High Risk Work Licence - Slewing Mobile Crane C0 (over 100t) key terms

A legal framework that places safety duties on every party in the supply chain, including the crane owner, operator, rigger, scheduler and site controller, not only the person at the controls.

The overarching legal obligation on a business to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and others affected by its operations, including crane lifts.

The legal entity, such as an employer, contractor or self-employed operator, that holds work health and safety duties for the crane operations it manages or controls.

The test used to judge whether a safety control is required, weighing the likelihood and severity of harm against the cost and difficulty of the control.

A national licence issued to a person who has demonstrated the competence required to perform specified high risk work, such as operating a slewing mobile crane above 100 tonnes.

The process by which a registered assessor confirms that a candidate can perform the required tasks safely and to the standard, supporting the issue of a high risk work licence.

A written document that sets out the high risk construction work to be done, the hazards involved, the controls to be applied and how the controls will be implemented and reviewed.

The ranked order of risk controls, from eliminating the hazard through substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls to personal protective equipment, used to select the most effective control.

A structured process of identifying hazards, evaluating the likelihood and consequence of harm and deciding which controls are needed before a lift proceeds.

A task-based breakdown in which each step of a job is examined for hazards and controls, often completed by the crew at the workplace before starting work.

A marked area beneath and around the crane, load path and slew radius that only authorised people may enter, kept clear of personnel while a lift is in progress.

Measures such as barricades, signage, spotters and public exclusion areas used to keep people who are not part of the lift crew away from the hazard zone.

A manufacturer-supplied table or graph showing the rated capacity of a crane for a given radius, boom length, configuration and quadrant, subject to stated notes and deductions.

The maximum load a crane may lift in a specific configuration and radius, as stated in the load chart, before deductions for hook block, rigging and attachments are applied.

The total mass suspended from the crane, including the load itself, slings, shackles, spreader beams, hook block and any other lifting gear below the boom point.

The mass of the actual object being lifted, excluding all lifting gear, hook block and attachments, used to check capacity after deductions are made.

The horizontal distance from the crane's centre of rotation to the centre line of the load, measured at the boom tip and used to read capacity from the load chart.

An electronic system that measures boom angle, length, pressure and other inputs to display rated capacity, actual load and percentage of capacity, and warns or limits when overload occurs.

A safety device that detects when the hook block approaches the boom tip and stops the hoist or boom motion to prevent the rope from being pulled through the sheave.

The arrangement of the crane's boom, such as main boom, luffing jib, fixed jib or heavy lift attachment, which changes the capacity and geometry shown on the load chart.

An auxiliary counterweight system mounted on a separate trailing or suspended tray that increases the crane's capacity by counteracting boom loads, and which must be set up per the manufacturer's instructions.

Mass added to the rear of the crane's upper structure to balance the load moment; it must match the configuration in the load chart and be correctly installed and secured.

A multiplier applied to a sling's capacity to account for the angle between the sling leg and the horizontal, reducing capacity as the angle becomes shallower.

The force carried by each sling leg in a lifting assembly, which increases as the included angle between legs increases and must be checked against the sling's rated capacity.

The maximum mass or force that a sling, shackle, hook or other item of lifting gear is rated to withstand in a specified configuration, marked by the manufacturer.

The point at which the mass of an object is considered to act; the hook must be positioned above it to keep the load level and stable during the lift.

The condition in which a lifted load remains level, does not rotate or swing uncontrollably and is secured against shifting, achieved through correct slinging and tag lines.

A rope attached to a load and controlled by a person outside the drop zone to restrain rotation and guide the load without the person touching it directly.

The pressure exerted through the crane's outrigger pads or tracks onto the supporting surface, which must be shown by calculation to be within the ground's capacity.

A load-spreading plate placed under an outrigger float to distribute force over a larger area and reduce ground bearing pressure to an acceptable level.

The pad or float attached to the outrigger beam that contacts the supporting surface or the spreader mat, transferring the crane's load into the ground.

An engineering evaluation of the soil, fill, buried services or structure under a crane's supports to confirm it can carry the imposed loads without settlement or collapse.

A documented plan for a specific lift that records the load, crane configuration, capacity calculations, rigging, ground conditions, personnel, communications and contingency measures.

A lift that requires a higher level of planning and control because of its size, complexity, load value, proximity to hazards or the consequences of failure, often requiring engineering sign-off.

A lift using two or more cranes to handle a single load, requiring a detailed plan that defines load sharing, crane positions, communication and the effect of load transfer.

The proportion of a suspended load carried by each crane or sling leg in a multi-point lift, which must be calculated and monitored because it changes as the load moves.

A competent person positioned to observe a hazard area, such as near powerlines or blind zones, and to warn the operator or signal the need to stop.

A standardised set of arm and hand movements used by a dogger to direct the crane operator when radio communication is unavailable or unreliable.

A licensed rigger who directs the crane operator by radio or hand signals and is responsible for the safe slinging and movement of the load.

The primary method of coordinating a lift, using agreed channels, call signs and clear phrases between the operator, dogger and other crew, with a tested backup arrangement.

A short meeting before work begins in which the crew reviews the lift plan, hazards, roles, signals and emergency arrangements and confirms understanding.

The checks an operator performs at the start of each shift, covering fluids, tyres, ropes, hooks, safety devices, alarms and controls, with defects recorded and reported.

The formal process of recording a fault found on the crane or lifting gear, tagging it out of service where required, and notifying the responsible person so it can be repaired.

A tag attached to defective equipment to show it must not be used until the fault is repaired and the tag is removed by an authorised person.

The crane's record of inspections, maintenance, repairs, configurations and operational hours, used to verify its condition and service history.

A thorough periodic examination of the crane's structural and mechanical components, required at intervals set by the manufacturer or regulator, to detect fatigue and wear.

A controlled procedure, often using an auxiliary power source or manual pump, to bring a suspended load or boom down safely after a power or hydraulic failure.

A documented set of actions for events such as fire, power failure, structural damage, load loss or injury, including alarm signals, evacuation and notification of authorities.

The immediate actions taken after an accident or near miss, including making the area safe, first aid, preserving the scene and reporting to the regulator as required.

A serious event, such as a death, serious injury or dangerous occurrence, that the business must report to the work health and safety regulator immediately.

The sequence used at the end of a shift or job to land and secure the load, retract and pin the boom, park the crane safely and isolate power before leaving.

The specified configuration in which a crane is left when not in use, with the boom lowered or stowed, brakes applied, outriggers retracted or pinned and the machine secured against movement.