High Risk Work Licence - Non-Slewing Mobile Crane CN key terms

A legal obligation on employers, supervisors and workers to take reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of anyone affected by their work activities, including crane operations.

The legal entity, such as an employer or contractor, that owes the primary health and safety duty to workers and others affected by its operations, including crane work.

A national competency-based licence issued to a person who has been assessed as competent to perform specified high risk work, such as operating a non-slewing mobile crane above the licence threshold.

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

A serious workplace event, such as a death, serious injury or dangerous occurrence, that must be reported to the regulator immediately and investigated, with the site preserved where practicable.

A person who has the training, qualifications, experience and knowledge to safely perform a specific task, such as inspecting lifting gear or assessing ground conditions for crane setup.

The ranked order of control measures, from most to least effective: eliminate the hazard, substitute it, use engineering controls, then administrative controls, with personal protective equipment as the last resort.

The process of systematically recognising sources of potential harm in the workplace, such as powerlines, unstable ground, suspended loads or pedestrian traffic, before and during crane operations.

The process of evaluating the likelihood and consequence of harm arising from an identified hazard, then deciding whether existing controls are adequate or further action is needed.

A marked or barricaded area around a crane and its load path where unauthorised people are not permitted, established to prevent injury from falling loads, swing or crush hazards.

A mobile crane capable of raising, lowering and travelling with a load but whose boom cannot slew or rotate, typically a franna-style articulated crane or a truck-mounted unit with a fixed boom pivot.

The rotation of a crane's upper structure or boom about a vertical axis. Non-slewing cranes lack this capability, so repositioning requires moving the whole machine or adjusting the boom.

A manufacturer-supplied table or graph showing the maximum safe load a crane can lift at each combination of boom length, radius, boom angle and configuration, under specified conditions.

The maximum load that a crane or lifting component is designed to handle under a particular configuration and condition, as stated by the manufacturer in the load chart.

The horizontal distance from the crane's centre of rotation or boom pivot to the centre of gravity of the suspended load, measured with the boom in the working position.

The maximum mass that a sling, shackle, hook or other lifting component is rated to support in a specified configuration, marked on the item by the manufacturer.

A systematic check of the crane and its lifting gear before each use or shift, covering structure, controls, brakes, tyres, fluid levels, safety devices and defects that could affect safe operation.

A retractable stabilising leg extended from a mobile crane to widen its support base and transfer load to the ground, increasing stability and lifting capacity when fully deployed on suitable ground.

The load per unit area that a crane's outriggers or tyres impose on the supporting ground, which must be checked against the ground's capacity to prevent settlement or collapse.

A rigid pad, such as timber or steel plate, placed under an outrigger or tyre to spread the load over a larger area and reduce ground bearing pressure on soft or weak surfaces.

A crane's resistance to tipping or overturning, determined by its centre of gravity, support base, load moment and ground conditions, and reduced by swinging loads or wind.

The turning effect created by a load, calculated as the load mass multiplied by its horizontal distance from the tipping line or boom pivot, used to assess crane stability.

The preparation and attachment of lifting gear, slings and hardware to a load so it can be safely connected to a crane hook and lifted in a controlled manner.

A multiplier applied to a sling's working load limit to account for the increased tension in each leg as the angle between the sling legs and the horizontal decreases.

The process of determining a load's mass and centre of gravity using markings, documentation, calculation or weighing, so the correct lifting gear and crane capacity can be selected.

The point at which a load's mass is considered to act; if it is not directly below the hook, the load will tilt, so slinging must account for its position.

A rope attached to a load and controlled by a person on the ground to restrain rotation and sway during lifting, keeping the handler outside the load's fall path.

A designated person who observes the crane's clearance from obstructions and hazards and relays information to the operator, particularly when the operator's view is restricted.

A licensed or competent worker who directs the crane operator using standard hand signals, radio or whistle commands and ensures loads are slung and moved safely.

A set of agreed, nationally recognised hand and arm movements used to direct crane operators when radio communication is unavailable or unsuitable, understood by both dogger and operator.

A method of directing crane operations using dedicated radio channels and agreed protocols, including a test call before the lift and clear identification of the speaker.

The route a suspended load travels from pick-up to placement, planned to avoid people, structures, powerlines and other hazards and kept within a controlled exclusion zone.

Moving a crane while carrying a suspended load, permitted only for non-slewing cranes within load chart limits, at low speed, with the load close to the ground and controlled.

A sudden increase in force on the crane and lifting gear caused by rapid acceleration, jerking, snatching or a load dropping onto the line, which can exceed the rated capacity.

A control or procedure used to immediately halt crane movement when a person or property is at risk, after which the operator must not restart until the situation is made safe.

A documented sequence of actions for responding to events such as fire, powerline contact, load loss, crane tip-over or injury, including evacuation, isolation and notification steps.

The structured process of gathering evidence, identifying root causes and recommending corrective actions after a crane-related incident, near miss or equipment failure.

The documented process of recording any fault, damage or wear found on a crane or lifting gear and notifying the responsible person so it can be repaired or the item withdrawn from service.

A manufacturer-based plan setting out the periodic servicing, lubrication and component replacement tasks required to keep a crane in safe working order throughout its service life.