Free chain hoist inspection checklist
Free chain hoist inspection checklist for lever, come-along and electric hoists covering load chain, brake and discard per AS 1418.2 and ASME B30.16.
Updated 25 Sept 2026
Chain Hoist Inspection Checklist
Competent-person inspection | Per AS 1418.2, AS 2550.1 and ASME B30.16
Identification & rating
Load chain wear measurement
Hooks & latches
Load & brake test
Limit switches & drive housing
Lubrication & records
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Short answer
A chain hoist inspection checklist records each hoist's load chain wear, hooks and latches, brake holding, pawl and ratchet, limit switches, housing and rated capacity tag, with a keep, watch or retire decision. Operators check before use and competent persons inspect periodically. AS 2550.1-2011 Section 7 covers inspection, and regulation 213 of the model WHS Regulations requires competent-person inspection.
Checked against AS 2550.1-2011 on by the MapTrack templates team. How we check templates
Key takeaways
- The MapTrack chain hoist inspection checklist contains 29 checks across 6 sections. Sections covered: Identification & rating, Load chain wear measurement, Hooks & latches, Load & brake test, Limit switches & drive housing, Lubrication & records.
- Withdraw a hoist from service if the brake lets a test load drift, a limit switch fails or the load chain reaches the manufacturer's discard limit.
- Measure load chain wear with a gauge or callipers at several points and record the readings against the manufacturer's limits.
- Keep maintenance, inspection and repair records for each hoist by serial number (AS 2550.1 clause 7.5).
- Inspect a hoist out of cycle after any shock load, dropped load, brake slip or near miss, before it is used again.
- Send hoists with load path defects to the manufacturer's authorised service agent for repair or scrapping.
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What is a chain hoist inspection checklist?
A chain hoist inspection checklist is the component-level record used by a competent person to inspect each chain hoist in service and decide whether it stays in the gear box, goes on the watch list, or is retired and replaced. The inspection covers all three common types of chain hoist: manual lever chain hoists with a ratcheting handle for short pulls under load, come-alongs used for tensioning and pulling rather than vertical lifting, and electric chain hoists with motor-driven hoisting and limit switches. Each type shares a common load path of load chain through a lift wheel, a brake to hold the load, and a hook to attach to the load, but the inspection items differ between manual and electric hoists. Key technical inspection items include the load chain condition with pitch elongation, link bar diameter wear at the bearing surface and gouging measured against OEM discard criteria, the upper and lower hooks with latch function, throat opening, hook twist and swivel rotation checked against AS 3777, the brake holding capacity verified with a load drift test at light load, the pawl and ratchet condition on manual hoists, the upper and lower limit switches on electric hoists, the drive housing condition and gear backlash, and the rated capacity tag legibility.
AS 1418.2 (Cranes - Serial hoists and winches) is the Australian standard for chain and rope serial hoists, AS 2550.1 (Cranes, hoists and winches - Safe use - General requirements) carries the safe-use framework for hoists in service, ASME B30.16 (Overhead hoists) is the international reference that most OEM and import hoist manufacturers point to, and WHS Regulations 2011 Chapter 5 carries the PCBU plant inspection duty. A chain hoist retired from service is removed from the gear box and either returned to the OEM service agent for major rebuild or scrapped depending on the discard cause. A printed checklist supports the rigger inspector at the gear box, and a digital record in MapTrack ties each hoist to its serial number so the inspection cadence runs on the hoist itself.
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Benefits of using this chain hoist inspection checklist
- Discard-criteria accountability: Each hoist decision is signed against the competent inspector who measured load chain wear and brake holding capacity, not a generic gear-box signature
- AS 1418.2 and ASME B30.16 alignment: The checklist captures the exact discard criteria from both standards so audits and OEM warranty claims are straightforward
- Per-hoist traceability: Hoists are inspected by individual serial number because they are higher-value assemblies that warrant per-asset tracking
- Brake function evidence: A load drift test at light load is signed off every inspection so a slipping brake never reaches a load
- Multi-type coverage: The checklist covers lever chain hoists, come-alongs and electric chain hoists with type-specific inspection items rather than a generic hoist form
- Limit switch assurance: On electric hoists the upper and lower limit switches are function-tested per inspection to prevent two-block and bottom-block events
- Audit-ready evidence: A stamped, dated per-hoist record satisfies the WHS Regulations 2011 Chapter 5 expectation for a competent-person inspection layer over operator pre-starts
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you digitise chain hoist inspection checklists in MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
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- File every completed form against the asset, location or person it covers.
- Download any completed form as a PDF, with failed answers listed at the top.
- Fill in forms offline; they upload when the device is back online.
- 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.
- Set who can view, fill in or edit forms with user roles.
- Upload a paper form (PDF, Word, Excel or a photo) and MapTrack's AI builds a digital version for you to check.
- Email safety managers when a hazard report is submitted, with an automation you set up.
- Keep every hazard and incident report against the site it came from, with photos.
- Turn a hazard report into a corrective-action work order with its own review step.
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What to include in a chain hoist inspection checklist
This chain hoist inspection checklist covers 13 key areas:
- Hoist identification: serial number, manufacturer mark, rated capacity tag, certification standard, all clearly legible on the hoist body
- Hoist type confirmation: lever chain hoist vs come-along vs electric chain hoist, confirmed against the rated configuration the hoist is used in, with the come-along never used for vertical lifting
- Load chain condition: pitch elongation measured over a 5-link reference, link bar diameter wear at the bearing surface measured against OEM nominal, gouging and nicking documented against discard criteria
- Upper hook condition: latch function, throat opening measured against OEM nominal, hook twist measured against the plane of the body, swivel rotation under controlled load, all checked against AS 3777 discard criteria
- Lower hook condition: latch function, throat opening, hook twist and swivel rotation all checked against AS 3777 discard criteria
- Brake holding test (load drift test): with a light test load held for one minute, the load must not drift, brake holding capacity verified per OEM procedure
- Pawl and ratchet (manual hoists): pawl engagement under load, ratchet teeth condition, pawl spring tension and pawl pivot pin condition all confirmed
- Upper limit switch (electric hoists): function-test the upper limit switch with the hook approaching the top of travel, the hoist must stop before the bottom block contacts the upper housing
- Lower limit switch (electric hoists): function-test the lower limit switch with the hook approaching the bottom of travel, the hoist must stop before the lower hook reaches the end of chain
- Drive housing condition: housing inspected for cracks, deformation, missing bolts, oil leaks from the gearbox and any unauthorised weld repair
- Gear backlash and chain anchor: gear backlash within OEM specification, chain anchor at the dead end of the load chain in good condition with no fatigue cracking
- Lubrication and chain dressing: load chain dressing coverage and absence of dry zones, gearbox oil level and condition (electric hoists)
- End-of-life decision: keep in service, watch list with shorter interval, or retire and return to OEM service agent for rebuild
How to use this chain hoist inspection checklist
- 1. Plan the inspection and set up the bench: pull the hoist register including serial numbers, install dates and previous inspection records, set up a clean inspection bench with the OEM specification sheet, vernier callipers, chain wear gauge, certified test load (typically 10 percent of rated capacity), camera and retirement tag stickers
- 2. Identify each hoist and check tag legibility: confirm serial number, manufacturer mark, rated capacity tag, certification standard are all legible on the hoist body, retire any hoist where any one of these marks is unreadable, photograph the tag for the register
- 3. Confirm hoist type and configuration: confirm lever chain hoist versus come-along versus electric chain hoist against the rated configuration the hoist is used in, flag any come-along being used for vertical lifting which is outside its rated configuration
- 4. Measure load chain condition: lay the load chain flat and use vernier callipers or a chain wear gauge to measure pitch elongation over a 5-link reference, link bar diameter wear at the bearing surface against OEM nominal, document gouging and nicking, retire the hoist if any link is at or beyond the discard threshold
- 5. Inspect upper and lower hooks: check latch function, measure throat opening against OEM nominal, gauge hook twist against the plane of the body, confirm swivel rotation under controlled load, all against AS 3777 discard criteria for both upper and lower hooks
- 6. Run brake holding (load drift) test: hang a light test load (typically 10 percent of rated capacity) from the lower hook, lift the load clear of the bench, hold for one minute with no operator input, confirm the load does not drift, retire the hoist if the load drifts
- 7. Test pawl and limit switches: on manual hoists, confirm pawl engagement under load, ratchet teeth condition, pawl spring tension and pawl pivot pin condition, on electric hoists function-test the upper and lower limit switches by inching the hook to each limit, the hoist must stop before contact
- 8. Inspect drive housing, gears and chain anchor: inspect the housing for cracks, deformation, missing bolts, oil leaks and any unauthorised weld repair, confirm gear backlash is within OEM specification on electric hoists, inspect the chain anchor at the dead end of the load chain for fatigue cracking
- 9. Make the end-of-life decision and record: mark the hoist as fit for service, watch list with a shorter inspection interval, or retire and return to OEM service agent for rebuild, photograph any discard-criteria finding, sign the hoist record and update install or retirement date and the hoist register in MapTrack, set the next inspection date against the serial
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Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full chain hoist inspection checklist as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this inspection checklist?
This checklist uses a three-tier inspection cadence. Check the manufacturer and the current editions of AS 2550.1 and ASME B30.16 for the intervals that apply to your hoists. The operator runs a visual pre-use check before every lift, looking for obvious load chain damage, hook latch function and rated capacity tag legibility. A monthly visual inspection by a trained technician covers each hoist in the gear box for obvious damage, tag legibility, load chain condition and hook condition. A quarterly inspection by a competent person measures load chain pitch elongation, link bar wear and conducts the brake holding test against discard criteria. A 12 monthly major inspection by a competent person covers every hoist in every gear box on site, includes the brake holding test, limit switch function test on electric hoists and a function test under rated load. It sits inside the annual lifting gear audit. Any shock load, dropped object, brake slip event, limit switch failure or near-miss triggers an out-of-cycle inspection of the affected hoist. In MapTrack the hoist inspection schedule sits against the serial number because chain hoists are higher-value assemblies that warrant per-asset tracking.
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Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template is a starting point. Check the current requirements that apply to your equipment, work and location. The template alone does not establish compliance.
| Standard | Edition | Clauses this template relies on | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cranes, hoists and winches - Safe use, Part 1: General requirementsMaintenance, inspection and records for hoists, and inspection of hooks and lifting gear. | AS 2550.1-2011 |
| Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher |
| Model Work Health and Safety RegulationsRequires maintenance, inspection and, if necessary, testing by a competent person, following manufacturer or competent-person recommendations. | Model WHS Regulations as at 5 December 2025 (cited within as the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011) |
| Safe Work Australia (drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Committee) |
| Cranes (including hoists and winches), Part 2: Serial hoists and winchesDesign standard for serial hoists and winches, 1997 edition, listed as pending revision. | AS 1418.2-1997 | Whole instrument | Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher |
| B30.16 Overhead Underhung and Stationary HoistsUS safety standard for overhead underhung and stationary hoists; relevant where the hoist maker specifies it. | ASME B30.16-2022 | Whole instrument | ASMESold by the publisher |
| Shank hooks and large eye hooks - Maximum 60 tCare and use of shank hooks, relevant to the hook and latch checks. | AS 3777-2008 |
| Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher |
| Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplaceGuidance on how and when plant should be inspected by a competent person. | November 2024 version (reviewed May 2018; amended 2021, 2023 and 2024) |
| Safe Work Australia |
Cranes, hoists and winches - Safe use, Part 1: General requirements
Edition: AS 2550.1-2011
Maintenance, inspection and records for hoists, and inspection of hooks and lifting gear.
- Section 7: Maintenance, inspection and repair of cranes, hoists and winches.
- 7.3: Inspection of cranes, hoists and winches.
- 7.5: Records of maintenance, inspection and repair.
- Section 8: Inspection of ropes, hooks and lifting gear.
Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher
Model Work Health and Safety Regulations
Edition: Model WHS Regulations as at 5 December 2025 (cited within as the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011)
Requires maintenance, inspection and, if necessary, testing by a competent person, following manufacturer or competent-person recommendations.
- reg 213: Plant must be maintained, inspected and, if necessary, tested by a competent person, following manufacturer or competent person recommendations; annual inspection applies only if neither is practicable.
Safe Work Australia (drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Committee)
Cranes (including hoists and winches), Part 2: Serial hoists and winches
Edition: AS 1418.2-1997
Design standard for serial hoists and winches, 1997 edition, listed as pending revision.
Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher
B30.16 Overhead Underhung and Stationary Hoists
Edition: ASME B30.16-2022
US safety standard for overhead underhung and stationary hoists; relevant where the hoist maker specifies it.
ASMESold by the publisher
Shank hooks and large eye hooks - Maximum 60 t
Edition: AS 3777-2008
Care and use of shank hooks, relevant to the hook and latch checks.
- 11: Care and use of shank hooks and large eye hooks
Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher
Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace
Edition: November 2024 version (reviewed May 2018; amended 2021, 2023 and 2024)
Guidance on how and when plant should be inspected by a competent person.
- Section 3.5: Inspecting plant: how and when plant should be inspected by a competent person, reflecting reg 213.
Each source was read at its publisher and the page checked on 26 October 2026. The publisher's current text is the authority.
Chain Hoist Inspection Checklist preview
The numbers behind this chain hoist inspection checklist
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<div style="max-width:480px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Roboto,sans-serif;border:1px solid #E5E7EB;border-radius:12px;padding:20px;background:#ffffff;">
<p style="font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#071D49;margin:0;">Free template</p>
<p style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;color:#071D49;margin:6px 0 0;">Chain Hoist Inspection Checklist</p>
<ul style="margin:12px 0 0;padding-left:18px;color:#374151;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;">
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Hoist identification: serial number, manufacturer mark, rated capacity tag, certification standard, all clearly legible on the hoist body</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Hoist type confirmation: lever chain hoist vs come-along vs electric chain hoist, confirmed against the rated configuration the hoist is used in, with the come-along never used for vertical lifting</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Load chain condition: pitch elongation measured over a 5-link reference, link bar diameter wear at the bearing surface measured against OEM nominal, gouging and nicking documented against discard criteria</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Upper hook condition: latch function, throat opening measured against OEM nominal, hook twist measured against the plane of the body, swivel rotation under controlled load, all checked against AS 3777 discard criteria</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Lower hook condition: latch function, throat opening, hook twist and swivel rotation all checked against AS 3777 discard criteria</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Brake holding test (load drift test): with a light test load held for one minute, the load must not drift, brake holding capacity verified per OEM procedure</li>
</ul>
<p style="font-size:13px;color:#6B7280;margin:14px 0 0;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #E5E7EB;">Free <a href="https://www.maptrack.com/templates/chain-hoist-inspection-checklist" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Chain Hoist Inspection Checklist</a> by MapTrack</p>
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The MapTrack chain hoist inspection checklist contains 29 checks across 6 sections.
- Short attribution
- MapTrack Chain Hoist Inspection Checklist, https://www.maptrack.com/templates/chain-hoist-inspection-checklist
- Reference list
- MapTrack. (2026). Chain Hoist Inspection Checklist [Checklist template]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/templates/chain-hoist-inspection-checklist
Free to reuse with credit under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. If you’d rather link straight to it, the page is https://www.maptrack.com/templates/chain-hoist-inspection-checklist.
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