Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control
A repeatable process
Risk management is a cycle: identify hazards, assess risk (likelihood and consequence), control, then review. For crane work, identify hazards before the lift, not during it. Common hazard families: people (struck by load, crush during slew, falls during access), plant (structural failure, rope failure, brake failure, overload), environment (wind, ground bearing, slope, visibility, powerlines, adjacent operations), and task (blind lifts, tandem lifts, complex rigging).
The hierarchy of control
Apply the hierarchy in order: eliminate, substitute, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE last. For cranes, engineering examples include interlocks, rated capacity limiters and slew restrictors; administrative examples include permits, exclusion zones, lift plans and spotters. A frequent exam trap is treating a spotter or a sign as a primary control when a physical barrier or exclusion zone is available. Another trap is assuming a load chart limit is a safety margin - it is the limit, not a target.
Lift planning as a control
Classify lifts so controls match risk: routine lifts may need only a standard procedure, while complex or high-risk lifts need a documented lift study with engineered controls. Consider the full path of the load, not just the pick and set points.
Worked example
A portal boom crane must slew a load over a walkway. Eliminate the exposure by closing and barricading the walkway (engineering/administrative), rather than relying on a spotter to warn pedestrians. If closure is impossible, schedule the lift outside walkway use, then add signage and a spotter as residual controls. Record the reasoning in the lift plan.