Which Australian Standard applies to bridge crane inspections?

AS 2550.5 (Cranes, hoists and winches - Safe use - Bridge, gantry and portal cranes) is the primary standard for the safe use and inspection of bridge cranes in Australia. It is read alongside AS 1418.3 (Bridge and gantry cranes) for design, AS 2759 (Steel wire rope - Selection, care and deployment) for rope assessment and AS 2089 (Sheave blocks and grooved drums). WHS Regulations 2011 Chapter 5 Part 5.1 then sits over the top of all of these, placing duties on the PCBU and the competent person.

How often does OSHA require bridge crane inspections in the US?

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.179(j) requires daily and frequent visual inspections by the operator, monthly inspections of hooks and wire ropes with a signed record kept on file, and periodic inspections at one to twelve month intervals depending on activity, severity of service and environment. Annual inspections must include a complete examination of structural, mechanical and electrical components. Cranes that have been idle for one month or more must be inspected before being returned to service.

Who is qualified to inspect a bridge crane in Australia?

Daily pre-operational checks can be completed by a trained and competent operator. Monthly and periodic inspections should be performed by a competent person with documented training and experience in bridge crane systems. Annual and major inspections, including load testing and any structural assessment, should be performed by a competent person or licensed assessor with relevant engineering competencies. The PCBU is responsible for confirming the inspectors qualifications under the WHS framework and AS 2550.5.

Can I use this bridge crane checklist for a gantry or jib crane?

The structural and functional sections of this checklist apply broadly to bridge, gantry and portal cranes covered by AS 2550.5 (and OSHA 1910.179 in the US). However, gantry cranes have additional inspection items for legs, sill beams and end-truck wheels running on floor rails, and jib cranes have unique items for the slewing bearing, jib boom and pillar mounting. Use this template as a baseline for any overhead crane but supplement with the specific items from the manufacturer manual for your crane type.

When must a bridge crane be tagged out of service after inspection?

A bridge crane must be tagged out of service if any critical defect is found. Under AS 2550.5 and OSHA 1910.179, critical defects include: a brake that fails to hold the rated load, a wire rope reaching the broken-wire retirement criteria of AS 2759 or ASME B30.2, a hook with throat opening exceeding 15% of the original or twist exceeding 10 degrees, a cracked load-bearing weld in the bridge girder or end trucks, an inoperative upper limit switch, or a deformed end stop. Tag and lock out the main isolator immediately and raise a work order before any further use.

Is this bridge crane inspection checklist free to use?

Yes. Download and use this bridge crane inspection checklist for free. Open the file in your browser and use Print then Save as PDF. No MapTrack account is required. If you want to run digital bridge crane inspections against each asset with photo evidence, broken-wire counts saved against the rope record, automated reminders for monthly and annual inspections and a compliance dashboard across every bay, MapTrack can do that. Book a demo to see how it works.

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Free bridge crane inspection checklist (PDF-ready). Covers runways, end trucks, hoists, wire ropes, controls and safety devices for AS 2550.5 compliance.

Jarrod Milford

Commercial Director

Updated 24 May 2026

Also see:Compliance and inspections →Best inspection software →MapTrack vs SafetyCulture →

Updated 24 May 2026

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What is a bridge crane inspection checklist?

A bridge crane inspection checklist is a structured form used to inspect and document the condition of an overhead bridge crane against the requirements of AS 2550.5 (Cranes, hoists and winches - Safe use - Bridge, gantry and portal cranes). It covers every safety-critical component of a top-running or underhung bridge crane, including runway rails and end stops, end trucks and wheel assemblies, the bridge girder, the trolley and hoist, wire ropes or load chains, hooks, brakes, controls, limit switches and electrical collection systems. The checklist gives factory and warehouse operators a single repeatable record that proves each inspection happened, who performed it and what was found.

Bridge cranes are classified as high-risk plant under Australian WHS legislation, meaning they fall under the Chapter 5 Part 5.1 obligations for registration, competent-person inspection and maintenance in safe condition. Unlike mobile cranes, bridge cranes are permanently installed and routinely operated by general workshop staff rather than ticketed crane operators, which makes daily and periodic inspection even more important. A documented inspection programme demonstrates that the PCBU has met its obligations under WHS Regulations 2011, AS 2550.5, AS 1418.3 (Bridge, gantry, portal and jib cranes) and (for US operations) OSHA 29 CFR 1910.179. Failing to detect a worn brake, a deformed end stop or a corroded wire rope before a lift can lead to load drops, runway derailment, structural collapse or fatalities, making a documented daily and periodic inspection regime non-negotiable for every bridge crane on site.

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Benefits of using this bridge crane inspection checklist

Worker safety: detect cracked welds, worn brakes and damaged wire ropes before they cause a load drop or runway derailment over a workshop floor.
AS 2550.5 compliance: provides the daily, monthly and annual inspection records expected of a competent-person regime for bridge, gantry and portal cranes.
Production uptime: catch wheel-flange wear, gearbox leaks and contactor wear during scheduled inspections rather than mid-lift when a crane down event halts the whole bay.
Insurance and warranty: documented inspection history is routinely requested by industrial liability insurers and crane warranty providers after any incident or claim.
Component lifecycle tracking: track wire-rope retirement criteria, brake-shoe thickness and wheel-flange wear over time to plan replacements before they become emergencies.
OSHA 1910.179 readiness: organisations operating bridge cranes in the United States get an inspection format that mirrors the OSHA monthly and annual inspection criteria for overhead and gantry cranes.
Audit defence: signed and dated inspection records demonstrate due diligence to WHS, OSHA or insurer auditors after any incident, near-miss or scheduled audit visit.

Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack

When you digitise bridge crane checklists in MapTrack, you get:

Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
Automatically get alerts when faults are identified.
Link every form digitally as a PDF to the relevant asset, location or person.
Receive a digital PDF copy with every submission to your email.
Ability to share forms digitally.
Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
Electronic signatures.
Edit forms later without reprinting.
Restrict permissions (who can view, complete or approve).
Build forms with AI (describe what you need and MapTrack suggests the form).
Escalate critical hazards instantly to safety managers via push notification.
Maintain an auditable safety register that satisfies WHS regulator requests.
Correlate incident trends across sites with built-in safety analytics.

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What to include in a bridge crane inspection checklist

This bridge crane inspection checklist covers 13 key areas:

Crane details: type (top-running or underhung), make, model, serial number, SWL/WLL in tonnes, span, runway length, site location and asset ID.
Inspection details: inspector name, date, inspection type (daily, monthly, quarterly, annual), run hours or lift cycles.
Runway and end stops: rail alignment, rail wear, splices, support brackets, runway conductor bars, end stops at both ends of the runway.
End trucks and wheels: wheel-flange wear, tread wear, axle play, wheel bearings, drive coupling, square truck frame.
Bridge girder and trolley: girder camber, bolted connections, paint and corrosion, trolley wheels, trolley rails, bridge walkway and handrails (if fitted).
Hoist: hoist motor, gearbox oil level, brake operation, brake shoe or pad thickness, holding brake, hoist drum, drum grooves.
Wire ropes or load chains: rope diameter, broken-wire count per lay, corrosion, lay length, fleet angle, drum anchorage, dead-end terminations, or chain link wear and stretch.
Hook block and rigging: hook throat opening, hook twist, safety latch, swivel function, sheaves, sheave bearings, lower block guards.
Controls and pendant: pendant condition, festoon cable, control buttons, joystick centring, smoothness of operation, radio remote and battery (if used).
Safety devices: upper limit switch, lower limit switch (if fitted), anti-collision (multi-crane bays), overload protection, emergency stop, audible warning.
Electrical: collector shoes or festoon, runway conductor bar, cab heating and lighting (if cab-operated), bridge isolator, motor brake disc.
Defect register: each defect numbered with severity (critical, major, minor) and corrective action.
Sign-off: inspector signature, supervisor or workshop manager signature, date.

How to use this bridge crane inspection checklist

Record crane details and pre-inspection run hours.: Note the crane type (top-running or underhung), make, model, serial number, SWL or WLL, span, current run hours from the panel and the date of last service. This ties the inspection to a specific asset and its maintenance history under AS 2550.5.
Conduct visual inspection from floor level with the crane powered off and locked out.: Walk the full runway length and inspect the runway rails, splices, end stops, runway conductor bars, support brackets and any anti-collision sensors. Inspect the bridge girder, end trucks and trolley from below for cracks, corrosion, oil leaks, deformation or missing components.
Inspect wire ropes or chains, hooks and rigging at the lowest practical hoist position.: Lower the hook block to a safe accessible height and inspect the wire rope or chain along its full length. For wire ropes, measure rope diameter at three points, count broken wires per lay length and check for corrosion, kinking, birdcaging and lubrication per AS 2759. Inspect the hook throat for opening, twist and safety-latch operation.
Power up, perform no-load functional tests, then test with a known test load.: Energise the crane, then test each control function from the pendant or cab: hoist up and down, cross-travel, long-travel, all at no load. Cycle each motion through the upper, lower and end-of-travel limits. Apply a known test load (typically 25% of SWL for periodic checks, 125% for annual proof load) and confirm each brake holds without creep.
Test all safety devices including limit switches, overload and emergency stop.: Confirm the upper limit switch activates before the hook contacts the underside of the trolley. Test the overload protection by lifting a load close to but under the trip threshold and verify the trip if the device is testable from the pendant. Press the emergency stop and confirm all motions cease and brakes set.
Record all defects with severity ratings and assign corrective actions.: For each defect found, record the component, the nature of the fault and a severity rating (critical, major or minor) against AS 2550.5 and the manufacturer manual. Critical defects (failed brake, cracked load-bearing weld, broken wire-rope criteria reached) require the crane to be immediately tagged out of service.
Sign off, tag the crane and update the maintenance record.: Record the overall inspection result (pass or fail), sign and date the form, and apply a green serviceable tag or red out-of-service tag to the bridge or main isolator. Update the asset service record and raise work orders for any major or minor defects so they are closed out before the next inspection cycle.

In MapTrack, you can digitise safety inspections and compliance forms. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.

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How often should you complete this checklist?

Bridge crane inspections follow a tiered schedule under AS 2550.5 and the OSHA 1910.179(j) framework. The operator performs a daily pre-shift visual and functional check that confirms controls, brakes, limit switches and the emergency stop work correctly. Monthly inspections by a competent person cover wire ropes or load chains, hooks, brakes, end trucks and the runway conductor system. Quarterly and annual major inspections by a competent person or licensed assessor cover the full structural inspection, gearbox condition, wheel-flange wear measurement, electrical insulation testing and a documented load test.

Ten-year major inspections typically involve non-destructive testing of the bridge girder, end-truck welds and runway rails, plus a full strip-down of the hoist. Cranes in high-duty cycles (steelworks, foundries, paper mills), high-humidity environments or any crane after an overload event, side-pull incident or structural modification must be re-inspected before returning to service. In MapTrack, you can schedule each inspection tier per crane, link inspection results to the asset and trigger automatic work orders for any defect that fails AS 2550.5 or the OEM service manual.

Frequently asked questions

Applicable regulatory standards

This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:

AS 2550.5 - Bridge, gantry and portal cranes - Safe use
AS 1418.3 - Bridge, gantry, portal and jib cranes - Design and manufacture
AS 2759 - Steel wire rope - Use, inspection and discard criteria
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.179 - Overhead and gantry cranes (US)
WHS Regulations 2011 - Chapter 5, Part 5.1 (registration and inspection of plant)

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