Lifting Gear Inspection: What Equipment Needs to Be Checked?

A sling that's carried a hundred loads without issue can fail on the hundred-and-first, not because anyone did anything wrong, but because wear that started invisible finally crossed a threshold nobody was watching for. That's the entire point of lifting gear inspection, catching the damage before the load does. Defective lifting equipment doesn't just risk a dropped load, it risks a genuinely serious injury, and in a heavy lifting environment, "it looked fine" isn't a standard worth relying on.

Lifting gear covers a wide range of equipment—slings, shackles, hooks, chains, beams, and hoists among them—and each one wears differently depending on how it's used and what it's exposed to. Regular, structured inspection is what keeps that equipment genuinely safe to use and helps businesses stay on the right side of their compliance obligations. At AAS Lifting Solutions, we provide professional lifting equipment inspection services to help businesses identify potential issues early, maintain equipment reliability, and support ongoing workplace safety and compliance.

What Is a Lifting Gear Inspection?

A lifting gear inspection is a structured check of lifting equipment to confirm it's still safe and fit for continued use:

• Identify wear and damage before it progresses to failure, cuts, corrosion, deformation, and fatigue all start small
• Check overall equipment condition, confirming components function correctly and haven't degraded beyond safe limits
• Confirm identification and rated capacity, making sure Working Load Limit (WLL) markings and tags are present, legible, and match the equipment
• Maintain safe lifting operations, since an inspection regime turns "probably fine" into a documented, defensible safety standard

Inspection shouldn't be viewed as merely one task to check off and then forget, rather it's a discipline that is kept continuously while the piece of equipment is being operated on the job everyday.

What Lifting Equipment Needs to Be Inspected?

In fact most all sorts of lifting appliances and lifting gear require periodic checks yet the items being looked out for, as well as the interval of examination, will differ depending upon the type of the equipment.

Equipment	What to Check	Common Defects
Lifting slings (webbing)	Cuts, tears, stitching, WLL label	Abrasion, UV damage, chemical burns, torn stitching
Chain slings	Link wear, deformation, WLL tag	Stretched links, corrosion, cracked welds
Wire rope slings	Broken wires, kinks, corrosion	Bird-caging, crushed sections, rust
Shackles	Bow, pin, threads, WLL marking	Bent bow, worn threads, mismatched pins
Hooks	Throat opening, latch function	Bending, deformation, worn or missing safety latch
Lifting chains	Link condition, elongation	Stretching, gouges, corrosion
Eyebolts and lifting points	Thread engagement, deformation	Bent shank, worn threads, incorrect loading angle
Lifting beams	Structural integrity, weld condition	Cracks, bending, corrosion at load points
Spreader beams	Attachment points, structural condition	Weld cracks, deformation, worn shackle points
Hoists	Chain/rope condition, brake function	Worn brakes, chain wear, hook deformation
Other accessories	Manufacturer-specific checkpoints	Varies by component

If you're sourcing replacement gear, our range of lifting and rigging equipment covers most of what's listed above, built to the same standards your inspection process is checking against.

Lifting Gear Inspection Checklist

A practical, repeatable checklist should confirm the following on every formal inspection:

• Identification and tagging present and legible
• Working Load Limit (WLL) clearly marked and matching the equipment's actual rating
• Cuts and tears in webbing, rope, or chain components
• Abrasion from repeated use or contact with rough surfaces
• Corrosion on metal components, particularly in exposed or coastal environments
• Deformation in hooks, shackles, or structural components
• Cracks, especially at load-bearing points and welds
• Broken wires in wire rope slings
• Damaged stitching on webbing slings
• Bent hooks or worn safety latches
• Damaged shackles, bent bows, worn pins, or mismatched components
• Missing components, pins, safety latches, or other small but critical parts
• Illegible markings that prevent confirming rated capacity or origin

How Often Should Lifting Equipment Be Inspected?

Inspection frequency isn't a single number, it's layered, and it isn't identical across every type of gear.

• Pre-use inspection - a quick visual and functional check performed by the operator before every single lift, catching obvious damage before it's relied on
• Routine inspection - more frequent checks during regular use, particularly relevant for equipment in daily service
• Periodic/formal inspection - a documented inspection by a competent person should be carried out at intervals appropriate to the equipment and its frequency of use. Synthetic round slings and webbing slings should be inspected every 3 months in accordance with the applicable Australian Standards. Lifting chains may require inspection every 6 or 12 months depending on frequency of use, while other lifting equipment is generally inspected every 12 months. Manufacturer recommendations and site-specific risk assessments may require more frequent inspections.
• Inspection after an incident or suspected damage - immediate, mandatory, and non-negotiable, regardless of when the last scheduled inspection took place

Manufacturer guidance can also specify shorter intervals than general workplace practice, and where it does, the stricter requirement takes precedence. High-use environments, daily lifting, harsh conditions, heavy loads, generally warrant inspection well above the baseline minimum rather than waiting for the standard interval to come around.

How to Inspect Lifting Slings

Synthetic round slings and webbing slings require inspection every 3 months in accordance with the applicable Australian Standards, with more frequent checks appropriate where equipment is heavily used or exposed to harsh conditions. Slings, whether webbing or round, take on wear faster than most other lifting gear, which is why they need close attention:

• Cuts, tears, and abrasion anywhere along the webbing or sleeve, from contact with rough or sharp surfaces
• Heat or chemical damage, visible as discolouration, stiffness, or melting on synthetic webbing
• Damaged stitching, pulled or broken threads at load-bearing seams
• Distortion, twisting or narrowing that suggests internal fibre damage
• WLL identification and end fittings, confirming labels match the sling and checking eyes and hardware for wear or corrosion

Given how much wear synthetic slings take on through daily use, our synthetic lifting slings range is worth a look when it's time to replace, rather than repair, a sling that's reached the end of its safe working life.

How to Inspect Shackles

Shackles look simple, but a proper inspection covers several points that are easy to overlook at a glance:

• Bow, body, and pin condition, checking for bending, stretching, worn or incorrect pins
• Cracks and distortion, particularly around the pin holes and body, where stress concentrates
• Corrosion, especially relevant for shackles used outdoors or in coastal environments
• Thread condition, on screw-pin shackles, checking for wear or damage
• WLL markings and correct component matching, confirming ratings and that pins aren't mismatched between shackles, a genuine, easily missed hazard

Our bow and screw shackles range covers standard replacement options if inspection turns up a shackle that's due for retirement rather than continued service.

What Happens If Lifting Equipment Fails Inspection?

Equipment that doesn’t pass inspection needs a clear, consistent process, not a quick gut judgement in the moment and certainly not a “we’ll see” call :

1. Stop using the equipment immediately, regardless of how minor the defect might seem
2. Remove or isolate it from service, clearly tagged so it can't be accidentally picked up and used again
3. Identify the defect precisely, so whoever assesses it knows exactly what to look at
4. Have it assessed by a competent person, someone with the training and experience to determine whether it's repairable or needs replacing
5. Repair or replace where appropriate, only through methods and providers the manufacturer actually permits
6. Update inspection records, documenting the outcome so the equipment register stays accurate and audit-ready

Why Regular Lifting Equipment Inspections Matter

Regular inspection connects directly to worker safety, and that's really the whole point underneath the compliance paperwork. It's a core part of genuine risk management, catching wear before it becomes a failure, and it directly supports equipment reliability, since gear that's regularly checked performs the way it's actually supposed to. Consistent inspection is also what prevents lifting incidents in the first place, rather than investigating them after the fact.

On the compliance side, Australian Standards such as AS 2550 set out the framework for who’s qualified to inspect lifting equipment and how often, and then the state and territory WHS regulations layer extra requirements over that, sort of on top. Keeping your inspection records clean, accurate doesn't show compliance is good, but in the end it is the document that proves your compliance when the regulator, insurer, or incident investigation raises the question.

Frequently Asked Questions

What lifting equipment needs to be inspected? 

Lifting and rigging gear that is not damaged by accident should be examined regularly almost universally. Among these are slings, shackles, hooks, chains, eyebolts, lifting beams, spreader beams, and hoists with their own specific points of wear which should be checked.

How often should lifting equipment be inspected? 

Inspection frequency depends on the type of lifting equipment and how frequently it is used. Synthetic round slings and webbing slings should be formally inspected every 3 months. Lifting chains may require inspection every 6 or 12 months depending on their frequency of use, while other lifting equipment is generally inspected every 12 months. Pre-use inspections should also be carried out before equipment is used.

What should be included in a lifting gear inspection? 

As part of a comprehensive inspection, you will inspect the ID and WLL markings, check for cut and abrasion, look out for corrosion, check for deformation, cracks and broken wires; look for a damaged stitching or other damage, identify bent components or missing parts and ensure that all markings are clearly readable.

How often should lifting slings be inspected? 

Synthetic round slings and webbing slings should be formally inspected every 3 months in accordance with the applicable Australian Standards. Additional inspections may be necessary when slings are heavily used, exposed to harsh environments, or involved in an incident or suspected damage.

How often should shackles be inspected? 

When it comes to shackles, it is common to carry out their formal inspection once a year in general, just like most other lifting equipment. Yet there is one condition when it should be checked more often - if the environment is very demanding or corrosive and the usage frequency is high, that is.

Who can inspect lifting equipment? 

Formal inspections must be carried out by a "competent person," someone with the practical and theoretical knowledge, and verified training, to properly identify defects and assess whether equipment is safe to remain in service.

Need Professional Lifting Gear Inspection?

Keeping slings, shackles, chains, and rigging equipment properly inspected and compliant is a lot easier with the right support behind it, whether that's sourcing quality replacement gear like the Austlift Grade 100 chain sling or arranging professional inspection for your existing equipment. Visit our lifting and rigging page to see how we can help keep your lifting operations safe and compliant.