Between the years 2003 to 2015, 47 workers died in accidents involving cranes. That’s too many. Supplementing this number was a myriad of injuries, ranging from severe to mild. If you’re reading this article then we don’t have to tell you that working with cranes comes with risks. Mitigating those risks (not just with cranes but across all worksites) became the purview of ‘Safe Work’ a government body responsible for improving work health and safety and workers’ compensation arrangements across Australia. These often fall under the Work Health & Safety (WHS) laws and acts. From 2008 onwards they (Safe Work) harmonised a bunch of state and federal laws pertaining to WHS – they established themselves and by 2011 had agreed on codes of practices which must be adhered to – some of these codes fall under Australian Standards (AS).
Sorry, that’s a bit to chew on, but it has relevance.
Cranes and Australian Standards
Safework Australia’s scope is massive and it is with some pride that ‘cranes’ has its own section and standards. The cranes’ section covers a lot – definitions, usage, who’s responsible, hazards and duties among more. If you’re wanting to read about them, you can go – here (some coffee might be needed).
The take-home is this: Cranes represent a significant enough risk to the health and safety of workers that you need to do a bunch of servicing and inspections to ensure you mitigate risks.
For example, before a crane is used there are tests, inspections and specific adjustments that must be carried out to make sure the crane can be used safely. Worksafe Australia provide a comprehensive list of what this looks like – but any operator worth their salt is up to date on these, if you need a refresher make sure you check out – https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1703/general-guide-for-cranes.pdf
Another example – The owner has to ensure that the crane is serviced; has its milestone inspections and that all services are carried out professionally and logged. This isn’t just a common-sense requirement, it also has a legal backing – as an owner you are required by law to complete a 10 and 25-year major inspection among others. Australia and Safe Work have introduced standards to make sure that these are adhered to. The AS1418 and AS2550 crane inspections are a legal requirement.
Lucky for you, they’re something of a speciality here at Kingy’s Diesel.
Kingy’s Diesel Offer 10 and 25 Year Major Crane Services and More
In concrete terms: “Inspections and maintenance should be done in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or, if these are not available, a competent person’s specifications or according to relevant technical standards and engineering principles.”
Operating cranes is complex and dangerous. Workers must have the necessary skills and capabilities to do it safely. Every year there are injuries and deaths from work involving cranes. Not always avoidable but certainly able to be mitigated. Kingy’s Diesel offers the AS1418 and AS2550 crane inspections and can sign off to satisfy the legal requirements. We also do a damn good job and point out problems before they arise – in a way we proudly contribute to the safety of Aussie workers.
The Skinny
Working with Cranes can be dangerous – huge plant equipment, lots of moving parts, multiple dependencies in systems that need to perform in order for work to proceed safely. And, that’s just your average worksite that needs heavy equipment – the cranes and equipment themselves need even more attention.
If your in the business of heavy machinery, plant equipment and cranes? Kingys can help ensure your legal obligations are met and that you can continue to provide a safe work site. Reach out today, and let us show you how.
Further Reading;
https://researchrepository.rmit.edu.au/esploro/outputs/journalArticle/Causes-of-fatal-accidents-involving-cranes-in-the-Australian-construction-industry/9921862578401341
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1703/general-guide-for-cranes.pdf
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/cranes
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/law-and-regulation
