Free Below-the-Hook Inspection Record — ASME B30.20

The operator checks the device before and during every lift: the load surface for debris, the controls, the indicators. A frequent inspection by a designated person runs monthly in normal service, weekly to monthly in heavy service, daily to weekly in severe service. A periodic inspection runs yearly, semiannually, or quarterly for structural, mechanical, and vacuum lifters, and yearly, quarterly, or monthly for magnets and grapples. Special or infrequent service follows a qualified person's recommendation.

• Normal service: frequent monthly, periodic yearly
• Heavy service: frequent weekly to monthly, periodic semiannually
• Severe service: frequent daily to weekly, periodic quarterly
• Service level describes use and can change; BTH-1 Service Class is a design value in load cycles and stays with the device

Manufacturer's name and contact information, serial number, lifter weight if over 100 lb (45 kg), cold current and rated voltage when applicable, rated load, ASME BTH-1 Design Category, and ASME BTH-1 Service Class, with product safety labels required separately. A repaired or modified lifter adds the repairer's name, address, and unit identification and any altered weight or rated load. A lifter with no tag cannot be inspected against anything, and manufacturer guidance is to replace a device with no documentation that cannot be traced to a reputable maker.

• Design Category A: predictable loads, design factor 2.00, Service Class 0 only
• Design Category B: unpredictable or severe, design factor 3.00, any service class; the common case
• Service Class 0 to 4: 20,000 / 100,000 / 500,000 / 2,000,000 / over 2,000,000 design load cycles
• Most lifters are Category B, Service Class 2

Dated inspection reports are made on the critical items the periodic inspection covers, and records are available for each periodic inspection and whenever the device is altered or repaired. An external code mark on the lifter is acceptable in lieu of records. The frequent inspection and the every-lift check need no record. B30.20 sets no retention period; the periodic record's value is the trend, so keep it for the life of the device.

• Periodic inspection: dated record required
• Frequent and every-lift: no record required, but log the frequent inspection when you run it for a customer
• Load test: written report confirming the load rating, on file
• Deficiencies: a qualified person decides hazard, repair, disassembly, or a tighter interval, and approves return to service

For structural and mechanical lifters B30.20 says new, altered, or repaired devices should be tested before initial use. If tested, the test runs under the direction of the manufacturer or a qualified person, the test load is not more than 125% of rated load unless the manufacturer recommends otherwise, the rated load may not exceed 80% of the maximum load sustained, and a written report confirms the load rating. Vacuum lifters, magnets, grapples, and clamps use shall. The mandatory 125% proof test most people remember is OSHA 1926.251(a)(4), which applies to custom-designed accessories in construction, not to manufactured beams. The 2025 edition updated the load test method, so check the current text before writing a procedure.

• Chapter 20-1 lifters: recommended; 125% ceiling, no floor
• Rated load not more than 80% of the load sustained
• Vacuum lifters and clamps: required, 125% +5%/−0%
• Crane as test rig: OSHA's 1994 letter under 1910.179(k)