kept (BEK 428/2022 § 72; this also applies to fixed electric hoists over 1,000 kg and other fixed lifting equipment over 300 kg). The log must be easily accessible to whoever uses the crane and contain the load tests, the inspection results including 10-year reports and the repairs and replacements that matter for safety. It shows that the crane has been properly maintained and is a tool for following wear over time.

The lifting gear — slings, chains, shackles — is also covered by inspection. It is checked before every use and is also inspected according to the manufacturer's instructions — at least every 12 months if the manufacturer specifies nothing else (BEK 428/2022 § 25). Gear that is no longer safe is scrapped so that it is not used again by mistake.