Free checklist · Aerial & lifting
Mobile crane daily inspection checklist (free, printable)
This mobile crane daily checklist follows the shift inspection OSHA requires in 29 CFR 1926.1412(d): a competent person's visual check of controls, hydraulic lines and fluid level, hooks and latches, wire rope and reeving, electrical gear, tires, ground conditions, level and cab windows, plus safety devices and operational aids such as the anti two-block device and load moment indicator. Free to print or use by QR code.
- How often
- Before each shift (competent person)
- The rule
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1412(d)
- Items
- 26 checks
- Takes
- About 7 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Mobile crane daily inspection checklist
Before each shift (competent person)
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site and setup | |||
| Ground conditionsFirm, drained support; no settling under outrigger pads, mats or tracks | |||
| LevelWithin the manufacturer's tolerance, before the shift and after each move | |||
| Outriggers or stabilizersSet as the load chart requires, on pads or mats; jacks not creeping | |||
| Power lines and swing areaAny lines near the work zone identified; swing radius barricaded | |||
| Walk-around (engine off) | |||
| Control mechanismsNo maladjustment; levers and pedals move freely and return | |||
| Control and drive wearNo excessive wear, or contamination by oil, water or dirt | |||
| Hoses and pressurized linesNo leaks or deterioration, especially on hoses that flex in use | |||
| Hydraulic fluid levelAt the correct mark | |||
| Hooks and latchesNo cracks, deformation, wear, or heat or chemical damage; latch closes | |||
| Wire ropeNo kinks, crushing, birdcaging, broken wires, corrosion or heat damage | |||
| Rope reevingParts of line and reeving match the manufacturer's specifications | |||
| Electrical apparatusWorking; no excessive deterioration, dirt or moisture | |||
| TiresInflated to spec; no cuts, bulges or exposed cord | |||
| Boom and jibNo bent lacing, dents, cracks, or missing pins and keepers | |||
| Cab windowsNo cracks or breaks that block the operator's view | |||
| Load chart and manualIn the cab and matching how the crane is configured | |||
| Rails, rail stops and clampsSecure and undamaged on rail-traveling cranes | |||
| Safety devices and operational aids (engine running) | |||
| Hour meterReading from the cab | ________ hours | ||
| HornWorks from the operator's seat | |||
| Crane level indicatorFitted and reading correctly | |||
| Boom and jib stopsIn place and undamaged | |||
| Foot pedal brake locksLock holds the pedal | |||
| Anti two-block deviceStops or warns before the block reaches the boom tip; test per manual | |||
| Load moment indicatorSet to the actual configuration; reads correctly; no faults | |||
| Boom angle and length indicatorsReadable from the seat and reading correctly | |||
| Trial operationHoist, boom, swing and travel smooth; brakes hold | |||
Problems found and action taken:
If anything is a problem, don't use the machine: tag it out and report it. Free checklist from checkbadges.com — put it on a QR sticker and operators can fill it in on their phone.
What to check on a mobile crane, item by item
Site and setup
- Ground conditions — Firm, drained support; no settling under outrigger pads, mats or tracks
- Level — Within the manufacturer's tolerance, before the shift and after each move
- Outriggers or stabilizers — Set as the load chart requires, on pads or mats; jacks not creeping
- Power lines and swing area — Any lines near the work zone identified; swing radius barricaded
Walk-around (engine off)
- Control mechanisms — No maladjustment; levers and pedals move freely and return
- Control and drive wear — No excessive wear, or contamination by oil, water or dirt
- Hoses and pressurized lines — No leaks or deterioration, especially on hoses that flex in use
- Hydraulic fluid level — At the correct mark
- Hooks and latches — No cracks, deformation, wear, or heat or chemical damage; latch closes
- Wire rope — No kinks, crushing, birdcaging, broken wires, corrosion or heat damage
- Rope reeving — Parts of line and reeving match the manufacturer's specifications
- Electrical apparatus — Working; no excessive deterioration, dirt or moisture
- Tires — Inflated to spec; no cuts, bulges or exposed cord
- Boom and jib — No bent lacing, dents, cracks, or missing pins and keepers
- Cab windows — No cracks or breaks that block the operator's view
- Load chart and manual — In the cab and matching how the crane is configured
- Rails, rail stops and clamps — Secure and undamaged on rail-traveling cranes
Safety devices and operational aids (engine running)
- Hour meter — Reading from the cab (reading, in hours)
- Horn — Works from the operator's seat
- Crane level indicator — Fitted and reading correctly
- Boom and jib stops — In place and undamaged
- Foot pedal brake locks — Lock holds the pedal
- Anti two-block device — Stops or warns before the block reaches the boom tip; test per manual
- Load moment indicator — Set to the actual configuration; reads correctly; no faults
- Boom angle and length indicators — Readable from the seat and reading correctly
- Trial operation — Hoist, boom, swing and travel smooth; brakes hold
How often a mobile crane has to be inspected
A mobile crane on a construction site needs a shift inspection by a competent person, a documented monthly inspection, and an annual inspection by a qualified person. The shift inspection is in 29 CFR 1926.1412(d)(1): "A competent person must begin a visual inspection prior to each shift the equipment will be used, which must be completed before or during that shift." It lists fourteen items, and this checklist covers each one.
| Inspection | Who | When | Written record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shift | A competent person | Begun before each shift the crane is used | Not required |
| Monthly | A competent person, same items as the shift inspection | Each month in service | Required; kept at least 3 months |
| Annual (comprehensive) | A qualified person | At least every 12 months | Required; kept at least 12 months |
A crane idle for 3 months or more must be inspected by a qualified person before use (1926.1412(h)), and any manufacturer inspection procedure that's more thorough or more frequent must be followed (1926.1412(j)). In general industry, crawler, locomotive and truck cranes fall under 29 CFR 1910.180 instead, with daily-to-monthly frequent inspections. More in crane inspection requirements and what a competent person is.
How to do the shift inspection
Start it before the shift, finish it before or during the shift, and keep watching while you operate. OSHA says the inspection is "observation for apparent deficiencies", that "Taking apart equipment components and booming down is not required" unless something you see calls for it, and that findings "must be reassessed in light of observations made during operation."
- Check the setup. Ground under the crane and outriggers, level, outrigger position, power lines and the swing area.
- Walk around with the engine off. Controls, hoses, hydraulic fluid, hooks and latches, wire rope and reeving, electrical gear, tires, boom, cab windows, and the load chart and manual in the cab.
- Start up and check the safety devices. Horn, level indicator, boom stops and pedal locks where fitted.
- Test the operational aids the way the manufacturer describes: anti two-block, load moment indicator, boom angle and length.
- Run a trial operation of each function with no load.
- Decide on anything you found, then record it.
Safety devices and operational aids
A safety device that isn't working stops the job; a faulty operational aid allows temporary measures while it's repaired. That's the split between 1926.1415 and 1926.1416.
| Safety devices (1926.1415) | Operational aids (1926.1416) | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Crane level indicator, boom stops, jib stops, foot pedal brake locks, outrigger check valves, rail clamps and stops, horn | Anti two-block device, boom hoist limiting device, boom angle and length indicators, load moment indicator |
| If one isn't working | Operations must not begin; "Alternative measures are not permitted" | Stop, put the specified temporary measures in place, and repair within 7 days (Category I) or 30 days (Category II) |
The defects that take a mobile crane out of service
If the shift inspection finds a deficiency, the competent person must decide at once whether it's a safety hazard, and if it is, "the equipment must be taken out of service until it has been corrected" (1926.1412(d)(2)).
| Defect | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Ground settling under an outrigger pad | The crane can tip |
| Crane out of level | Load charts assume level; capacity drops and side loads build |
| Cracked, deformed or heat-damaged hook | The hook can fail under load |
| Broken wires, kinks, birdcaging or a broken strand | The rope can part; OSHA sets removal criteria in 1926.1413 |
| Leaking hose or low hydraulic fluid | Functions can drift or fail |
| Safety device not working | OSHA bars starting operations until it's fixed |
| Cracked cab glass that blocks the view | The operator can't see the load or signals |
What to do when something fails
Stop, make the crane safe and tag it. Where the employer takes the equipment out of service, OSHA says "a tag must be placed in the cab stating that the equipment is out of service and is not to be used", and a tag on any function taken out of service (1926.1417(f)(1)). Use an out-of-service tag in the cab and follow what to do when equipment fails inspection.
Keeping the record
The shift inspection doesn't have to be documented, but the monthly and annual inspections do. Monthly records must show "The items checked and the results of the inspection" and "The name and signature of the person who conducted the inspection and the date", kept at least three months; annual records are kept at least 12 months. All of them must be available to anyone who inspects the crane. See equipment inspection record keeping.
Doing it on a phone
A QR sticker in the cab lets the competent person run the shift inspection on their phone and file it with their name and the time, and anything marked Problem emails you with photos. If you also use it for the monthly inspection, check whether a typed name or PIN meets your signature requirement. See heavy equipment inspections by QR code.
Skip the clipboard
Put this mobile crane inspection checklist on a QR sticker.
- Operators scan the sticker with their own phone's camera. No app, account or password.
- Anything marked Problem emails you right away, with photos, and warns the next operator.
- Every check is saved by machine with who did it and when. Print one or export a CSV.
Free for 3 machines. Every item above is already filled in — edit anything. No card.
Mobile crane 1
Mobile crane inspection checklist
Frequently asked questions
Who can do the daily crane inspection?
A competent person (29 CFR 1926.1412(d)(1)): someone who can identify the hazards and has the authority to correct them. That's often a trained operator. Annual inspections, and inspections after repairs or long idle periods, need a qualified person.
Does the crane shift inspection have to be documented?
No. OSHA's shift inspection has no documentation requirement. The monthly inspection must be documented with the items checked, the results, and the inspector's name, signature and date, and kept at least three months; the annual inspection record is kept at least 12 months.
What's the difference between shift, monthly and annual crane inspections?
The shift and monthly inspections cover the same visual items, done by a competent person; the monthly one is written down. The annual inspection is a deeper, documented inspection by a qualified person, with disassembly where needed and a functional test.
Can you use a crane if the anti two-block device isn't working?
Only with OSHA's temporary alternative measures in place, such as a clearly marked hoist cable and a spotter, and the device must be repaired within 7 calendar days, with a limited exception while parts are on order (1926.1416(d)(3)). The operator must stop operations until those measures are in place.
Does a crane that has been sitting idle need an inspection before use?
Yes, if it's been idle for 3 months or more: a qualified person must inspect it to the monthly inspection requirements before it's used again (1926.1412(h)).
Keep reading
- Crane inspection requirementsOSHA crane inspections: shift checks by a competent person, documented monthly inspections kept 3 months, and annual ones by a qualified person kept 12 months.
- Rigging and sling inspection checklistFree rigging and sling inspection checklist: wire rope, chain and synthetic slings, shackles, hooks and eyebolts, with OSHA 1910.184 removal criteria.
- Overhead crane inspection checklistFree overhead crane daily inspection checklist from OSHA 1910.179: hook, latch, rope or chain, pendant, e-stop, upper limit switch and brakes. Print or use QR.
- What is a competent person?OSHA defines a competent person as one who can spot hazards and has authority to fix them. Compare competent, qualified and authorized, and who inspects what.
- Heavy equipment inspection appA heavy equipment inspection app for daily walkarounds: operators scan the QR sticker on an excavator, loader or dozer and check on their phone. No app or login.
- ConstructionConstruction equipment inspections on a QR sticker per machine. Operators and subs scan with their own phone, no app or login. Defects email you with photos.
Do your mobile crane checks by QR code.
Stick a QR code on every machine and operators do the pre-use check on their own phone — no app, no login. Free for up to 3 machines; try it with your real machines before you sign up.