Free tower crane inspection checklist
Free tower crane inspection checklist (PDF-ready). Covers mast, ties, slewing ring, jib, hoist rope, anemometer and limits for AS 2550 and AS 1418.4.
Updated 2 Oct 2026
Tower Crane Inspection Checklist
Daily, monthly, quarterly and climb-stage checks per AS 2550.1 and AS 1418.4
Base, mast & access
Slewing ring & slew drive
Jib, pendants & trolley
Limits & load moment indicator
Controls, power & climbing gear
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Short answer
A tower crane inspection checklist records checks of the base, mast and ties, slewing ring, jib, trolley, hoist rope, hook, limits, anemometer, cab and electrics. Operators check each shift, with technician and competent-person inspections at manufacturer intervals, each climb and after storms. Regulation 237 of the model WHS Regulations requires records for registered plant such as tower cranes, and regulation 235 sets the major inspection.
Checked against AS 2550.1-2011 on by the MapTrack templates team. How we check templates
Key takeaways
- The MapTrack tower crane inspection checklist contains 25 checks across 5 sections. Sections covered: Base, mast & access, Slewing ring & slew drive, Jib, pendants & trolley, Limits & load moment indicator, Controls, power & climbing gear.
- The regulation 235 major inspection falls at the end of the manufacturer's design life, else as a competent person advises, else every 10 years.
- Regulation 237 requires records of tests, inspections, maintenance and alterations for registered plant, which includes tower cranes.
- Check hoist and luffing ropes against AS 2759-2004 Section 14; a rope at discard criteria stops lifting until it is replaced.
- Monthly and quarterly tiers, climb checks and wind limits come from the manufacturer's manual and site practice, not a set legal interval.
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What is a tower crane inspection checklist?
A tower crane inspection checklist is the structured record that a crane crew, dogger and competent person work through to confirm that a tower crane on a high-rise project is safe to operate. It covers the foundation or base ballast, the mast sections and bolted joints, the tie-in collars where the crane is restrained to the structure, the slewing ring at the top of the mast, the jib and counter-jib, the trolley and hoist, the wire rope, the hook block, the cab and operator controls, the anemometer and wind warning, the climbing frame and the electrical supply. On a typical Australian high-rise site the same crane may be inspected by the operator each morning, by a tower-crane technician each month and by a competent person each quarter, with a review during every climb and the regulation 235 major inspection at the end of the crane's design life.
Under the WHS Regulations 2011 a tower crane is item-registered plant (Part 5.3 and Schedule 5), and the person with management or control of it must keep a record of all tests, inspections, maintenance, commissioning, decommissioning, dismantling and alterations for as long as the crane is used or until they relinquish control of it (regulation 237). AS 2550.1 sets the safe-use baseline for cranes, AS 1418.4 covers tower-crane-specific design and manufacture, and the AS 2759 rope discard criteria apply to the hoist and luffing ropes. Many sites also draw on BS 7121 Part 5 and the Construction Plant-hire Association guidance from the UK for climbing and dismantling procedures, and on OSHA 1926.1435 for US-aligned major-contractor requirements. A printed checklist suits a daily walk-around; a digital record in MapTrack ties each entry to the crane serial number, the project, the climb stage and the next service, so the file is intact when a Tier 1 head contractor or the regulator asks.
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Benefits of using this tower crane inspection checklist
- Operator accountability: Daily, monthly and quarterly checks are signed against the dogger, technician or competent person who actually completed them.
- AS 1418.4 alignment: Each section mirrors the tower-crane standard so head-contractor and regulator audits are straightforward.
- Climb-stage discipline: Inspections performed during a climb are captured against the mast-section count, not buried in the climbing-crew job book.
- Wind and weather record: Anemometer checks and storm-event inspections are logged so out-of-service decisions can be defended later.
- Tie-in traceability: Each tie-in collar inspection links to the structural design, the slab cycle and the engineer sign-off.
- Defect routing: Issues raised at the top of the mast become work orders for the OEM technician rather than chalk marks on the cab door.
- Hand-over history: When the crane comes down, the project gets a clean inspection, climb and tie-in history that supports the next deployment.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you digitise tower crane checklists in MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
- Email the right people when a form is submitted, with an automation you set up.
- 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 tower crane inspection checklist
This tower crane inspection checklist covers 14 key areas:
- Crane identity: serial number, model, configuration, mast height and jib length.
- Foundation or base: ballast blocks, foundation bolts, concrete condition and base-frame torque check.
- Mast sections and bolts: bolt torque, condition of pins, ladders, rest platforms and fall-arrest anchors.
- Tie-ins to structure: tie collar bolts, tie rods, anchor brackets and engineer-stamped tie-in design reference.
- Slewing ring: bolt torque pattern, axial and radial play, grease condition and slew gear teeth.
- Jib and counter-jib: chord and lattice members, weld condition, pendant ropes and counter-jib ballast.
- Trolley and hoist: trolley wheels, trolley rope, hoist drum, spooling and gearbox oil.
- Wire ropes: hoist and luffing rope diameter, broken wires per lay, lubrication and terminations per AS 2759.
- Hook block and safety latch: throat wear, safety latch function, sheaves and swivel.
- Limit switches and safety devices: hoist upper and lower, trolley in and out, slew limits, load moment indicator and anti-collision where multi-crane.
- Anemometer and wind warning: function test, alarm setpoint and recent storm record.
- Cab and controls: control labelling, seat and visibility, e-stops, audible warning and intercom to dogger.
- Electrical and earthing: main supply, slip ring, lightning protection, e-stop chain and emergency lowering.
- Climbing frame (when fitted): hydraulic rams, climbing pawls, locking pins and engineer-approved climb procedure.
How to use this tower crane inspection checklist
- Plan the inspection and confirm conditions are safe.: Check the wind forecast before climbing. Most OEM manuals set an upper wind limit for inspection work on a tower crane, commonly 36 km/h; check the crane manual. Confirm a second person on the ground, working radio, rescue plan and current high-risk work licence for the climbing team.
- Inspect the base, foundation and lower mast.: Walk the foundation, check ballast or anchor bolts and the base-frame torque marks. Climb the first few mast sections, inspect ladders, rest platforms and fall-arrest anchors. Note any rust, deformation or fastener missing the torque-paint mark from the last service.
- Inspect tie-ins, mid-mast and slewing ring.: At each tie-in collar, check bolts, anchor brackets and tie rods against the engineer-stamped tie-in design. At the top of the mast, inspect the slewing ring bolts in the documented sequence, check axial and radial play and confirm grease is present at each port.
- Inspect jib, counter-jib, trolley and ropes.: Walk the jib catwalk. Inspect chord welds, lattice members, pendant ropes and trolley track. Inspect the hoist and luffing ropes per AS 2759, including diameter, broken-wire count, lay length, lubrication and the termination at the drum and the hook block.
- Function-test controls, limits and the anemometer.: With the area clear, function-test all motions at low speed. Prove hoist upper and lower, trolley in and out, slew limits, load moment indicator and anti-two-block. Confirm the anemometer reads correctly and the in-cab wind alarm trips at the setpoint.
- Inspect the climbing frame if a climb is planned.: For a climbing-mast configuration, inspect the climbing frame hydraulic rams, climbing pawls, locking pins and the engineer-approved climb procedure. Confirm the next mast section is on site and the climb is signed off by the competent person.
- Record defects and sign off.: Photograph every defect, rate severity and raise a corrective action linked to the crane record. Sign the inspection, log the next inspection due, and update the crane history. In MapTrack the record sits against the crane and the project, with defects routed to the OEM technician automatically.
In MapTrack, you can digitise safety inspections and compliance forms. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.
Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full tower crane inspection checklist as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this checklist?
A tower crane needs a tiered inspection program for the full time it is on a project. The licensed operator runs a pre-start check at the beginning of every shift. A tower-crane technician runs a monthly inspection covering ropes, brakes, limits and bolt torque marks. A competent person runs a quarterly inspection covering structure, slewing ring and electrical. An additional inspection is required during every climb, before the crane is loaded after a tie-in is added or removed, and after any wind event over the manufacturer in-service limit. The regulation 235 major inspection, at the end of the design life the manufacturer sets, as a competent person recommends where there is none, or otherwise every 10 years from first commissioning or registration, reviews fatigue life of the mast, jib and slewing ring. Any incident, overload, impact or out-of-service storm event triggers an out-of-cycle inspection before the crane is released back to lifting work.
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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 repair, inspection records, ropes, hooks and lifting gear, and major assessment for continued use. | AS 2550.1-2011 |
| Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher |
| Model Work Health and Safety RegulationsCompetent-person inspection, the major inspection, records for registered plant, item registration and operator licence classes. | 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) |
| Steel wire rope - Use, operation and maintenanceIn-service inspection of the hoist and luffing ropes and the criteria for discarding them. | AS 2759-2004 |
| Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher |
| Cranes, hoists and winches, Part 4: Tower cranesDesign and manufacture standard for tower cranes; the crane's limits and design life come from its design. | AS 1418.4-2004 | Whole instrument | Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher |
| Guide to inspecting and maintaining cranesSafe Work Australia guidance on crane inspection and maintenance; guidance, not law. | December 2015 | Whole instrument | Safe Work Australia |
| 29 CFR Part 1926, Safety and Health Regulations for ConstructionFor US sites: erecting, climbing and dismantling tower cranes, safety devices and inspections. | Current eCFR text, up to date as of 2026-10-22 (read 2026-10-26) |
| US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (text via eCFR) |
Cranes, hoists and winches - Safe use, Part 1: General requirements
Edition: AS 2550.1-2011
Maintenance, inspection and repair, inspection records, ropes, hooks and lifting gear, and major assessment for continued use.
- 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.
- Section 9: Major assessment of a crane for continued use or changed operation.
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)
Competent-person inspection, the major inspection, records for registered plant, item registration and operator licence classes.
- 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.
- reg 235: Registered mobile and tower cranes need a major inspection at the manufacturer's design life end, else per competent person advice, else every 10 years.
- reg 237: Records of tests, inspections, maintenance and alterations must be kept for plant required to be registered.
- Schedule 5: Plant requiring registration: plant designs (Part 1) and items of plant (Part 2), such as boilers and tower cranes.
- Schedule 3: High risk work licence classes, including scaffolding, rigging, cranes, hoists, forklift trucks and boom-type EWPs.
Safe Work Australia (drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Committee)
Steel wire rope - Use, operation and maintenance
Edition: AS 2759-2004
In-service inspection of the hoist and luffing ropes and the criteria for discarding them.
- Section 13: Inspection of steel wire ropes in service.
- Section 14: Criteria for discarding steel wire ropes.
Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher
Cranes, hoists and winches, Part 4: Tower cranes
Edition: AS 1418.4-2004
Design and manufacture standard for tower cranes; the crane's limits and design life come from its design.
Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher
Guide to inspecting and maintaining cranes
Edition: December 2015
Safe Work Australia guidance on crane inspection and maintenance; guidance, not law.
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)
For US sites: erecting, climbing and dismantling tower cranes, safety devices and inspections.
- 1926.1435: Tower cranes: erecting, climbing and dismantling, signs, safety devices, operational aids and inspections.
US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (text via eCFR)
Each source was read at its publisher and the page checked on 26 October 2026. The publisher's current text is the authority.
Tower Crane Inspection Checklist preview
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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;">Tower Crane 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;">Crane identity: serial number, model, configuration, mast height and jib length.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Foundation or base: ballast blocks, foundation bolts, concrete condition and base-frame torque check.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Mast sections and bolts: bolt torque, condition of pins, ladders, rest platforms and fall-arrest anchors.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Tie-ins to structure: tie collar bolts, tie rods, anchor brackets and engineer-stamped tie-in design reference.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Slewing ring: bolt torque pattern, axial and radial play, grease condition and slew gear teeth.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Jib and counter-jib: chord and lattice members, weld condition, pendant ropes and counter-jib ballast.</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/tower-crane-inspection-checklist" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Tower Crane Inspection Checklist</a> by MapTrack</p>
</div>Free to reuse, including commercially. This template is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Copy it, adapt it, put it on your own site or in your own docs. All we ask is that you credit MapTrack with a link back to this page. The snippet above already includes that credit, so if you use it as-is you’re covered.
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Writing about this topic? You’re welcome to quote this checklist. Here’s the wording to use so your readers can find the original.
The MapTrack tower crane inspection checklist contains 25 checks across 5 sections.
- Short attribution
- MapTrack Tower Crane Inspection Checklist, https://www.maptrack.com/templates/tower-crane-inspection-checklist
- Reference list
- MapTrack. (2026). Tower Crane Inspection Checklist [Checklist template]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/templates/tower-crane-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/tower-crane-inspection-checklist.
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