Annual inspection of cranes and lifting accessories – who is allowed to inspect?
The condition of cranes, hoists and lifting accessories must be ensured throughout their service life. In industrial practice, the starting point is an annual, documented inspection. The manufacturer’s instructions, the amount of use and demanding conditions may require more frequent inspections. The annual inspection does not replace the checks made by the user before use.
Which equipment is included in the inspection programme?
The inspection list includes cranes and their runways, electric and pneumatic hoists, workstation hoists, hand chain hoists and lever hoists, and all lifting accessories in use. These include, for example, lifting slings, round slings, chain and wire rope slings, shackles, lifting points, lifting beams, plate clamps, lifting magnets and vacuum lifters.
Annual inspection of lifting accessories is an established safety practice, supported by the guidance of the Finnish Centre for Occupational Safety (Työturvallisuuskeskus) and product-specific inspection instructions. The inspection interval and content specified by the manufacturer must be followed. Infrequent use alone is not a reason to ignore them.
When is a certified inspector needed?
Commissioning and periodic inspections of the equipment listed in the annex to Government Decree 403/2008 require an approved independent expert or a competent expert body in accordance with section 37. For ordinary industrial cranes, this in practice means an inspector certified for that equipment group or a competent inspection body.
| Item to be inspected | Inspector requirement |
|---|---|
| A power-driven crane lifting more than 500 kg and its runway: for example an overhead, light or jib crane | An independent expert approved for the equipment group or a competent expert body |
| An electric, pneumatic or workstation hoist of more than 500 kg that meets the crane definition in the annex to the decree | Same requirement as above |
| A goods hoist of up to 500 kg that does not belong to another equipment group in the annex, and manually operated hoists | A competent person familiar with the structure, use and inspection of the device |
| Lifting accessories, such as lifting slings, chain slings, lifting beams and clamps | A competent person familiar with that accessory group; there is no general personal certification requirement |
The limit is more than 500 kg, not 500 kg or more. A high load capacity alone does not make a lifting beam an item to be inspected by a certified crane inspector. What matters is the classification of the device, not just its lifting capacity or trade name.
How is the competence of a trained person verified?
The trained competent person can be the company’s own employee or an external expert. Operating experience or a course certificate alone does not prove competence for all inspection tasks.
The employer should verify through a practical demonstration that the person:
- identifies the equipment, its load limitations and load-bearing parts
- finds the correct inspection instructions and rejection criteria
- recognises damage and makes the necessary measurements
- can justify approval, rejection or the need for further investigation
- documents the inspection and prevents the use of dangerous equipment
The competence is limited in writing to those equipment groups whose inspection has been shown to be mastered. For example, competence in inspecting lifting slings does not automatically cover the safety systems of vacuum lifters. If in-house competence is not sufficient, an external expert is used. A practical demonstration is a recommended assessment method, not a competence test required by the authorities.
Contents of the inspection
- Identified equipment: identifier, manufacturer, model and working load limit.
- Manufacturer’s information and previous inspections: manufacturer’s instructions, previous inspections, servicing and fault reports.
- Condition: wear, deformation, corrosion, joints, locking devices and other equipment-specific inspection points.
- Necessary measurements and function tests in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the applicable requirements.
- Recorded results: findings, measurements, decision, repair needs, inspector and the date of the next inspection.
- Follow-up actions for rejected equipment and returning it to service: Make sure repairs have been carried out before returning the equipment to service.
The records of equipment listed in the annex are additionally subject to the content and retention requirements of section 38. These include the course of the inspection, safety deficiencies and repair instructions, an assessment of the next inspections and the date of the last thorough inspection. The records are kept for the service life of the equipment. Documentation of lifting accessories follows product-specific instructions; a traceable record is a good common practice for the entire fleet.
The inspection programme for lifting equipment listed in the annex also takes into account the necessary annual test run under section 34 and a test with the maximum permitted load every four years. Overloading that creates a risk of overturning requires a load test at every periodic inspection. This four-year rule is not transferred as such to all lifting accessories.
https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/2008/403
