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One shift you're signing off a crane that ran fine, and the next morning the operator hands you a slip of paper saying the outrigger looked "a bit bent." No photo, no timestamp, no clear scope of what was actually checked. Mobile crane inspection software exists precisely to kill that kind of grey area — because under OSHA 1926.1412, the same machine is subject to a shift, monthly, and annual inspection, each at a different qualification level and retention period, and a scrap of paper will not hold up when an auditor or an incident investigator asks for proof. If you want to see exactly how the tiers, the ASME B30.5 70-point checklist and the certification alerts map onto a real unit, book a 30-minute walkthrough and we'll load your crane template.
Three inspection tiers, one machine, one system — are you covering all of them?
Most sites get cited not because they skipped an inspection, but because they ran the wrong tier with the wrong person and kept no record that would hold up. HVI runs the shift, monthly and annual tiers against ASME B30.5 on one crane profile, so every check is done by the right person, on time, with photo proof.
Can you prove, in under sixty seconds, which tier was done on which crane last Tuesday — and by whom?
What a missed crane inspection actually costs you
Where contractors get cited: competent person vs qualified person
This is the single most misunderstood line in the rule book. OSHA draws a hard boundary between a "competent person" and a "qualified person," and running the wrong tier with the wrong one is a citable violation even when the inspection itself was done well. The distinction is not about seniority or pay grade — it is about demonstrable training and authority.
Competent Person
Shift & MonthlyCapable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the equipment or environment, and authorised to take prompt corrective measures. Typically the operator or a site supervisor. Runs the daily shift inspection and the documented monthly inspection.
Qualified Person
Annual & ModifiedPossesses a recognised degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve problems relating to the subject matter. A manufacturer's rep, certified crane inspector or professional engineer. Runs the annual and any post-modification inspection.
Mobile crane inspection checklist: shift, monthly and annual mapped
Under OSHA 1926.1412, one crane carries three concurrent inspection duties. Each has its own frequency, qualification level and retention rule. The table below maps how HVI enforces each tier inside one crane profile — and you can see the tiered template on your own cranes before you commit.
| Tier | Frequency | Who can sign | Retention | How HVI enforces it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shift | Each shift of use | Competent person (operator) | Until next shift | Forced digital DVIR before start; defects auto-create a work order |
| Monthly | Within 30 days of last | Competent person | Minimum 3 months (industry practice 12 mo) | Auto-scheduled; signed PDF record with photos and GPS stamp |
| Annual / Comprehensive | Every 12 months | Qualified person | Minimum 12 months | 70-point ASME B30.5 template; qualified-person e-signature captured |
| Post-incident / Modified | After alteration, repair or upset | Qualified person | 12 months | Triggered from work order close-out; re-cert flow before return to service |
Inside the ASME B30.5 70-point crane inspection checklist
The HVI crane template breaks the annual inspection into 70 items across 7 systems, mirroring ASME B30.5. Each system is a section in the mobile app; inspectors cannot close the record until every line is answered. Here is the breakdown by system.
Wire Rope & Rigging
12 items- Broken wire count per lay
- Diameter reduction & abrasion
- Kinks, birdcaging, corrosion
- End termination & sockets
Hook & Block
9 items- Hook deformation & throat opening
- Safety latch operation
- Swivel & bearing play
- Block sheave wear
Boom & Jib
13 items- Boom section alignment
- Weld cracks & bend
- Extend/retract cable condition
- Jib pin & stop condition
Outriggers
10 items- Pad & float condition
- Cylinder drift & leak
- Hold-down valve function
- Beam extension & pin
Safety Devices
11 items- Load moment indicator test
- Anti-two-block function
- Boom angle & length indicator
- Horn, lights & backup alarm
Hydraulics & Pneumatics
8 items- Pump pressure & drift
- Hose & fitting condition
- Filter & fluid level
- Control valve response
Carrier & Cab
7 items- Brake & steering function
- Tire & wheel condition
- Gauges & dash warnings
- Frame & outrigger box cracks
Road-going cranes: FMCSA and DOT on the same machine
A truck-mounted or rough-terrain crane that travels on public roads is not just a crane — it is also a commercial motor vehicle. That means FMCSA requirements (driver DVIR, annual DOT inspection, hours of service) and your state or provincial DOT rules apply at the same time as OSHA 1926.1412. If you are starting a free HVI account to consolidate both, you can run the crane tiers and the FMCSA vehicle tiers against one asset record.
Book a 30-minute demo and we'll load your crane template
We'll show you the 70-point ASME B30.5 checklist, the tiered scheduling, and how a defect on shift becomes a signed-off work order — on your own units, not a slide deck.
How HVI closes the crane compliance gap
Tiered crane template, one profile
Shift, monthly and annual tiers live on one crane asset. Each tier enforces the right checklist and the right qualification level, so a competent person cannot accidentally sign off an annual. Scheduling by engine hours or calendar date keeps the annual from slipping past 12 months.
Photo-backed, timestamped records
Every line item can carry a photo and a GPS stamp. When an auditor, a client or an incident investigator asks for proof, you export a signed PDF in seconds instead of hunting a binder. That alone ends the text-message-photo problem.
Operator & rigger cert tracking
Crane operator, rigger and signal-person certifications are tracked with 90, 60 and 30-day alerts. No more finding out a cert expired the day after a lift — or, worse, during a post-incident review.
Defect-to-work-order in one tap
A flagged item on a shift inspection becomes a work order automatically, with the photo and location attached. The mechanic picks it up in the shop queue with full context — no phone tag, no lost slips.
A 10-crane contractor: paper vs HVI on one annual cycle
Take a mid-size contractor running 10 mobile cranes across three sites. On paper, each annual inspection is a binder per crane, each monthly is a loose sheet, and shift inspections are verbal. On HVI, all three tiers run on one app. The difference is measurable, and if you want the exact numbers for your fleet size and crane count you can walk through the maths with us on a demo.
| Task (per crane, per year) | Paper process | HVI process | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shift inspections logged (250 shifts) | ~10 min each, verbal or paper slip | ~3 min on app, auto-filed | ~29 hours/yr |
| Monthly inspection documented | 45 min + photo upload by admin | 20 min, photos embedded | 5 hours/yr |
| Annual inspection record compiled | 2 hrs chasing photos & signatures | 0 min — auto-generated PDF | 2 hours/yr |
| Audit retrieval (one crane, one year) | 30–60 min searching binders | Under 60 seconds, exported | ~1 hour/audit |
| Per-crane annual time saved | — | — | ~37 hours |
Across 10 cranes that is roughly 370 hours of admin time reclaimed every year — before you count the cost of a single failed audit or a single extra day of unplanned downtime. That is why moving off paper is not just a compliance upgrade; it is a capacity upgrade. You can start logging inspections free and measure it on one crane before rolling out.
Mobile crane inspection software: what to act on
Tier it or get cited. Shift, monthly and annual are three duties, not one. Each needs the right person and the right record — on one crane.
Know the difference. A competent person runs shift and monthly. A qualified person runs annual and post-modification. Mixing them up is the most common citation trigger.
Map the standards. ASME B30.5, OSHA 1926.1412, FMCSA and state DOT all hit the same road-going crane. One inspection should satisfy all of them.
Prove it in 60 seconds. If you cannot pull a timestamped, photo-backed record during an audit, you do not have a record — you have a story.
The worst calls I get are not breakdowns. They are the safety guy asking for last month's outrigger inspection on a crane that left site three weeks ago. We switched the cranes to HVI because I can pull that record off my phone before he finishes the sentence — photo, signature, timestamp. That changed my week.
— Ray Delgado, Site Supervisor, civil contractor running 14 mobile cranes across the US Midwest
Crane inspection software: the questions contractors ask
What is the difference between a shift, monthly and annual crane inspection?
Who qualifies as a competent person vs a qualified person for crane inspections?
How long do crane inspection records need to be retained?
Does HVI's crane inspection checklist follow ASME B30.5?
Can HVI track crane operator and rigger certifications?
See HVI running on your own fleet — book a 30-minute demo
We'll load the ASME B30.5 70-point template, set up shift, monthly and annual tiers, and show you how a defect becomes a signed work order. Or start free and try it on one crane today.
Free to start — Works on any phone — No card needed
