Short answer: A mobile crane inspection checklist covers three levels: the shift inspection before each use (controls, hook, wire rope, safety devices, tires and outriggers), the documented monthly inspection, and the annual inspection by a qualified person under OSHA 1926.1412 and ASME B30.5. Our free PDF below covers all three and includes a carry deck crane section.
A mobile crane runs on three inspection cycles — a daily pre-shift check, a documented monthly check, and a full annual inspection by a qualified person. This guide explains what each one is, who does it, and when, and gives you a free printable checklist to download for each, in both the OSHA 1926 (construction & mobile) and 1910 (overhead) standards. OSHA 1926.1412 sets the schedule for construction and mobile cranes; ASME B30.5 fills in the detail.
Rather have it inspected? Our NCCCO-certified inspectors perform mobile crane inspections in all 50 states. Request a quote and hear back in about a business day.
We are 3P Safety Inspections, a third-party crane inspection company working all 50 states. Every inspector is NCCCO-certified. We inspect to OSHA and the ASME B30 codes, and we do not sell or rent cranes — so our reports just give you the facts.
We reach most sites in 24 to 72 hours.
Pre-Shift (Daily) Inspection
A pre-shift inspection is the quick visual and functional check a competent person — usually the operator — makes before the crane is used on each shift. OSHA 1926.1412(d) requires it. It is not a teardown.
It is a trained walk-around that catches the fresh damage that ends shifts: a new broken wire in the rope, a hook latch that will not close, a brake that does not hold, a hydraulic leak, an outrigger pad sinking into soft ground.
The operator runs the controls through their motions, confirms the safety devices and the load chart, and looks over the structure, wire rope, hook, tires or tracks, and outriggers. Anything that fails comes off the crane before the first lift. Our free printable pre-shift checklist walks every point in the cab and around the machine so nothing gets skipped. And if the daily check on your fleet has drifted into a checkmark exercise, our pre-shift inspection program audit finds where it is breaking down.
Monthly Documented Inspection
The monthly inspection is a deeper, documented check by a competent person, required by OSHA 1926.1412(e). Once a month someone signs and dates a record that the rope, rigging, hooks, brakes, swing system, hydraulics, and structure were examined. This is the layer auditors most often find missing — the daily check feels routine and the annual feels official, so the monthly in between gets skipped.
Keep the signed record at least three months.
The monthly goes further than the pre-shift: the wire rope is checked along its full length including the wraps on the drum, the hook throat is measured against spec, and the high-stress welds and pins get a closer look. Download the free monthly checklist below and keep the signed copies with the crane log.
Annual / Full Inspection
The annual, or full, inspection is the big one: a qualified person examines the whole machine at least every twelve months under OSHA 1926.1412(f) and ASME B30.5, and writes a full report. This is the document an auditor, an insurer, or a federal contracting officer asks to see.
The qualified person works the crane by component — structure and boom, hoist and reeving, brakes and hydraulics, carrier and outriggers, electrical and safety devices — measures wear against the removal criteria, and may run a rated-capacity load test if the crane is new, repaired, or due. Keep the annual report at least twelve months. Most owners keep the full history for the life of the crane. Download the free annual checklist below to see exactly what a thorough yearly inspection covers.
Setup, Ground, and Outriggers
Even a perfect machine can tip on bad ground. Before each lift the crew confirms the ground will carry the load, the outrigger mats and cribbing are sized and seated, the outriggers are extended or set per the load chart, the crane is level, and there is clearance to power lines (OSHA 1926.1408) and to nearby structures. These setup checks belong to every shift, not just the formal inspections.
Re-Inspect After an Event
OSHA and ASME both call for an inspection after any event that could damage a crane — a repair, a modification, an overload, a storm, a collision, or a long idle period. The crane comes out of service until a qualified person checks the affected systems and clears it. A storm counts. So does a crane that sat parked through a wet winter.
How We Classify What We Find
When we inspect, we rank every finding so you know what to fix first: Critical means the crane comes out of service now; Major means repair before the next lift; Minor means repair on a set timeline; Monitor means watch it and re-check at the next interval. Each finding ties to a photo and the exact OSHA or ASME rule behind it.
Cranes This Guide Covers
The same OSHA 1926.1412 schedule and ASME B30.5 detail apply across the mobile-crane family — rough-terrain, all-terrain, truck-mounted, crawler, boom-truck, and carry-deck cranes. Overhead and gantry cranes follow OSHA 1910.179 and ASME B30.2 instead. If that is your equipment, download the OSHA 1910 version of each checklist above, or see our overhead crane inspection template.
Carry Deck Crane Inspection Checklist
Carry deck cranes — the low-profile, cab-down machines from makers like Broderson, Shuttlelift, and Grove — are mobile cranes under the standard: the same OSHA 1926.1412 daily, monthly, and annual cycle and the same ASME B30.5 detail apply. The small footprint does not exempt them.
Because they work indoors and often sit parked between jobs, two checks matter more on a carry deck than on any other mobile crane: the after-idle re-inspection before a parked crane returns to service, and floor loading under the outriggers when the machine sets up over slabs, trench covers, or pits.
On the inspection itself, give extra attention to:
- Sightlines, mirrors, and horn — deck-level operation puts the operator close to workers and racking
- Boom wear pads and the boom support or rest
- Tires and brakes — pick-and-carry duty means the running gear carries the load
- Outrigger boxes and pads, and the floor underneath them
- Deck condition and load securement
The free PDF checklist above covers the full daily, monthly, and annual cycle for the whole mobile-crane family and includes a carry deck supplement on page two.
Crane Inspection Frequency at a Glance
| Inspection | How Often | Who Performs It | What It Covers | Record Kept? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shift / Daily | Before each shift or use | Competent person (often the operator) | Controls, brakes, wire rope, hooks, leaks, tires or tracks, safety devices | Good practice |
| Monthly | Every 30 days | Competent person | Wire rope along its length, hooks and latches, hoist brakes | Yes — signed and dated |
| Frequent | Daily to monthly, by service class | Competent person | Running gear and high-wear items per ASME B30 | Per your program |
| Annual / Periodic | Every 12 months | Qualified person | The full machine: structure, welds, sheaves, drums, hydraulics, controls | Yes — full written report |
| After an event | After a repair, modification, storm, or idle period | Qualified person | The affected systems, before the crane returns to service | Yes |
The Standards Behind These Checks
We tie each finding to the rule it checks against:
- OSHA 1926.1412 — cranes on construction sites
- OSHA 1910.179 and 1910.180 — cranes in plants
- ASME B30.5, B30.3, and B30.2 — mobile, tower, and overhead cranes
- ASME B30.9 through B30.26 — slings and rigging hardware
- ANSI A92 — aerial work platforms
- EM 385-1-1 — federal and military job sites
What You Get in Your Report
Each inspection ends with a record you can use:
- A punch list of what to fix first
- A clear PDF report with photos
- Each finding tied to a photo and a rule
- Severity ratings you can act on
- A spreadsheet you can load into your CMMS
Why Owners Pick 3P Safety Inspections
We answer to the standard, not a sales team. We show up when we say and write reports a foreman can read. The quote is the price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is on a mobile crane inspection checklist?
Three layers: a daily pre-shift list (structure, wire rope, hook, controls, brakes, hydraulics, tires/tracks, outriggers, cab documents), a documented monthly list a competent person signs, and a full annual list a qualified person works component by component under OSHA 1926.1412 and ASME B30.5.
Who fills out the daily mobile crane checklist?
A competent person — usually the operator — before each shift, under 1926.1412(d). It is a quick visual and functional check. The monthly check (1926.1412(e)) and annual (1926.1412(f)) go deeper and must be documented.
What is checked on the annual mobile crane inspection?
Structure and boom. Hoist, drum, and reeving. Wire rope and hook to ASME B30.5 limits. Brakes, clutches, and swing. The hydraulic and power systems. Outriggers, carrier, and tires. Electrical, safety devices, and operator aids. Plus load charts and a rated-capacity load test if the crane is new, repaired, or due.
How do you classify deficiencies?
Critical (out of service now), major (fix before the next lift), minor (fix on a set timeline), and monitor (watch and recheck). Every finding in our report is ranked so you know what to fix first.
Can I get a printable mobile crane inspection checklist?
Yes — download the free, inspector-authored PDF above. It carries the daily, monthly, and annual checks by component plus the wire-rope removal criteria, built from our real photo-documented field process.
Does this checklist cover rough-terrain and crawler cranes?
Yes. Rough-terrain, all-terrain, truck-mounted, crawler, boom-truck, and carry-deck cranes all run on the same OSHA 1926.1412 schedule and ASME B30.5 detail.
How long do I keep the signed checklists?
Keep the monthly documented inspection at least three months and the annual report at least twelve months under 1926.1412. Many owners keep the full history for the life of the crane.
Do you inspect mobile cranes in all 50 states?
Yes. We cover all 50 states with NCCCO-certified inspectors, quote most jobs in about a business day, and reach most sites in 24 to 72 hours.
Authoritative References
OSHA 1910.179 — Overhead & Gantry CranesThe official standard, straight from the source.Visit source about OSHA 1910.179 — Overhead & Gantry Cranes
ASME B30 — Safety Standard for Cranes & RiggingThe official standard, straight from the source.Visit source about ASME B30 — Safety Standard for Cranes & Rigging
NCCCO — Crane Operator & Inspector CertificationThe official standard, straight from the source.Visit source about NCCCO — Crane Operator & Inspector Certification