Crane users have a vital role to play in crane safety & accident prevention.
As the user of a crane the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) classifies you as a PCBU ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’ unless you are a volunteer association or home occupier who has engaged the crane owner to do work.
PCBU
As a PCBU you have a responsibility for ensuring everyone who works in your Workplace have safety management systems in place and that they comply with them.You should also work with your team to identify and address foreseeable hazards with your workforce, including planning and ensuring each job is completed the right way, the safe way, every single time, no matter what.In hiring or leasing a crane you must address the foreseeable hazards this type of plant brings to your Workplace. You may choose to work with the Crane Owner / Supplier to achieve this.
Home Owner / Volunteer Association
As the home owner or volunteer association (as long as you have no paid employees) responsibility for the work moves to the Crane Owner / Supplier.The more information you can provide the Crane Owner / Supplier about your job and where the crane will be working will help the Crane Owner / Supplier avoid foreseeable hazards at your site.
You are responsible for working with Crane Owners to plan the work, ensuring
your Team remain safe at all times while getting the job done.
Hiring a Crane
If you are hiring a crane your initial responsibility is to provide the Crane Owner / Supplier with sufficient basic information to enable the correct choice of crane and associated equipment to be made and to determine whether expert supervision is required.In hiring the crane you must work with the Crane Owner / Supplier to provide a clear understanding of the job to be done, Workplace conditions, restrictions and hazards. Where there is any doubt about conditions at the Workplace it is recommended that you request an inspection by a competent and experienced supervisor.In hiring a crane you must provide clear access to the Workplace and an adequately prepared location for the crane.
Most accidents can be avoided by careful job planning. It is vital that crane users and those in charge at the Workplace alert the crane operator and crew members of all potential hazards or unusual operating conditions.
THE LAST WORD: Remember the Crane Operator has the final say with any lift. In the event the Crane Operator feels the lift is unsafe he can stop the lift without question.
Leasing a Crane
If you are leasing a crane you need to work with the Crane Owner / Supplier to identify areas of responsibility. The Pressure Equipment, Cranes and Passenger Ropeway Regulations (PECPR) identifies responsibilities of the Controller. Your lease agreement may assign some of these responsibilities to you. You may also be required to provide access to the crane for servicing and annual inspections.