Inspections Done by People Who Know Cranes From the Seat
The Crane School provides crane inspection services alongside its training programs, and every inspector is an NCCCO certified crane inspector. Our staff hold inspector certifications for mobile, tower and overhead cranes, and many have spent years operating the same kinds of machines they now inspect. That background helps when a defect is borderline: an inspector who has run cranes understands how a worn component behaves under load, not just whether it fails a checklist line.
Inspections are available on an as-needed basis. Whether you need a single annual inspection, recurring monthly checks across a fleet, or a fast look after something went wrong, we schedule around your work.
Types of Inspections We Perform
Annual inspections
A thorough, documented examination of the crane and its components, typically required at least once every 12 months under OSHA and ASME. This is the deep look at structure, mechanisms, wire rope, safety devices and controls that a daily check cannot provide.
Monthly inspections
A documented periodic check between annual inspections, focused on the items that wear quickly and the safety devices that must work every time. Monthly records also show an auditor that your program is active, not just a once-a-year event.
Post-assembly inspections
Cranes that are assembled on site, such as tower cranes, lattice crawlers and buck hoists, need to be inspected after assembly and before they go into service. The inspection confirms the machine was built and configured according to the manufacturer's procedures.
Post-incident inspections
After an overload, a contact with a structure or power line, a dropped load, severe weather, or any unusual event, the crane should be inspected before it is used again. These inspections focus on the components most likely to have been damaged and document whether the machine can safely return to work.
Specialized inspections
Some situations do not fit a standard category: a crane returning from long storage, a change in configuration, a pre-purchase check, or a specific concern raised by an operator. Specialized inspections are scoped to the question you need answered.
Load testing
When a crane needs proof of capacity, such as after certain repairs or alterations, we can arrange load testing as part of the inspection.
Equipment We Inspect
- Mobile cranes: telescopic and lattice boom, truck-mounted, rough-terrain and crawler
- Tower cranes, including post-assembly inspections after erection
- Buck hoists (personnel and material hoists)
- Overhead cranes: bridge and gantry cranes in plants, shops and warehouses
- Articulating cranes: knuckle boom units on trucks and trailers
If your equipment is not on this list, call and describe it. We will tell you plainly whether it is something our inspectors cover.
What an Inspection Involves
Every machine is different, but a typical inspection works through the crane systematically:
- Review of the crane's records: prior inspection reports, repairs, operator logs and the manufacturer's manual
- Structural members, welds, boom sections, lattice chords and lacing, and connections
- Wire rope, sheaves, drums and reeving
- Hooks, latches, blocks and load-bearing pins
- Brakes, clutches, hydraulics and controls
- Safety devices: load moment indicators, anti-two-block systems, limit switches, horns and lights
- Outriggers, tracks, carrier components and, for overhead cranes, runways and end trucks
- Load charts and placards, making sure the correct chart is in the cab
Findings are documented, with deficiencies noted so you can repair them before the crane goes back into service. Where useful, we include recommendations to help plan maintenance and reduce unplanned downtime.
Why Regular Inspections Pay Off
Inspection schedules exist because most crane failures give some warning first: broken wires in a rope, a cracked weld, a leaking cylinder, a limit switch that sticks. Catching those early prevents accidents, and it also prevents the expensive surprise of a crane breaking down mid-project. A documented inspection history also matters when an OSHA compliance officer, insurer or general contractor asks for records.
Inspections work best alongside trained people. Operators who perform good shift inspections catch problems between our visits, and supervisors who understand inspection requirements make sure the paperwork is in order. Our managing crane safety class covers the inspection rules supervisors need to know, and our crane inspection checklist is a useful reference for daily checks.
Preparing for Your Inspection
A little preparation makes the visit faster and more useful:
- Gather the crane's documentation: previous inspection reports, maintenance and repair records, and the operator's manual.
- Make the crane available and accessible, with enough clear space to extend, swing and operate it through its functions.
- Have a qualified operator on hand to run the machine during the functional portion.
- Clean off heavy grease and debris from areas where cracks or wear would be hard to see.
- Tell the inspector about any known issues, recent incidents or changes to the crane's configuration.
For post-incident inspections, keep the crane out of service and avoid disturbing damaged components until the inspector has seen them.
Scheduling an Inspection
To book, call (813) 402-2017 during office hours, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, email info@thecraneschool.com, or use the form on this page. Let us know:
- The type of inspection you need
- The crane make, model and type, and how many units
- Where the equipment is located
- Any deadlines, such as a project start or an audit date
We will confirm availability and what the visit will cover. Companies that also need operator, rigger or signalperson training can ask about combining services in the same trip.
