EWP & Crane Certification for Construction

The principal contractor's plant compliance burden

On a construction site the principal contractor holds duties that extend to plant brought in by every subcontractor and hire company. A non-compliant EWP or crane admitted to site becomes the principal contractor's problem the moment it is on the ground. This drives the need for a consistent verification gate — a documented check that each unit meets its applicable standard before it starts work.

We provide that gate through independent pre-mobilisation and periodic inspection, certifying EWPs against AS 1418.10 and AS 2550.10, and cranes against the relevant AS 2550 parts, so the principal contractor has engineer-backed evidence for every asset on the site register.

• Principal contractor duties extend to all plant on the site
• Mixed fleets carry different standards and inspection intervals
• A consistent verification gate keeps non-compliant units off site
• Engineer-backed records support the site's WHS management system

Certifying the full range of site plant

A typical site runs scissor lifts for internal fit-out, boom lifts and telescopic booms for facade and structural work, telehandlers for materials handling, and one or more cranes for lifting. Each family has its own inspection scope and cadence. Scissor lifts and boom lifts are inspected under AS 1418.10 and AS 2550.10; telehandlers under the applicable AS 1418 and AS 2550 provisions for the modes they are used in; and cranes under the AS 2550 series with the design references of AS 1418.

Because these units arrive from many sources with varied histories, we verify each on its own merits rather than assuming compliance from a supplier's paperwork, and we consolidate the results into a single site register.

Tower and mobile crane inspection and load testing

Cranes are the highest-consequence lifting assets on a construction site. Tower cranes require inspection through erection, in-service and dismantling phases, while mobile and crawler cranes carry periodic and major inspection obligations under the AS 2550 series. After erection, structural repair or modification, load testing and proof load testing verify that the crane performs safely at its rated capacity.

We conduct crane inspections and load testing with calibrated equipment and document the results in reports that satisfy both the standard and the site's assurance requirements. Where structural concerns arise, non-destructive testing and a structural assessment determine fitness for continued service.

Non-destructive testing for high-duty structures

Construction plant on long or intensive projects accumulates fatigue, and critical welds and connections warrant non-destructive testing beyond visual inspection. Magnetic particle inspection detects surface cracks in steel weldments, ultrasonic testing assesses thickness and subsurface defects, and visual weld inspection verifies repair quality. This is particularly relevant for cranes and high-hour boom lifts where a structural failure at height would be catastrophic.

Keeping certification off the critical path

On a construction program, a grounded unit can stall a trade and ripple through the schedule. We track inspection due dates against the site fleet and mobilise quickly for annual, major and pre-mobilisation inspections, including emergency response, so that certification is never the reason a critical activity stops. As the project progresses and plant rotates on and off site, we keep the register current so the principal contractor always has an accurate compliance picture.