Plant and lifting: inspection and testing

Item	How often	Basis	Reference	Applies to
Plant: general inspection and maintenanceBy: Competent person State notes Model WHS r.213: inspection annually if neither manufacturer nor competent-person recommendations are reasonably practicable. VIC r.105: plant 'inspected to the extent necessary' (no default interval); r.106: keep inspection/maintenance records for specified plant (e.g. tower cranes, lifts, boilers/pressure vessels hazard A-C, certain Schedule 2 plant).	Per manufacturer's recommendations; else competent person's; else every 12 months	Mandatory	Model WHS Reg 213; VIC OHS Regs r.105, r.106Federal Register of Legislation, Victorian Legislation, WorkSafe Tasmania	All workplaces
Hired or leased plant: between hiresBy: Hire supplier State notes VIC-specific duty on hire suppliers. Model WHS: covered by supplier and r.213 duties.	Between each hireRecord kept while supplier controls the plant	Mandatory	VIC OHS Regs r.93, r.94Victorian Legislation	All workplaces
Mobile plant and forklift pre-start checkBy: Operator State notes Same practice in all jurisdictions.	Start of each shift / before first daily use / when operator changesLock out any unit with a safety defect	Manufacturer	WorkSafe Vic forklift guidance; manufacturer's instructions; model WHS Reg 213WorkSafe Victoria	Warehouse/factory
Forklift periodic service and inspectionBy: Competent forklift technician State notes WorkSafe Vic sets no fixed interval; engage a competent forklift technician. Forklift operation is high risk work (licence) in all jurisdictions.	Per manufacturer's service scheduleRecords of inspections, defects and repairs	Manufacturer	Manufacturer's instructions; model WHS Reg 213 (annual fallback); AS 2359 seriesWorkSafe Victoria	Warehouse/factory
Mobile cranes (>10 t) and tower cranes: major inspectionBy: Competent person (NPER-registered or Chartered Professional Engineer, or regulator-approved) State notes Mandatory in model WHS jurisdictions and WA. VIC: no major-inspection regulation in OHS Regs 2017; WorkSafe Vic guidance on major inspection of cranes, hoists and winches references the AS 2550 approach.	End of manufacturer's design life; else competent person; else every 10 yearsFrom date first commissioned or registered, whichever earlier	WHS statesMandatoryVICStandard	Model WHS Reg 235; WA WHS (General) Regs 2022 r.235; AS 2550.1Federal Register of Legislation, WorkSafe WA, WorkSafe Victoria	Construction
Cranes: annual (periodic) inspectionBy: Competent person (third party) State notes Registered cranes in model jurisdictions also need a competent-person inspection for registration (e.g. r.267).	Every 12 monthsPlus routine inspections per AS 2550 and manufacturer	Standard	AS 2550.1; model WHS Reg 213 (annual fallback)From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.Asset Engineering (secondary), Federal Register of Legislation	Construction
Elevating work platforms: pre-operational inspectionBy: Competent operator State notes Same in all jurisdictions; underlying legal duty model WHS r.213 / VIC r.105.	Start of each shift	Standard	AS 2550.10; SWA Guide to inspecting and maintaining EWPs (Appendix A)Safe Work Australia, WorkSafe Queensland	All workplaces
Elevating work platforms: routine inspectionBy: Competent person (written report) State notes Same in all jurisdictions.	At least every 3 monthsBefore returning to service after storage; more often in harsh/continuous use	Standard	AS 2550.10; SWA EWP guide (Appendix B)Safe Work Australia, WorkSafe Queensland	All workplaces
Elevating work platforms: periodic inspectionBy: Competent person (independent of operation) State notes VIC: boom-type EWPs require design registration (OHS Regs Schedule 2 item 1.10).	Every 12 months (maximum, unless manufacturer specifies otherwise)	Standard	AS 2550.10; SWA EWP guide (Appendix C)Safe Work Australia, WorkSafe Queensland	All workplaces
Elevating work platforms: major inspectionBy: Competent person State notes Same in all jurisdictions (guidance, not regulation).	After 10 years of service; repeat intervals as set by the manufacturer or a competent personEarlier if damaged, modified, records missing or manufacturer requires	Standard	AS 2550.10; AS 1418.10 (design life); SWA EWP guideFrom a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.Safe Work Australia, WorkSafe Queensland	All workplaces
Lifting gear: pre-use visual check (slings, chains, shackles, hooks)By: User / dogger / rigger State notes Same in all jurisdictions.	Before each useRemove damaged gear from service	Standard	AS 3775.2; AS 1666.2; AS 1353.2; NSW dogging & rigging guideNSW Government	All workplaces
Alloy chain slings: periodic inspectionBy: Competent person State notes Same in all jurisdictions; end user sets schedule on duty cycle.	Every 12 months (1-5 lifts/week) down to monthly (201+ lifts/week)6-monthly at 6-25 lifts/week, 3-monthly at 26-200; re-test after component or tag replacement	Standard	AS 3775.2 (inspection guide table)NSW Government	All workplaces
Wire rope slings: periodic inspectionBy: Competent person State notes Same in all jurisdictions.	About every 12 months (usage-dependent)	Standard	AS 1666 seriesFrom a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.CH-S (secondary)	All workplaces
Synthetic / soft slings and roundslings: periodic inspectionBy: Competent person State notes Same in all jurisdictions.	Not more than every 3 months	Standard	AS 1353.2 (flat synthetic webbing slings); AS 4497 (roundslings)From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.CH-S (secondary)	All workplaces
Below-the-hook lifting devices (spreader/lifting beams)By: Competent person State notes Same in all jurisdictions.	Every 12 months (suggested) or as manufacturer/competent person sets	Standard	AS 4991From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.CH-S (secondary)	All workplaces
Registered plant item: registration renewalBy: Person with management or control of the plant State notes Model WHS registrable items: boilers and pressure vessels (hazard A-C, AS 4343), tower cranes, lifts/escalators, building maintenance units, amusement devices, concrete placing booms, mobile cranes >10 t. VIC (Authorised Version 018): item registration applies to amusement structures only (12-month registration, r.513K); other plant needs design registration only (Schedule 2). VIC amusement structure registration was introduced by S.R. No. 46/2026 (from 29 Jul 2026): apply by 30 Oct 2026 for structures designed on or after 1 Jul 1995, and by 1 Nov 2027 for older designs. QLD registers items annually.	Every 5 years (model WHS); every 12 months (VIC amusement structures)	Mandatory	Model WHS Reg 272 & Schedule 5 Part 2; VIC OHS Regs r.127C, r.513KFederal Register of Legislation, Victorian Legislation	All workplaces
Plant design registrationBy: Designer / owner State notes VIC Schedule 2 includes e.g. prefabricated scaffolding, boom-type EWPs, vehicle hoists, mast climbing work platforms, mobile cranes >10 t, concrete-placing booms.	No expiry - re-register if design is alteredAlteration that may affect health and safety (e.g. tower crane relocation in WA)	Mandatory	Model WHS Reg 259 (unlimited duration); VIC OHS Regs r.125, r.126 & Schedule 2Federal Register of Legislation, Victorian Legislation	All workplaces
Air receivers (pV > 150 MPa.L): external inspectionBy: Competent person State notes VIC r.106 requires records for pressure vessels hazard A-C. Model WHS: hazard A-C vessels are registrable items (Schedule 5). AS 3788:2024 now current - intervals should be confirmed against the 2024 edition.	Every 2 yearsCommissioning inspection required; internal every 4 years; extended interval 12 years	Standard	AS/NZS 3788:2006 (as cited by WorkSafe Vic); hazard level per AS 4343WorkSafe Victoria	Warehouse/factory
Air receivers (pV > 150 MPa.L): internal inspectionBy: Competent person State notes As above.	Every 4 yearsReceivers pV <= 150 MPa.L: regular operating surveillance only	Standard	AS/NZS 3788:2006 (as cited by WorkSafe Vic)WorkSafe Victoria	Warehouse/factory
Hoists (builders' hoists, mast climbing platforms, winches)By: Competent person State notes Mast climbing work platforms need design registration in VIC (Schedule 2 item 1.13).	Per manufacturer; else competent person; else every 12 monthsMajor inspection per AS 2550 approach	WHS statesMandatoryVICStandard	Model WHS Reg 213; VIC OHS Regs r.105; WorkSafe Vic major inspection guidance (cranes, hoists and winches)From a published summary of the standard; check the current edition.Federal Register of Legislation, WorkSafe Victoria	Construction

What the basis labels mean

A planning guide, not legal advice. Intervals are minimums under normal conditions: shorten them where use, environment, damage or a risk assessment calls for it, and follow the current edition of the standard, your regulator's guidance and the manufacturer's instructions. Victoria operates under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 and the OHS Regulations 2017; the other states and territories under the model WHS laws as adopted locally. Items checked 28 October 2026.

Sources

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