High Risk Work Licence - Derrick Crane (CD) study guide
High Risk Work Licence - Derrick Crane (CD) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Derrick Crane (CD) high risk work licence is an Australian competency-based credential for people who operate derrick cranes - a crane type built around a mast, boom and guy system rather than a self-propelled chassis. It suits riggers, doggers and crane operators moving into heavy lifting on construction, industrial, marine and resources sites, and anyone whose job includes setting up, operating or dismantling a derrick. The High Risk Work Licence - Derrick Crane (CD) study guide has 10 sections and about 2,940 words.
01Work health and safety legislation, duty of care and licence obligations
Every derrick crane operation sits inside a chain of duties. The person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has the primary duty to ensure health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable; officers must exercise due diligence; workers must take reasonable care of themselves and others, follow instructions and report hazards.
331 words, about 2 min02Hazard identification, risk assessment and control in crane operations
Use a systematic process: identify hazards (from the task, the plant, the environment and people), assess risk by considering likelihood and consequence, apply controls in hierarchy order - eliminate, substitute, engineer, administratively control, then PPE last - and review controls as conditions change. For derrick cranes the dominant hazards are suspended load, structural collapse, rope failure, contact with powerlines, crush zones, wind, ground failure, and falls during erection or dismantling.
335 words, about 2 min03Derrick crane types, components, configuration and stability principles
Derrick cranes are lifting machines built around a mast (or A-frame) held by guys anchored to the ground or structure, with a boom luffed by a topping lift and the load hoisted on the main fall. Common configurations include the Chicago boom (mast strapped to an existing structure), the gin pole (single pole with guys), the stiff-leg derrick (two rigid legs plus guys), and the guy derrick (mast held only by guys).
318 words, about 2 min04Site preparation, foundations, ballast, guys and anchorages
Derrick cranes transfer enormous loads into the ground through the mast foot, the anchor points and, for stiff-leg types, the leg footings. The ground must be assessed for bearing capacity, and footings designed for the actual loads - including uplift on anchors.
299 words, about 1 min05Pre-operational inspection, testing and maintenance checks
Before each shift, a competent operator inspects the derrick: guys and turnbuckles for tension and damage, anchors for movement or pull-out, mast foot and bearings, boom and mast for cracks or deformation, sheaves for wear and free rotation, rope for broken wires, kinks, corrosion and correct spooling, hooks for throat opening and latch function, and the load chart and signage present. Test the hoist, luff and slew functions without load, and test the limit switches and brakes.
295 words, about 1 min06Load estimation, slinging, rigging and lifting gear selection
Estimate mass from drawings, markings or calculation - never guess. Add the mass of the rigging: slings, shackles, spreader beams and hook block.
285 words, about 1 min07Derrick crane operation, load charts and safe working limits
A derrick load chart gives capacity for a given radius, boom length and configuration. Radius is measured horizontally from the mast/slew centre to the load line, and it changes as the boom luffs and the load swings.
282 words, about 1 min08Communication, signal systems and teamwork with doggers and riggers
Only one person gives signals to the operator at a time - normally the dogger. Everyone must know who that is before the lift starts.
262 words, about 1 min09Emergency procedures, incident response and shutdown
Know the emergency plan: escape routes, assembly point, first aid, emergency contacts, and how to stop the crane safely. Know how to lower a suspended load to a safe landing if power or control is lost, and how to secure the crane in wind.
268 words, about 1 min10Dismantling, transport, storage and post-operational documentation
Dismantling is a high-risk operation - often more dangerous than erection - and needs a documented procedure, a competent person in charge, and the same engineering controls as erection. Sequence matters: land and remove the load and rigging, slacken guys in a controlled order, lower the boom, then remove the mast.
265 words, about 1 min