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Free crane wire rope inspection checklist

Free crane wire rope inspection checklist (PDF-ready). Broken-wire count, diameter, corrosion and discard criteria per AS 2759 and ISO 4309.

Updated 2 Oct 2026

Crane Wire Rope Inspection Checklist

Component inspection and discard criteria per AS 2759 and ISO 4309

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0 of 25 checks

Rope identification

1Rope position, ID, install date and hours
2Construction, diameter, lay direction and lay length
3IWRC or fibre core confirmed
4Cross-reference to rope certificate and OEM rope spec
5Any swap or splice since last inspection noted

Diameter & broken wire measurement

6Diameter at three points 90 degrees apart at multiple locations
710 percent diameter reduction rule per AS 2759
8Broken wires per lay length against discard table
9Broken wires concentrated in a single strand
10High-stress zones near drum, sheaves and termination

Corrosion & deformation

11External corrosion (light, heavy, scaling)
12Internal corrosion (open strands or MRT where accessible)
13Kinking, birdcaging or core protrusion
14Dog-legging, waviness or local crushing
15Heat, electrical arc or chemical contamination

Drum, fleet angle & sheaves

16Drum spooling, crossing, gapping or layering
17Fleet angle to first sheave within OEM limit
18Sheave grooves, throat wear and bearing freeplay
19Termination inspection (wedge, swage, spelter, eye)
20Lubrication coverage and dry zones

Disposition & evidence

21Fit for service / watch list / retire now decision
22Watch list shorter interval set in days or hours
23Photo evidence of any discard-criteria finding
24Rope history file and crane record updated
25Competent inspector name, licence and sign off

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Jarrod Milford

Jarrod Milford

Co-Founder & Commercial Director

Updated 2 October 2026
Also see:Compliance and inspections →Best inspection software →MapTrack vs SafetyCulture →

Short answer

A crane wire rope inspection checklist records each running and standing rope's condition: identification, broken wires, diameter, corrosion, deformation, terminations and lubrication, ending in a keep, watch or discard decision. Operators commonly check ropes each shift, and a competent person inspects them periodically. AS 2759-2004 Sections 13 and 14 cover in-service inspection and discard criteria, and regulation 213 covers plant inspection by a competent person.

Checked against AS 2759-2004 on by the MapTrack templates team. How we check templates

Key takeaways

  • The MapTrack crane wire rope inspection checklist contains 25 checks across 5 sections. Sections covered: Rope identification, Diameter & broken wire measurement, Corrosion & deformation, Drum, fleet angle & sheaves, Disposition & evidence.
  • Discard criteria depend on rope construction and duty, so work from the AS 2759 Section 14 or ISO 4309:2017 criteria for the exact rope fitted.
  • AS 2550.1-2011 Section 8 covers inspection of ropes, hooks and lifting gear, and clause 7.5 covers records of maintenance and inspection.
  • On US construction cranes, 29 CFR 1926.1413 sets shift, monthly and annual wire rope inspections, removal criteria and records.
  • Inspect a rope before the crane returns to service after heat, chemical contact, shock loading or a spooling failure.
  • Track inspections against the rope's own ID, so a rope change starts a fresh record.

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What is a crane wire rope inspection checklist?

A crane wire rope inspection checklist is the component-level record used by a competent person to inspect each running and standing wire rope on a crane and decide whether it stays in service, goes on the watch list, or is retired and replaced. It applies to the hoist rope, luffing rope, pendant ropes and any guy or stay ropes on mobile, tower, overhead, bridge and gantry cranes. Unlike a full crane inspection that covers structure, hydraulics and controls, this checklist focuses on the rope itself: identification (size, construction, lay direction, IWRC or fibre core), broken-wire count per lay length per rope construction class, rope diameter measurement against nominal, external corrosion, internal corrosion where accessible, kinking, birdcaging, core protrusion, drum spooling, fleet angle, the termination at each end (wedge socket, swaged, spelter or eye splice), lubrication condition, and the final end-of-life decision.

AS 2759 (Steel wire rope - Use, operation and maintenance) is the Australian standard, and ISO 4309 (Cranes - Wire ropes - Care, maintenance, installation, examination and discard) is the international reference that most OEM manuals point to. ASME B30.30 covers the same ground for US-aligned major-contractor work. Each AS 2550 series part references AS 2759 for the rope on that crane type, and regulation 213 of the WHS Regulations (Part 5.1) makes the rope part of the plant maintenance and inspection duty. Where rope is found at or near the discard threshold, the inspector either retires it on the spot or sets a shorter inspection interval until replacement. A printed checklist supports the rope inspector at the crane; a digital record in MapTrack ties each inspection to the crane serial, the rope serial or batch, the install date and the running-hour count so the rope retirement decision is defensible later.

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Benefits of using this crane wire rope inspection checklist

  • Discard-criteria accountability: Each rope decision is signed against the competent inspector who counted broken wires and measured diameter, not a generic crane signature.
  • AS 2759 and ISO 4309 alignment: The checklist captures the exact discard criteria from both standards so audits and OEM warranty claims are straightforward.
  • Per-rope traceability: Hoist, luffing and pendant ropes are inspected individually with their own ID, install date and running-hour count.
  • Defensible retirement decisions: A rope retired in service has the inspection record, photo and measurement to support the call later.
  • Replacement-pattern visibility: Repeat early retirements on a crane point to fleet-angle or drum-grooving issues rather than rope quality.
  • Service planning: Inspections feed into the planned rope-change schedule so cranes do not go off-hire for an unplanned change.
  • Lifecycle records: Every rope change, lubrication, inspection and discard sits against the crane for the full life of the asset.

Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack

When you digitise wire rope checklists in MapTrack, you get:

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What to include in a crane wire rope inspection checklist

This crane wire rope inspection checklist covers 14 key areas:

  • Rope identification: position (hoist/luffing/pendant), ID, install date, hours since install.
  • Rope construction: nominal diameter, construction (e.g. 6x36 IWRC), lay direction and lay length.
  • Visual length-by-length walk: full rope length inspected with the rope under controlled tension.
  • Broken wire count per lay length: against the discard threshold for that rope construction class.
  • Rope diameter measurement: at three points 90 degrees apart, compared against nominal and 10 percent reduction rule.
  • External corrosion: pitting, light surface rust, heavy red rust or scaling.
  • Internal corrosion: where accessible by opening the strands or with magnetic rope test (MRT) if available.
  • Deformation: kinking, birdcaging, core protrusion, dog-legging, waviness or local crushing.
  • Drum spooling and fleet angle: review of layering on the drum and fleet angle through the first sheave.
  • Sheaves and grooves: groove gauge check, throat wear and bearing freeplay (recorded separately but noted here).
  • Termination inspection: wedge socket alignment, swage marking, spelter cone, eye splice or pressed sleeve.
  • Lubrication condition: rope dressing coverage and absence of dry zones.
  • End-of-life decision: keep in service, watch list with shorter interval, or retire and replace now.
  • Inspector sign-off: name, competent-person status and date.

How to use this crane wire rope inspection checklist

  1. Plan the inspection and isolate the crane.: Pull the rope log including ID, construction, install date and running hours. Confirm the inspection scope and isolate the crane for stationary rope inspection. For a running inspection (e.g. on a long hoist), arrange a competent operator and a clear lifting area, with the rope under controlled light tension.
  2. Identify the rope and confirm construction.: Confirm position (hoist, luffing, pendant), ID and serial, install date and hours since install. Confirm construction (e.g. 6x36 WS IWRC), nominal diameter and lay direction against the crane data plate or rope certificate. Note any rope swap or splice since the last inspection.
  3. Walk the full length and measure.: Walk the entire rope length under controlled tension. Measure diameter at three points 90 degrees apart at multiple locations, particularly at the high-stress zones near the drum, sheaves and termination. Compare against nominal and the AS 2759 10 percent diameter-reduction rule.
  4. Count broken wires and inspect for deformation.: Count broken wires per lay length and compare against the discard threshold for that rope construction class in AS 2759 and ISO 4309. Inspect for kinking, birdcaging, core protrusion, dog-legging, local crushing and waviness. Flag any heat damage, electrical arcing or chemical contamination.
  5. Inspect corrosion, lubrication and terminations.: Inspect for external corrosion (light, heavy or scaling). Where accessible, open strands or use MRT for internal corrosion. Inspect each termination (wedge socket alignment, swage marking, eye splice). Check rope dressing coverage and any dry zones along the rope, particularly inside the drum lay.
  6. Check drum spooling, fleet angle and sheaves.: Review the rope layering on the drum for crossing, gapping or layering issues. Check the fleet angle into the first sheave (typical limit 1.5 degrees for grooved drums, 2 degrees for plain). Note any sheave groove wear, throat narrowing or bearing freeplay that may be damaging the rope.
  7. Make the end-of-life decision and record.: Mark the rope as fit for service, watch list (with a shorter inspection interval), or retire and replace now. Photograph any discard-criteria finding. Sign the rope record, update install or retirement date and the rope-history file. In MapTrack the inspection attaches to the rope ID and the crane, and the next inspection is scheduled automatically.

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?

AS 2759 and ISO 4309 set the inspection cadence the rope inspector should follow. The crane operator runs a visual pre-start rope check each shift, looking for obvious damage at the visible drum lay and at the hook block. A monthly visual inspection by a trained technician covers more of the rope under light tension. A quarterly inspection by a competent person covers the full rope length with measurements and broken-wire counts. A 12-monthly rope inspection sits inside the annual crane inspection and goes deeper, including internal corrosion checks or magnetic rope testing where the rope is critical. Any heat event, chemical contamination, impact, drum spooling failure, fleet-angle issue or near-miss triggers an out-of-cycle inspection of the affected rope before the crane returns to service. In MapTrack the rope inspection schedule sits against the rope ID rather than the crane, so a rope swap resets the clock automatically.

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Frequently asked questions

AS 2759 (Steel wire rope - Use, operation and maintenance) is the Australian standard for crane wire rope use and inspection. ISO 4309 is the international reference most OEM manuals also point to and the criteria are broadly aligned. AS 2550 series parts (mobile, tower, bridge and gantry) reference AS 2759 for the rope on that crane type, and regulation 213 of the WHS Regulations (Part 5.1) makes the rope part of the plant maintenance and inspection duty.

The threshold depends on the rope construction class. AS 2759 and ISO 4309 give discard tables by rope construction (e.g. 6x19, 6x36 WS IWRC) and by application class (running rope versus standing rope). For a typical 6x36 WS IWRC running hoist rope, around 6 randomly distributed broken wires per lay length, or 3 in a single strand, is the discard threshold. Always work from the discard table for the exact rope construction on the crane.

Retire a rope when the loss of diameter reaches the discard limit in AS 2759, ISO 4309 or the manufacturer instructions for that rope construction; check the current editions for the figure. The measurement is taken at three points 90 degrees apart at multiple positions along the rope, particularly at the high-stress zones near the drum, sheaves and termination. Even local reduction at one location is enough to retire the rope.

A visual pre-start check at every shift by the operator, a monthly inspection by a trained technician, a quarterly inspection by a competent person with measurements and broken-wire counts, and a full annual inspection as part of the crane annual inspection. Any heat, chemical, impact or spooling event triggers an out-of-cycle inspection before the crane returns to service. The interval can be shorter for high-cycle ropes or harsh environments.

A running crane rope at or beyond the discard threshold is retired and replaced. Localised splicing of a running rope is not acceptable. Standing pendant ropes and guy ropes can have terminations replaced where the rope itself remains within criteria, and the OEM manual is the source of truth. Replacement rope must match the original construction, diameter and lay direction unless an engineered change is approved.

Yes. This crane wire rope inspection checklist is completely free to download and use, and it downloads as a ready-to-print PDF. No MapTrack account is required. It suits competent persons inspecting hoist, luffing and pendant ropes on mobile, tower, overhead, bridge and gantry cranes. If you later want to move off paper and spreadsheets, MapTrack turns this into a live digital inspection: broken-wire counts and diameter measurements recorded against each rope ID, the inspection schedule tied to the rope rather than the crane so a rope swap resets the clock, photos against every discard-criteria finding, and automated reminders with a complete timestamped audit trail. Start free at maptrack.com/free-trial or book a demo.

Every inspection ends in one of three decisions: fit for service, watch list, or retire and replace now. A rope goes on the watch list when it is close to the discard threshold but not yet at it, and it gets a shorter inspection interval until it is replaced. Photograph any discard-criteria finding, sign the rope record and update the rope history, so the next inspector can see how quickly it is deteriorating.

Problems around the rope as well as the rope itself. Poor layering on the drum, such as crossing or gapping, a fleet angle into the first sheave outside its limit, sheave groove wear, throat narrowing and bearing freeplay can all damage a rope. If a crane keeps retiring ropes early, look at fleet angle and drum grooving rather than rope quality, and record the sheave condition alongside each rope inspection.

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.

  • Steel wire rope - Use, operation and maintenance

    Edition: AS 2759-2004

    In-service inspection, discard criteria and lubrication of steel wire rope.

    • Section 13: Inspection of steel wire ropes in service.
    • Section 14: Criteria for discarding steel wire ropes.
    • Section 12: Lubrication of steel wire ropes in service.

    Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher

  • Cranes - Wire ropes - Care and maintenance, inspection and discard

    Edition: ISO 4309:2017 (Edition 5)

    ISO 4309:2017, care and maintenance, inspection and discard of crane wire ropes.

    International Organization for Standardization (ISO)Sold by the publisher

  • Cranes, hoists and winches - Safe use, Part 1: General requirements

    Edition: AS 2550.1-2011

    Inspection of ropes, hooks and lifting gear, and records of maintenance, inspection and repair.

    • Section 8: Inspection of ropes, hooks and lifting gear.
    • 7.5: Records of maintenance, inspection and repair.

    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)

    Plant maintenance, inspection and 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)

  • 29 CFR Part 1926, Safety and Health Regulations for Construction

    Edition: Current eCFR text, up to date as of 2026-10-22 (read 2026-10-26)

    US construction cranes: shift, monthly and annual wire rope inspections, removal criteria and records.

    • 1926.1413: Wire rope inspection on cranes and derricks: shift, monthly and annual inspections, removal criteria and records.

    US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (text via eCFR)

  • B30.30 Ropes

    Edition: ASME B30.30-2023

    ASME B30.30-2023, the US consensus standard for ropes on cranes and hoists.

    ASMESold by the publisher

Each source was read at its publisher and the page checked on 26 October 2026. The publisher's current text is the authority.

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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;">Crane Wire Rope 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;">Rope identification: position (hoist/luffing/pendant), ID, install date, hours since install.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Rope construction: nominal diameter, construction (e.g. 6x36 IWRC), lay direction and lay length.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Visual length-by-length walk: full rope length inspected with the rope under controlled tension.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Broken wire count per lay length: against the discard threshold for that rope construction class.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">Rope diameter measurement: at three points 90 degrees apart, compared against nominal and 10 percent reduction rule.</li>
    <li style="margin:4px 0;">External corrosion: pitting, light surface rust, heavy red rust or scaling.</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/crane-wire-rope-inspection-checklist" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Crane Wire Rope Inspection Checklist</a> by MapTrack</p>
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The MapTrack crane wire rope inspection checklist contains 25 checks across 5 sections.

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