Starting in August, WorkSafe Victoria will be conducting a targeted blitz on hydraulic mobile cranes operating on construction sites.
With the increased use of heavy plant in the housing construction sub-sector, incidents often occur when builders and contractors using this plant are unfamiliar with identifying hazards and implementing suitable risk control measures.
What will WorkSafe be checking?
During the inspections on hydraulic mobile cranes operating on construction sites WorkSafe inspectors will be checking:
Licences to perform high risk work
- Logbooks
- Service records
- Crane set up - fully extended and pinned outriggers, bog mats or timbers in place, geo tech report / engineers sign off (if required)
- Exclusion zones (around the crane and under the load path to destination)
- If the crane is operating near overhead / underground assets; has it been controlled?
- For any obvious defects
- Operational warning devices
- Where the crane is set up adjacent to a road / rail; is traffic management in place
- Load charts and manual
- Appropriate lifting gear being used and within load capacity
- Lifting gear inspections
- SWMS
During visits, inspectors will use an on-site checklist based on the points listed above.
Prohibition notices will be issued where inspectors identify any immediate risk to health and safety that is not rectified during the visit. Improvement notices will be issued where other instances of non-compliance with occupational health and safety laws are identified.
Source: www.worksafe.vic.gov.au