Winch Inspection Checklist Template

As a preface, it should be noted that safety requirements and inspection standards may vary across regions and largely depend on the industry regulatory body in your area. However, there are some pointers across the different regulations, and that you will have to take note of when preparing for a winch inspection.

Type of Inspection

The common inspection types that are generally accepted across the industry are initial inspections, frequent (pre-use, daily or weekly) inspections, periodic thorough examinations, and special inspections. Depending on your local regulations, these inspections may require actual functional testing, especially for thorough examinations.

Competent Person

All inspections and inspection reports must be performed and completed by a “competent person”. This refers to an individual who has the required credentials or qualifications to inspect your winch unit, identify any issues, verify its operability, and give recommendations on its use or removal from operations.

Regular Inspection Intervals

Frequency of winch safety inspections vary between the different regulatory bodies. Namely:

• The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), does not mandate any single inspection interval. Frequency is determined by winch type and usage.
• OSHA in the United States recommends both frequent (daily to monthly, pre-use) and periodic checks (1-12 months)
• The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in Ireland requires both initial inspection (before first use), daily, weekly, and periodic examinations.

Record Keeping and Documentation

It is required by most, if not all, workplace safety institutions to produce and keep safety records for inspection and verification. In this case, you will need to retain inspection reports in the form of winch inspection sheets.