Before use & re-erection
DMR 18(5)(a) requires thorough examination and a performance test before use, each time the machine is dismantled and re-erected, and thereafter within 12 months. The LMI of the LME must have knowledge of that machine type.
Lifting equipment scope
Explore our lifting equipment categories and the equipment families behind them.
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT SCOPE
Inspection & testing categories
Explore the equipment named on our LME certificate, alongside our container crane, straddle carrier and boat-lift services. Use these examples to identify your equipment and discuss the inspection with our team.
DMR 18 · SOUTH AFRICAN REQUIREMENTS
Know when to inspect.
Know when to test.
The cards below summarise the maximum examination and testing intervals where South Africa’s Driven Machinery Regulations apply. LMI means Lifting Machinery Inspector; LME means Lifting Machinery Entity.
Redeployment exceptions
Under 18(5)(c), mobile cranes, self-erecting cranes and mobile elevated work platforms are exempt from a performance test after each redeployment within that 12-month period. This does not remove their periodic examination and testing duties.
Test method & records
Use the performance test prescribed by the manufacturing standard. The 110% safe-working-load fallback applies only where the manufacturing or incorporated standard is absent. Keep the register required by 18(7); leased equipment has additional record requirements.
These are maximum intervals, not permission to keep using defective equipment. Marine, mining and cross-border work may fall under additional or different legislation. Read DMR 18 in the official regulations ↗
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Lifting tackle
Lifting tackle inspection
15 equipment subcategories
- Steel wire rope slings
- Alloy chain slings
- Webbing slings
- Eye and clevis hooks
- Snatch blocks
- Mechanical coupling links
- Shackles
- Clamps / wire rope clamps
- Lifting points / rings
- Lifting beams
- Spreader beams
- Plate grabs
- Balance fork attachments
- Coil grabs
- Bar tongs
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 3 months: examination by a competent person appointed in writing by the user; results recorded and signed. 18(10)(e)
- Unsafe tackle: inspect and discard items with damage, defects, wear or distortion that make them unsafe. 18(10)(d)
- Testing: lifting tackle is excluded from the annual machine performance-test provision; follow the applicable product standard. 18(5)(a)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Lever hoists
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Lever-operated chain hoists
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Chain blocks
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Hand-operated chain blocks
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Overhead cranes
Inspection & applicable load testing
4 equipment subcategories
- Overhead bridge cranes
- Gantry cranes
- Rail-mounted cranes
- Goliath cranes
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Tower cranes
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Top-slewing tower cranes
- Bottom-slewing tower cranes
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Forklifts
Inspection & applicable load testing
10 equipment subcategories
- Counterbalance forklifts
- Side loaders
- Rail / tyre stacker and reach trucks
- Pedestrian-controlled lift trucks
- Order-picking lift trucks
- Pallet trucks
- Telehandlers
- Rough-terrain forklifts
- Large lift trucks
- Truck-mounted forklifts
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Mobile cranes
Inspection & applicable load testing
9 equipment subcategories
- Truck-mounted cranes
- Fixed / truck-mounted knuckle-boom loader cranes
- Pick-and-carry cranes
- Mobile harbour cranes
- Lattice-boom crawler cranes
- Lattice-boom cranes on wheeled carriers
- Rough-terrain / centre-mounted cranes
- All-terrain cranes
- Carry-deck cranes
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Reach stackers
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Container reach stackers
- Manual / automatic spreader configurations
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Tail lifts
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Vehicle-mounted tail lifts
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Crawler cranes
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Lattice-boom crawler cranes
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Jib cranes
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Freestanding jib cranes
- Permanently attached jib cranes
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Electric chain hoists
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Powered chain-hoist systems
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Truck mounted cranes
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Truck-mounted cranes
- Fixed / truck-mounted knuckle-boom loader cranes
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Mobile elevated work platform
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Boom platforms / cherry pickers
- Special insulated aerial platforms
- Mobile / fixed scissor lifts
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Ship to shore cranes
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Dockside rail-mounted container gantry cranes
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Wharf side cranes
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Rail-travelling wharf cranes
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
LME 054 · EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Hi-Lo cranes and sugar cane unloaders
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Hi-Lo sugar cane unloaders
- Sugar cane loading cranes
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
PORT EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Container cranes
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Rubber-tyred gantry container cranes (RTG)
- Rail-mounted container gantry cranes
- Container spreaders and test frames
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
PORT EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Straddle carriers
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Container straddle carriers
DMR 18 · inspection & testing
- Within 12 months: thorough examination and performance test by an LMI of an LME. 18(5)
- Within 6 months: competent-person examination of integral ropes, chains, hooks, sheaves, brakes and safety devices. 18(6)
- Keep a register: record tests, examinations, modifications and repairs on the user’s premises. 18(7)
MARINE EQUIPMENT CATEGORY
Boat lifts
Inspection & applicable load testing
- Mobile boat hoists and marine travel lifts
- Multi-point water-bag load testing
- Hoist ropes, sheaves and lifting assemblies
Marine lifting · inspection & testing
- Planned around the lift: confirm the hoist arrangement, test points and applicable requirements.
- Controlled loading: water bags, load cells and rigging selected for the agreed test.
- Documented findings: equipment condition, test results and inspection records.
The 17 LME-labelled categories follow the supplied LME 054 certificate. Container cranes, straddle carriers and boat lifts are shown as additional service categories. Confirm the exact machine and inspector scope when planning work.
Discuss your next inspection or load test.
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