Tel:+86-18106525586      Email:EVEREST@T-LIFTING.COM
How Often Must Rigging Equipment Be Inspected?
You are here: Home » News » How Often Must Rigging Equipment Be Inspected?

How Often Must Rigging Equipment Be Inspected?

Views: 0     Author: Site Editor     Publish Time: 2025-07-21      Origin: Site

Inquire

facebook sharing button
twitter sharing button
line sharing button
wechat sharing button
linkedin sharing button
pinterest sharing button
whatsapp sharing button
sharethis sharing button

You need to check rigging equipment before you use it. You also need to check it while you use it. You must do regular checks based on OSHA and ASME rules. These checks include first, often, and regular inspection routines. Good rig inspection keeps you safe. The CDC says 60% of crane deaths happen from rigging problems. Checking rigs often helps you find issues early. Only trained people should do regular inspections. How often you check depends on how much you use the rigging. It also depends on where you use it and what kind of equipment you have, like a hoist or safety harness.


  • Check rigging equipment before you use it each time. Check it often to keep everyone safe and stop accidents.

  • Follow OSHA and ASME rules for how often to check. This means you should do daily checks, first-time checks, and full checks every year.

  • Have trained or qualified people do regular and special checks. They can find hidden problems and help keep everyone safe.

  • Change how often you check the equipment based on how much you use it. Also, check more if you use it in rough or hard places.

  • Keep clear records of all checks. This helps you follow the law and shows you care about safety.


Regulations for Rigging Inspections

OSHA and ASME Standards

You have to follow important rules when you check rigging equipment. OSHA and ASME make the main safety rules for crane and rigging checks. These groups help keep your job site safe and help you avoid trouble with the law.

Tip: Always look at the newest OSHA and ASME rules before you do any inspection. The rules can change, so you need to know the latest ones.


OSHA rule 1926.251 says to check rigging equipment before every shift and while you use it. You also need to check new equipment when it arrives. You must do a full check at least once every year. If you use your equipment in tough places, you might need to check it every month or every few months.

Here is a quick list of OSHA rules for rigging checks:

  • Check rigging equipment before each shift.

  • Look at equipment during use if needed.

  • Do a first check when new equipment comes.

  • Do a full check every year or more often in tough places.

  • Have a skilled person do the regular checks.

  • Have a trained person do the yearly check.

  • Change how often you check based on how you use it, where you use it, and what it goes through.

ASME rules give you more details about when to check equipment. You need to follow these rules for crane and rigging equipment:

Inspection Type

Description

Interval Guidelines

Initial Inspection

Look at new rigging equipment. Check tags, markings, and ratings.

Before you use it the first time.

Frequent Inspection

Hands-on check by workers or operators before each shift or lifting job.

Every day or before each use. More often in tough places.

Periodic Inspection

Careful check by a trained person to find problems or dangers.

Every year for normal use. Every month or few months for tough places. Special times if needed.

You must follow these checks to keep your rigging equipment safe. If you work in building, ships, or factories, you might need to check even more often. TOP LIFT has lifting tools and safety harnesses that meet these rules, so you can follow the law.


If you do not follow these rules, you could get fines or legal trouble. OSHA can give you tickets for missing checks or bad records. Fines have gone up in the last few years. You might pay more if you use broken equipment or do not keep good records. Some states have even stricter rules.


Documentation Requirements

You need to keep good records for all your rigging checks. OSHA says you must write down first and yearly check results. You must keep records for chain slings, metal mesh slings, below-the-hook lifting devices, and load measuring devices. You need to keep proof-testing papers and check logs.

Here is what you must write down:

  1. First check when equipment is new, fixed, or changed.

  2. Yearly check results for chain slings, below-the-hook devices, and load measuring tools.

  3. Tags or markings on rigging equipment.

  4. Written records for yearly checks, including the condition of each item.

  5. Proof-testing papers for lifting devices.


You do not need to write down results for regular checks, but a skilled person must do them. A trained person must do the yearly check, and you need to keep full records. OSHA may ask to see your check logs when they visit. If you do not have good records, you could get fines or have to stop work.

Note: Good records help you show you follow the rules and keep your team safe. You can use checklists and logs to track your crane and rigging equipment. TOP LIFT gives rigging check services and industrial rigging checks to help you meet these rules.

If you want to know more about rigging equipment, lifting tools, or safety harnesses that follow the rules, visit TOP LIFT’s product page. You can find answers for crane and rigging needs, including check services and safety rules.


Types of Rigging Inspections

Rigging inspections help keep everyone safe at work. They also help you follow the rules. There are three main types of inspections. These are initial inspection, frequent inspection, and periodic inspection. Each one has its own reason and schedule. Knowing about these inspections helps stop accidents. It also helps you avoid losing time and money.


Initial Inspection

You must do an initial inspection before using new rigging equipment. This check makes sure the equipment is safe to use. You do this when you get new gear or after it has not been used for a while. OSHA and ASME say you must do this to meet safety rules.

When you do an initial inspection, you should:

  • Check all tags, markings, and rated capacities. Make sure they fit your job.

  • Look for damage, rust, or missing parts.

  • Check shackles, hooks, and connecting links for cracks or bends.

  • Make sure all pins and safety latches work and are there.

  • Measure hook openings and check if they line up right.

Tip: Always write down what you find in your inspection. Record the date, what you checked, and any problems.

A good initial inspection helps you find problems early. This keeps your team safe and protects your rigging equipment.


Frequent Inspection

Frequent inspection means you check your rigging equipment often. You do this every day or before each use. Check before every shift or when the job changes. If you use the equipment many times, check it each time. This helps you see damage or wear right away.

Here is what to look for during a frequent inspection:

  1. Check for missing or hard-to-read tags.

  2. Look for cracks, breaks, or bent parts.

  3. Check for worn-out or stretched hardware.

  4. Look for broken wires, rust, or chemical burns.

  5. Make sure hooks have working safety latches.

  6. Take out any equipment with problems right away.

Frequent inspections help you find problems before accidents happen. If you see damage, stop using the equipment and tell someone. This keeps your team safe and your project moving.


Periodic Inspection

A periodic inspection is a careful check done at set times. A qualified person must do this inspection. OSHA and ASME say to do a periodic inspection at least once a year for normal use. If you use your rigging in tough places, check it every month or every few months.

Service Condition

Minimum Periodic Inspection Frequency

Normal Service

Once every 12 months (yearly)

Severe Service

Monthly or quarterly

Special Service

As recommended by a qualified person

During a periodic inspection, you might need to take things apart. This helps you find hidden problems. The inspector will:

  • Look for hidden issues like inside wear or cracks.

  • Check all parts, like slings, chains, and hardware.

  • Look at old inspection records and compare wear.

  • Write down everything they find for OSHA or ASME checks.

Note: Only a qualified person should do a periodic inspection. This person knows how to find hidden dangers and can say if the equipment is safe.


A periodic inspection helps stop equipment from breaking. It helps you plan repairs and keep your rigging in good shape. If you use safety harnesses or lifting chains from TOP LIFT, you know they meet strict inspection rules.

By doing these inspections, you keep your rigging safe. You also protect your team and show you care about safety and quality.


Factors Affecting Rigging Equipment Inspection Frequency

Usage and Environment

How you use your rigging equipment changes how often you check it. If you use your equipment every day, you need to inspect it more often. If you lift many times, you should check your gear more. For example, if you use alloy chain slings over 200 times a week, inspect them each month. If you only use them a few times a week, a yearly inspection may be enough. Keeping a regular inspection schedule helps you find problems early. This keeps your team safe.


The environment matters a lot too. Working in very hot or cold places can make metal parts weak. Rain, snow, and ice can hide damage or make things slippery. Saltwater causes rust and corrosion. These tough conditions wear out your rigging faster. You need to check your equipment more often in these places.

Tip: In marine or offshore jobs, always check the weather before lifting. Offshore rules say you should inspect your rigging more often because of changing weather and saltwater.

Here are some things in the environment that mean you should check your equipment more:

  • Very hot or cold temperatures

  • Rain, snow, or ice

  • Saltwater or lots of humidity

  • Fog or low light that makes it hard to see

  • Ground or soil that is not stable


Severity of Service

The kind of work you do also changes how often you need to inspect. If your rigging faces tough jobs, like lifting heavy things or working with chemicals, you need to check it more often. Chemicals can burn or make materials weak. Extreme heat can melt or damage slings. If you see burns, cracks, or broken parts, take the equipment out right away.

Service Condition

Minimum Inspection Frequency

Normal

Yearly

Severe

Monthly or Quarterly

Special

As needed by a qualified person

OSHA and ASME say you must change your inspection schedule if you work in tough places. For example, if you use lifting tools or safety harnesses in a chemical plant or offshore, inspect them every month or even more often.

Note: Always keep good records of your inspections. This helps you follow the rules and keeps your team safe.

If you want rigging equipment for tough jobs, check out TOP LIFT’s lifting tools and safety harnesses. You can find more details and products on the TOP LIFT website.


Rigging Equipment Inspection Checklist

What to Inspect

You must check every part before you use rigging equipment. Good inspection helps you find problems early. This keeps your team safe. Use this checklist to help you inspect:

Equipment Type

What to Inspect

Web Slings

Look for burns, melting, holes, tears, cuts, snags, worn stitching, and discoloration.

Round Slings

Check for burns, heat damage, holes, cuts, broken core yarns, and weld spatter.

Chain Slings

Inspect for stretched, bent, twisted, or deformed links, heat damage, corrosion, and weld splatter.

Wire Rope and Cabling

Find kinks, broken wires, corrosion, shiny spots, and diameter reduction.

Hooks and Shackles

Look for cracks, bends, deformation, and missing or broken safety latches.

Below-the-Hook Devices

Check nameplates, cracks, loose bolts, worn gears, and missing guards.

Rigging Hardware

Inspect for corrosion, nicks, gouges, bending, twisting, and missing load ratings.

Tip: Always look at tags and labels. If you cannot read them, take the equipment out of use.

You should also check other rigging equipment like lever hoists and safety harnesses. Make sure every part works right and meets inspection rules.


Common Defects

When you inspect, you might find problems that mean you must stop using the equipment. Here are the most common issues:

  • Missing or hard-to-read ID tags on slings or hardware

  • Cuts, tears, or burns on synthetic slings

  • Broken wires or kinks in wire rope slings

  • Stretched, bent, or cracked chain links

  • Deformed hooks or open hook throats

  • Rust, pitting, or corrosion on chains and hardware

  • Cracked, bent, or twisted shackles and pins

  • Homemade or unmarked lifting devices

If you see any of these problems, remove the equipment right away. Never use gear that is damaged. This keeps your team safe and helps you follow OSHA and ASME rules.


Inspection of Cranes and Related Rigging

Inspection of Cranes and Related Rigging

Crane Rigging Hardware

It is important to check crane and rigging hardware often. OSHA and ASME make the main rules for these checks. OSHA 1910.184 says you must inspect crane and rigging hardware at least once a year. If you use your crane in rough places, check it every month or every three months. ASME B30.26 gives more advice on how to pick, use, and care for hardware like shackles, hooks, links, and swivels. These rules help stop accidents and keep your equipment working well.


You should look at your crane and rigging hardware before every shift. Check for cracks, bends, worn spots, or missing safety latches. If you see damage, stop using the hardware right away. Daily checks help you find problems early and keep everyone safe. For more safety, use lifting tools and safety harnesses that meet world standards, like those from TOP LIFT.

Tip: Always use the newest OSHA and ASME rules for crane and rigging checks. These rules work together to make cranes safer and lower risks.


Periodic Inspection for Cranes

You need to plan regular checks for your crane and rigging equipment. OSHA says you must do a full check at least once a year. If your crane works in hard places, check it every three to six months. You should also look at your crane every day. Check slings, hooks, wires, and ropes for dents, rust, or scratches. Look at brakes, clutches, and parts that hold weight. If your crane has not been used for over a month, check it before using it again.


Certified technicians should do these regular checks. They look for loose bolts, worn chains, brake problems, and electrical issues. They also check if the indicators and powerplant work right. Good records of each check help you show you follow the rules and plan repairs. Doing these checks helps you avoid big repair bills and keeps your crane and rigging equipment working well.


If you want to get better crane and rigging equipment, visit TOP LIFT’s product page. You can find many lifting tools, safety harnesses, and other crane and rigging products made for safety and good performance.

When you follow safety rules and check crane equipment often, you keep your team safe. Checking cranes regularly helps you find problems early. This keeps your project moving and saves money.

  1. You lower the chance of accidents and follow all rules by using OSHA and ASME guidelines for every crane and lifting tool.

  2. Qualified experts know how to check each crane and safety harness. This helps you follow the rules.

  3. The table below shows how ASME standards help keep cranes safe:

ASME Standard

Focus Area

Key Safety Requirements

B30.10 – Hooks

Hook design, inspection, and use

Check hooks often for damage; do not use worn hooks; follow load limits

B30.16 – Overhead Hoists

Safe operation of hoists

Show load ratings clearly; use good brakes; train operators

B30.20 – Below-the-Hook Devices

Specialized lifting devices

Mark load ratings; check devices often; train operators to use them safely

B30.26 – Rigging Hardware

Shackles, slings, turnbuckles, eyebolts

Use strong materials; show load ratings; check for damage before use

Contact TOP LIFT if you need help with crane checks or safe equipment.


FAQ

How often should you inspect rigging equipment?

You need to check rigging equipment before you use it. Check it while you use it too. You must also do a full inspection at least once every year. If you work in tough places, check your lifting tools more often. Always follow OSHA and ASME rules for rigging equipment inspection.


Who can perform periodic rigging inspections?

A qualified person must do periodic inspections. This person knows how to find hidden damage. They also understand safety standards. Always use trained professionals for yearly rigging equipment inspection.


What should you do if you find damage during inspection?

Take damaged equipment out of use right away. Do not use it until a qualified person fixes or replaces it. This keeps your team safe and helps you follow safety rules.


Where can you find compliant rigging equipment and safety harnesses?

You can get strong rigging equipment, safety harnesses, and personal protective equipment at TOP LIFT’s product page. TOP LIFT has lifting tools and cargo control products that meet strict world standards.

Tip: Go to TOP LIFT for more details on rigging equipment inspection and to see many lifting solutions.

TOP LIFT products are widely applied in fields like industrial, construction, marine & offshore, oil & gas.
 Email: EVEREST@T-LIFTING.COM
 Phone: +86-18106525586
 Tel: +86-571-88680340
 WhatsApp: +86-18106525586
 Skype: +86-18106525586

Quick Links

Product Category

Get In Touch
​Copyright © 2024 Hangzhou Top Lift Industries Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.  Sitemap. Privacy Policy浙ICP备19044875号-1