Hazard identification, risk assessment and control
The risk management process
Hazard identification, risk assessment and control is the backbone of crane work. Identify hazards before and during the task: the load (mass, shape, centre of gravity, hazardous contents), the crane (capacity, configuration, condition), the ground and environment (slope, soft spots, underground services, powerlines, wind, visibility, other workers), and the task itself (lift path, swing radius, crush zones, taglines).
Assess risk by considering likelihood and consequence. Then control using the hierarchy: eliminate (do not make the lift, or relocate), substitute (smaller load, different lifting method), engineering (outrigger mats, barricades, exclusion zones, limiting devices), administrative (SWMS, permits, procedures, training, spotters), and PPE. Controls must be monitored and reviewed, especially when conditions change - wind rising, ground softening, a new person entering the area.
Traps in exam questions
- Jumping to a control before identifying the hazard. Always identify, then assess, then control.
- Selecting a single control where a combination is needed.
- Forgetting dynamic hazards: a swinging load, a load that shifts, wind gusts, ground collapse under an outrigger.
- Missing the human factors: fatigue, distraction, poor communication, unfamiliarity with the crane.
- Treating the SWMS as paperwork rather than a working document that must be reviewed on site.
Worked example
Rule of thumb for exclusion zones: the zone should cover the full swing radius plus the load's potential travel if it is released. For a crane with a 15 m radius, a 15 m exclusion zone is a starting point; add the load's swing and any slope or wind factor.
Exam tip
If an option says 'assess the risk once at the start', it is wrong: risk management is continuous.