Educational checklist examples for safety, equipment and operational tasks — what a checklist covers, who uses it and how it connects to forms, inspections and training. Informational only — template examples to adapt, not official documents or legal advice; completing a checklist does not guarantee compliance and employers remain responsible.
What a lifting equipment checklist is
A lifting equipment checklist is a check made before a lift, covering the condition, marking and rating of the lifting accessories and confirming they suit the load and the plan. It records the everyday check that the gear is fit before it takes the weight.
This page is an educational overview with a simplified example of what such a checklist usually covers. It is not an official template, not specific to any equipment or jurisdiction and not legal advice — the employer and a competent person decide what the check and the lift plan must cover.
Purpose
- Confirm slings, chains and accessories are undamaged and within examination date.
- Check the safe working load and marking suit the load and the configuration.
- Confirm the gear matches the lift plan and the slinging arrangement.
- Record the check and remove defective gear before lifting.
Who completes it
- A competent, authorised person, before the lift.
- Defective or out-of-date gear is quarantined, not used.
- Thorough examination of lifting equipment is a separate, competent-person task.
- The employer decides who is competent to select gear and to sling loads.
When it is used
- Before each lift, especially for non-routine or heavy loads.
- After gear has been stored, returned or roughly handled.
- When the load, rigging or environment changes.
- Alongside the thorough-examination regime the employer maintains.
Typical items
- Gear type/ID, user, date and lift reference.
- Slings, chains, shackles, hooks and eyebolts free of damage and wear.
- Safe working load and marking legible and suitable for the load and angle.
- Examination tag in date; gear matches the lift plan and slinging method.
- Defects found and action taken (e.g. quarantined, reported).
- These are example items only — adapt them to the equipment and your lift plan.
Common mistakes
- Using gear whose safe working load is unclear or exceeded.
- Ignoring cuts, deformation, wear or corrosion in a sling or chain.
- Using gear that is out of its thorough-examination date.
- No lift plan for a non-routine or heavy lift.
Document workflow
A lifting equipment checklist follows the lift plan and the task risk assessment and sits alongside the thorough-examination records for the gear. It is used with the forklift or crane checks where a machine does the lifting; defective gear is completed after with a defect report and quarantine, and a dropped load triggers an incident report and review.
See the related documents below for what is commonly completed before, used with and completed after a lifting equipment check.
Retention (high level)
Checks and thorough-examination records for lifting gear are usually kept for a period set by the applicable rules and the employer, so the history of each item is traceable. Specific retention periods vary by jurisdiction and type of work.
This page does not state a required period — confirm retention with the applicable law and the official authority.
Completing and sharing as a PDF
Checks and examination certificates are commonly stored as PDFs alongside a lifting-gear register so the history can be shared. Exporting to PDF supports the record; it does not make the check official or guarantee compliance.
Employer checklist
- Ensure lifts are planned and gear is selected by competent people.
- Provide marked, examined gear and a clear quarantine route for defects.
- Make sure thorough examinations happen and records are kept.
- Keep pre-use checks, the gear register and examination records together.
Worker notes
- Check the gear, its marking and its tag before every lift.
- Do not use gear that is damaged, out of date or unclear on its load.
- Quarantine and report defective gear instead of using it.
Country considerations
Most countries regulate lifting operations and the examination of lifting equipment, but the detail, terminology and record-keeping rules differ, and the official authority is different in each. This page is high-level and general — it is not a statement of any country’s law and not a guarantee that a checklist is valid anywhere.
Always confirm the current requirements with the official authority for your country and a qualified professional.
Who is responsible
The employer is responsible for safe lifting operations, competent planning and slinging, examination of gear, and for compliance. This page is an educational overview with a template example; it does not certify any gear, does not replace competence and does not transfer responsibility.
Export, edit and share documents
The documents, policies and templates this involves can be exported, edited, signed, stored and shared as PDFs with the HELPERG PDF Editor.
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