10-Year Major Inspection & Equipment Recertification

Overview

When an elevating work platform, mobile crane, boom lift or cherry picker reaches 10 years of service (or its equivalent design life), Australian Standards require a major inspection before it can legally remain in service. NDT Australia manages the entire process — strip-down coordination, full NDT of critical components, engineering assessment and formal recertification — as a single provider, nationwide.

A major inspection is not a paperwork exercise. It is the one point in a machine's life where hidden fatigue cracking, worn pins and structural deterioration are found and fixed before they cause a catastrophic failure. Our AINDT-certified technicians and engineers deliver audit-ready certification trusted by councils, mining operators and tier-1 contractors.

What is an AS2550 10-Year Major Inspection?

AS 2550 (the 'safe use' series covering cranes in AS 2550.1 and elevating work platforms in AS 2550.10) mandates a detailed major inspection when equipment reaches 10 years of service or the end of its design life. This applies to EWPs, mobile cranes, boom lifts, cherry pickers, scissor lifts and truck-mounted platforms.

The major inspection requires the machine to be substantially dismantled so that critical structural and mechanical components can be cleaned, inspected and tested. Only after every critical component passes NDT and an engineer signs off can the machine be recertified and legally returned to service for its next inspection period.

Complete Strip-Down & NDT Process

Our major inspection process covers every fatigue-critical and load-bearing component:

• Systematic visual inspection of the complete structure, welds and mechanical systems
• Ultrasonic testing (UT) of booms, chords and load-bearing sections for internal defects
• Magnetic particle inspection (MPI) of critical welds and ferromagnetic components
• Pin, bushing and bearing checks for wear, deformation and cracking
• Weld crack analysis at high-stress joints, pivots and boom attachment points
• Hydraulic system and structural integrity assessment with engineering sign-off

Engineering Sign-Off & Compliance Report

Every 10-year major inspection concludes with a formal engineering assessment and certification package: what was inspected, what was found, what was rectified, and the engineering basis for returning the machine to service.

Our audit-ready certificates and reports are accepted by councils, mining operators, tier-1 contractors, insurers and regulators — clear evidence of due diligence that stands up to any audit.

Book Your 10-Year Major Inspection

Planning ahead keeps downtime to a minimum. Call NDT Australia on 0416 689 689 or request an inspection online and we'll schedule your major inspection, coordinate the strip-down and have your machine recertified and back to work fast.