EWP Inspection Requirements: Scissor Lifts, Boom Lifts and Major Inspections

Elevating work platforms are governed by AS 2550.10, the safe-use standard specific to EWPs, which sits within the broader AS 2550 series and works alongside the design requirements of the AS 1418 family. Under the WHS Regulations, an EWP is plant that must be inspected and maintained by a competent person so it remains without risk to the people it lifts. Because a failure can drop a worker from height, the inspection discipline is unforgiving.

EWPs also carry licensing implications. Boom-type platforms with a boom length of eleven metres or more require a high risk work licence to operate, while smaller units and scissor lifts require appropriate training and familiarisation. The inspection regime and the operator competency regime work together — a well-inspected machine in untrained hands is still a hazard.

Every EWP should receive a pre-start inspection at the beginning of each shift by the operator. This covers the obvious operational essentials: fluid levels, tyres or tracks, controls, emergency lowering function, guardrails, harness anchor points where fitted, and the condition of the platform and structure. Any defect that affects safe operation takes the machine out of service until it is fixed.

Routine inspections at more formal intervals, typically carried out by a competent maintenance person, go deeper. They examine the hydraulic system for leaks and cylinder condition, check hoses and fittings, test safety and interlock systems, and inspect the structure for cracks, corrosion and wear. Scissor lifts demand particular attention to the scissor pack pins and bushes, while boom lifts focus on boom pivot pins, slew mechanisms and the turntable.

• Pre-start checks each shift by the operator
• Guardrails, harness points and platform integrity
• Emergency lowering and interlock function tests
• Hydraulic leaks, hoses, cylinders and fittings
• Structural cracks, corrosion and pivot pin wear

In addition to routine servicing, EWPs require a comprehensive annual inspection by a competent person. This is a thorough examination of the whole machine against the manufacturer's requirements and AS 2550.10, covering structure, mechanisms, hydraulics, electrical systems and all safety devices. The annual inspection produces a formal report that becomes part of the machine's permanent record.

Load and function testing forms part of the periodic regime. The platform's rated capacity, overload protection and levelling systems are verified to confirm the machine performs as designed. As with cranes, these inspections are only credible if their results are documented, and the annual report is a key item any auditor, hirer or regulator will ask to see.

Like cranes, EWPs are subject to a major inspection when they reach ten years from the date of first commissioning, in line with AS 2550.10. This is a strip-down examination that goes well beyond routine servicing. Structural components are inspected in detail, often with non-destructive testing of critical welds and pins, and pivot points are disassembled so hidden wear and fatigue can be assessed.

The major inspection exists because cumulative fatigue and internal deterioration are not visible during normal use. A boom lift that passes every daily check can still be approaching the end of its safe structural life. The major inspection confirms whether the machine can safely continue, what components must be replaced, and on what terms it may return to service. Operating a ten-year-old EWP without one is a serious compliance failure.

Although both are EWPs, scissor lifts and boom lifts stress different components and so demand different inspection emphasis. Scissor lifts rely on the integrity of the scissor pack — the linked arms, pins and bushes that raise and lower the platform vertically. Wear in these joints, hydraulic cylinder condition and the stability of the base are the primary focus, along with the descent-control and pothole-protection systems.

Boom lifts, whether articulating or telescopic, place high loads through the boom sections, pivot pins, slew ring and turntable. Inspection concentrates on these structural and rotational elements, the levelling of the platform through the boom's range, and the integrity of the boom's welds. Recognising these differences ensures the inspection effort is directed where the real risk lies for each machine type.

Cranes Australia inspects and tests scissor lifts, boom lifts and other elevating work platforms to AS 2550.10, from routine and annual inspections through to the ten-year major inspection. We identify wear and fatigue before it becomes a failure, provide the documented reports you need for compliance, and advise clearly on whether a machine is fit to keep working.

Call 0416 689 689 to book an EWP inspection or major inspection. We will keep the platforms that carry your workers safe, compliant and ready for work.