What is the proof load to be applied to an item of lifting equipment at periodic examination ?

Unless it is a mandatory requirement of the applicable national legislation, standard or manufacturer, we do not recommend the routine overload testing of lifting equipment, except following an exceptional circumstance such as significant modification or repair. This is because overload testing has few benefits and number of disadvantages:

• Some manufacturers do not recommend overload tests, except in ‘exceptional’ circumstances. Repeated overloads can cause deterioration of the equipment over time.
• Most structural failures are the result of fatigue and such defects will not be revealed by an overload test. Fatigue cracking can be identified during thorough examination.
• Defects such as fatigue cracking can be made worse by overload testing but may still not be identified by the test.
• If equipment fails during testing it could be dangerous and will certainly be expensive.
• Inspection bodies do not recommend it as there is no defined structural or mechanical benefit.

Any testing, whether that be proof load, NDT, electrical safety, etc. testing, is supplementary to thorough examination in support of that thorough examination and the type of testing used is at the discretion of the competent person doing the examination.

A thorough examination is required before and after the application of an overload test.