Annual Inspection
The yearly competent-person inspection that keeps an EWP legally on the tools between major inspections.
The annual inspection is the backbone of a compliant EWP programme. Required for elevated work platforms under AS 2550.10, it is a structured, competent-person examination of the machine's structure, safety systems and controls, carried out every twelve months. It is the check that principal contractors and hire desks look for first, because a current annual inspection is the minimum evidence that a machine has been independently assessed as fit for work within the last year.
Scope of the annual inspection
The annual inspection is more rigorous than routine servicing but less invasive than the major inspection. Our engineers examine the machine's structure for visible damage, corrosion and cracking, verify every safety-critical function, and confirm that the platform, controls and stability systems behave as designed. Findings are documented with photographs and graded for severity.
Crucially, the annual inspection also reconciles the machine against its paperwork: compliance plate, capacity ratings, logbook and prior inspection records. A machine that works well but cannot prove its history is a compliance liability, and we surface those gaps rather than ignore them.
- Visual and functional examination of structure, platform and controls
- Verification of overload, tilt and emergency-lowering systems
- Check of guardrails, harness anchorages and access gates
- Reconciliation against compliance plate, ratings and logbook
How it fits the inspection lifecycle
Annual inspections sit between routine servicing, which the operator or maintainer performs frequently, and the five- and ten-year major inspections that require structural strip-down and NDT. Skipping annual inspections is the most common reason a fleet loses insurability, because the gap in the record cannot be retrospectively filled.
We schedule annual inspections proactively across a fleet so machines never drift out of currency, and we align the timing with logbook servicing where possible to minimise downtime.
The deliverable
You receive an engineer-signed inspection report stating the machine's condition, any defects and their severity, and a clear pass or the remedial actions required. Where a machine passes, the certificate documents the next due date so fleet managers can plan ahead with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to ensure your equipment is compliant?
Book an inspection today or contact our engineering team for specialized testing and compliance advice.