Free tower crane inspection checklist
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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.
Commercial Director
Updated 24 May 2026
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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 major review during every climb and at the 10,000-hour or design-life milestone.
Under WHS Regulations 2011 (Chapter 5, Part 5.1) a tower crane is item-registered plant and the PCBU must keep an inspection, maintenance and modification history for its full life on each project. 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.
Learn more about compliance and inspections in MapTrack.
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.
- 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.
Book a demo to see how MapTrack handles tower crane checklists.
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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. AS 2550.1 and most OEM manuals set 36 km/h as the upper limit for inspection work on a tower crane. 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. A major periodic inspection (often at 10,000 hours or 10 years, whichever is sooner) 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.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- AS 2550.1 - Cranes, hoists and winches (Safe use - General requirements)
- AS 1418.4 - Cranes, hoists and winches (Tower cranes - Design and manufacture)
- AS 2759 - Steel wire rope - Use, inspection and discard criteria
- WHS Regulations 2011 - Chapter 5, Part 5.1 (Registration and inspection of plant)
- OSHA 1926.1435 - Tower cranes
Need to digitise safety inspections and compliance forms?
Register every tower crane in MapTrack, attach digital forms, and get a complete history of every inspection, service and compliance record.
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