Twelve months, but from which row?
In everyday speech "crane" covers every lifting machine; Annex-III Table-2 splits them into separate rows. The period is mostly the same, the inspection criteria are not, and the standard written into the report comes from that row.
| Equipment | Maximum period | Inspection criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Winches and lifting gear (monorail, traction, pulling, tensioning and similar) | 1 year | TS EN 14492-1+A1, TS EN 13157+A1 |
| Cranes (overhead, portal, mobile, loader, tower, offshore, slewing jib and similar) | 1 year | TS EN 15011, TS EN 13000+A1, TS EN 14439+A2, TS ISO 9927-1 and others |
| Lifting accessories and carriers (slings, clamps, vacuum and magnetic lifters) | 1 year | TS EN 13414-2+A2, TS EN 1492 series, TS EN 818-6+A1, TS EN 13155 |
| Vehicle lifts | 1 year | TS EN 1493 |
| Mobile elevating work platforms | 1 year | TS EN 280+A1 |
| Construction scaffolding | 6 months | TS EN 12810-1, TS EN 12811-1, TS 13662 |
Of the 23 rows in Table-2, 22 have a maximum period of one year; the only exception is construction scaffolding, where the period is six months.
The period is a ceiling
Under the general provisions, where the standards set no period the inspection frequency may not exceed the maximum periods in the tables. Shortening it is an expected outcome: based on a risk assessment covering ambient conditions, frequency of use, the age of the equipment, maintenance activities, atmospheric conditions, accident or overhaul history and previous inspection results, the frequency of tests and examinations may be increased. A crane running three shifts outdoors in salt air cannot wait twelve months.
Lifting accessories are the forgotten item
Slings, clamps, vacuum and magnetic lifters are not parts of the crane; they are equipment with a row of their own. The crane report does not cover them: they are inspected and reported separately. Equipment manufactured to perform more than one job is likewise inspected separately for each job it performs.
Without a report there is no inspection
The person authorised to carry out the inspection issues a report, and the report is kept for as long as the equipment is in use. If a defect compromising safe use is found, the equipment may not be used until it is remedied.
For every equipment type: periodic inspection period table.