The right pressure testing interval depends on the equipment, how hard it is worked, and the pressure rating of the hoses involved. Most operators land in one of four intervals.
| Equipment type | Typical interval | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile plant (excavators, loaders, skid steers, telehandlers) | Every 6 to 12 months or 400 to 600 operating hours, whichever comes first | High vibration, dirt, heat cycling, and unpredictable loads accelerate hose fatigue. |
| Fixed industrial machinery (presses, injection moulders, press brakes) | Every 12 months | Consistent loads and a protected environment slow fatigue, though high pressures and continuous operation still warrant annual testing. |
| Light commercial or low-pressure systems (workshop hoists, bench equipment below working-pressure thresholds) | Every 12 to 24 months | Lower duty cycles allow longer intervals. OEM guidance should still be checked. |
| Hire fleet or shared-use equipment | Before each major hire-out, plus an annual baseline | Shared equipment carries the risk that the previous user reported nothing about a near-miss or routing change. |
These are industry recommendations. There is no specific interval mandated in Australian law. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic) Part 3.5, employers must inspect and maintain plant in line with manufacturer specifications and relevant standards. WorkSafe Victoria’s guidance on flexible hose assemblies expects employers to maintain a hose register and inspect hoses regularly. The interval itself sits with the duty holder, who sets it against equipment type, OEM guidance, and site conditions.
The table above is a starting point. The factors below will pull your schedule shorter or longer.
When two or three of these factors apply at once, halve the interval as a baseline and reassess after the first test cycle.
Some events should trigger an immediate pressure test, regardless of where the equipment sits on its routine schedule. The triggers below are the ones our workshop sees most often.
A useful working rule: any event that changes the system, the load, or the environment is a trigger to test.
A proof pressure test takes the hose assembly to a multiple of its rated working pressure, holds it there, and looks for failure modes that don’t show up in a visual inspection.
A pressure test is different from a visual inspection. Inspections happen far more often – typically every few hundred hours for mobile plant – and look for surface damage. A pressure test confirms the hose can still hold its rated pressure across the full test duration. Both belong in a complete hose management programme.
In Australia, hose assembly testing is covered by AS 1180.5, alongside the international references ISO 6605 and SAE J343. The headline parameters are summarised below.
| Test parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Test pressure | 1.5 to 2 times maximum working pressure (2 times for high-risk assemblies per AS 1180.5) |
| Hold time | 30 to 60 seconds, with a stable pressure reading across the full hold |
| Standards referenced | AS 1180.5 (Australia), ISO 6605, SAE J343 |
| Pass criteria | No leaks, no bulges, no deformation at the fittings, no pressure drop |
| Documentation | Test certificate added to the hose register and equipment maintenance record |
Tests can be performed at our Campbellfield workshop, or on-site with a mobile test rig for equipment that can’t be brought in. Results are documented in a test certificate that forms part of the hose register your duty under WorkSafe Victoria guidance asks you to maintain. The September 2025 article ‘Why Hydraulic Hose Pressure Testing Protects More Than Just Equipment’ covers the test process and the value of certification in more depth.
The cost of skipping testing falls into three buckets. None of them shows up until something goes wrong.
The first is downtime. An untested hose that fails on site stops the equipment, holds up the job, and may need a mobile callout to recover. The cost of one half-shift lost on a forklift or excavator is typically several multiples of a scheduled pressure test on the whole machine.
The second is the OHS and WorkSafe Victoria position. If a hydraulic injury or a near-miss is investigated and the duty holder can’t produce inspection and testing records, the conversation moves quickly from ‘what happened’ to ‘what was reasonably practicable’. A hose register without recent test certificates is a weak position to defend.
The third is contract and insurance risk. Civil contractors, infrastructure tier-1s, and a growing number of council job specs now require evidence of recent pressure testing on hydraulic plant before equipment is allowed on site. Insurers ask the same question after an incident. The operator who can produce the test certificate has an answer. The one who can’t doesn’t.
Pressure testing intervals are a planning question. One schedule rarely fits a mixed fleet. The fastest win for most operators is a one-off audit. Split the fleet by the equipment categories in the table above. Lock in routine and event triggers in writing. Add a column to your maintenance system for the next test due date.
If you’d like a hand setting up a hydraulic pressure testing schedule across a mixed fleet, our Campbellfield workshop and 24-hour mobile service handle both the testing and the documentation. Book a fleet pressure testing assessment by phone or through the contact page, and we’ll work out the schedule that fits your equipment.