High Risk Work Licence - Tower Crane (CT) cheat sheet

Tower crane operation is high risk work; the operator must hold the correct class of high risk work licence and carry it (or produce it on request) while operating.

Duties sit on the PCBU to eliminate risks so far as reasonably practicable, then minimise; the operator also has a personal duty to take reasonable care of self and others.

Key instruments: WHS Act and WHS Regulations (plant, high risk work, registration of plant design and item registration), plus the tower crane and general lifting codes of practice.

Tower cranes are registrable plant: design must be registered before use, and the crane item must be registered with the regulator; registration numbers are recorded and inspected.

Licence classes are task-specific - a tower crane licence does not authorise dogging, rigging, or operating other crane types; each task needs its own competent person.

Records that must be kept include maintenance and inspection logs, logbook entries, lift studies or lift plans, and training/competency evidence.

Notifiable incidents (death, serious injury, dangerous incident such as a dropped load or structural failure) must be reported to the regulator immediately by the fastest means.

A safe work method statement or lift plan is required for high risk construction work, and work must stop if it cannot be done as documented.

Operator duty of care: operate only within licence class and training, follow the lift plan, and stop the lift if conditions or the load make it unsafe.

Competency must be current - a licence is not a substitute for site induction, familiarisation with the specific crane model, or verification of skills.

The operator is responsible for the crane while at the controls; the dogger/rigger is responsible for slinging and load integrity; the supervisor coordinates the lift.

Refusing an unsafe lift is a protected action - the operator must not be directed to exceed rated capacity, work outside the load chart, or lift over people.

Fatigue, alcohol, drugs and medication that impair alertness must be declared; impairment is a breach of duty and grounds to stand down.

Defect reporting is a duty: any defect affecting safety must be reported immediately, recorded in the logbook, and the crane taken out of service until repaired.

Handover obligations: outgoing operator briefs incoming operator on defects, wind history, near misses, load chart configuration and any restrictions.

Communication duty: maintain clear signals with the dogger and spotter, confirm the load is clear, and never move a load with people in the exclusion zone.

Hierarchy of control: eliminate, substitute, engineering controls (guards, limiters, interlocks), administrative controls (procedures, exclusion zones), then PPE last.

Common tower crane hazards: dropped loads, structural failure, contact with powerlines, wind, ground collapse, crush zones during slewing, and falls during access.

Risk score = likelihood × consequence; controls must be selected to reduce the score to as low as reasonably practicable before work starts.

Exclusion zones are engineered controls - barricade the slew radius plus load radius, and keep the zone clear of people for the entire lift.

Pre-lift checklist: verify load weight, centre of gravity, sling angles, rigging capacity, load chart configuration, wind, visibility and communication.

Dynamic risk assessment is continuous - reassess when wind rises, when the load changes, when personnel enter the zone, or when the crane configuration changes.

Near misses and dropped loads must be investigated and controls revised; a dropped load is a dangerous incident requiring notification.

JSA or SWMS must identify each step, the hazard, the control, and the responsible person; review after any change.

Types: hammerhead (horizontal jib with counter-jib), luffing jib (jib raises/lowers), and self-erecting; each has a different load chart and slew envelope.

Major components: foundation and base, mast/tower sections, slewing unit, jib, counter-jib and counterweights, tower head or apex, trolley, hook block, and operator cab.

Safety devices: rated capacity limiter, moment limiter, trolley and slew limiters, hoist limit switches, anemometer, and anti-collision systems where fitted.

Stability depends on the balance of load moment and counterweight moment; the rated capacity limiter prevents the load moment exceeding the design limit.

Load moment = load × radius; capacity falls as radius increases, so the load chart must be read at the actual radius, not the maximum.

Structural principles: compression in the mast, tension in the tie bars, bending in the jib; never exceed the design wind speed or the rated capacity.

Free-standing height is limited; beyond it the crane needs ties to the building or a climbing frame, engineered and certified.

Anti-collision and zoning systems are aids only; the operator remains responsible for maintaining separation from other cranes and structures.

Pre-start inspection: check foundation and holding-down bolts, mast plumb and bolts, jib and counter-jib pins, wire ropes for broken wires or kinks, hook and latch, and the cab.

Function checks before lifting: test the rated capacity limiter, moment limiter, hoist limit, trolley limit, slew limit, anemometer, brakes and emergency stop.

Wire rope rejection criteria include broken wires in a lay, diameter reduction, corrosion, kinking, and bird-caging; follow the rope manufacturer's discard criteria.

Hook inspection: check for cracks, deformation, wear at the throat, and a functioning safety latch; a hook with a missing latch is out of service.

Logbook entries must record date, time, checks performed, defects found, and the name of the person who performed them.

Any defect affecting safety means the crane is tagged out and taken out of service until repaired and re-inspected by a competent person.

Post-incident inspection: after a shock load, collision, or high wind event, inspect the structure, ropes and limiters before returning to service.

Pre-use checks are not a substitute for the scheduled inspection and maintenance regime required for registrable plant.

Siting factors: load coverage of the site, slew clearance from structures, powerline separation, ground bearing capacity, and access for erection and dismantling.

Foundation must be designed for the crane's reactions (vertical, moment, shear) and verified by a competent engineer; concrete strength must be confirmed before erection.

Ground conditions: check for underground services, voids, backfill, and slope; outriggers or base plates bear on a designed, compacted base.

Erection and dismantling are high risk construction work requiring a SWMS, a lift plan, a competent erection crew, and a crane supervisor.

The erector must follow the manufacturer's manual for assembly sequence, bolt torque, pinning, and counterweight installation.

Interfaces with other trades: coordinate crane erection with site power isolation, exclusion zones, and the mobile crane used for assembly.

After erection, the crane must be inspected and function-tested before handover; the registration and commissioning records are completed.

Climbing and tie-in operations require engineered tie frames, verified building strength, and a hold point before further climbing.

Load estimation: use the manufacturer's mass, calculate volume × density for regular shapes, and add the mass of slings, spreaders and hook block.

Sling angle effect: tension = load / (2 × cos θ) for a two-leg sling, where θ is the angle from vertical; flatter angles increase tension sharply.

Sling angle factor: at 30° from vertical the factor is 1.15, at 45° it is 1.41, at 60° it is 2.0 - apply the factor to the share of load per leg.

Lifting gear must be rated, tagged, and inspected; the WLL of the assembly is the lowest-rated component, not the sum of parts.

Load chart reading: identify the configuration (jib length, counterweight, reeving, radius), then read the capacity at the actual radius.

Deductions: subtract the mass of the hook block, slings and any lifting attachments from the chart capacity to get the net payload.

Centre of gravity must be under the hook; an off-centre load tilts and can cause the load to slip or the sling to load unevenly.

Never exceed the rated capacity; if the load is unknown, weigh it or use a load cell before lifting.

Smooth control inputs: start, slew, trolley and hoist gently to limit load swing and dynamic amplification of the load moment.

Slew only when the load is clear of people and structures; the exclusion zone must be maintained throughout the slew.

Trolley in or out to control radius before hoisting; never trolley out with a load at the capacity limit - the moment limiter will stop the crane.

Use taglines to control load rotation; tagline handlers stay outside the fall zone and never wrap the line around a hand.

Precision placement: slow the hoist near the landing point, use a spotter's signals, and lower until the load is just above the landing surface.

Landing: set the load down, slack the slings, confirm the load is stable, then release the hooks; never drag or side-pull a load.

Travelling (where the crane is rail-mounted) requires the rail base to be level, the rail clamps and buffers functional, and the travel path clear.

Parking: after work, park the trolley in the recommended position, raise the hook, apply the slew brake, and follow the manufacturer's storm procedure.

Standard hand signals, whistle signals and radio protocol must be agreed at the pre-lift briefing; one dogger directs the operator at a time.

Radio protocol: identify the crane and the load, use clear concise phrases, confirm receipt, and use a dedicated channel free of interference.

Emergency stop signal: any person may give the stop signal; the operator must stop immediately on any stop signal, regardless of source.

Blind lifts require a spotter with a clear view of the load and the landing point; the operator follows the spotter's signals.

Exclusion zone: barricade the slew radius plus load radius; no person enters under a suspended load at any time.

Team roles: operator, dogger/rigger, spotter, crane supervisor and safety observer; each has defined responsibilities in the lift plan.

Communication failure means stop - if radio contact is lost, the operator holds the load and waits for re-established contact or a safe landing.

Pre-lift briefing covers the load, route, signals, exclusion zone, wind limits, and emergency stop procedure.

Wind limits are set by the manufacturer; the anemometer must be working, and lifting stops when the wind speed reaches the crane's rated limit.

Wind load on the load increases with the square of wind speed and with the sail area of the load; large flat loads catch wind and swing.

Out-of-service wind procedure: follow the manufacturer's instructions for parking, slew-free mode, and storm tie-down.

Powerline separation: maintain the legislated clearance, use a spotter, and de-energise or isolate where possible; never rely on the operator's judgement alone.

Ground conditions: verify bearing capacity, watch for rain-softened ground, and check that the base or rail foundation has not moved.

Lightning and storms: stop work, lower the load, and follow the site's storm procedure; the crane is a tall conductive structure.

Visibility: stop lifting when fog, rain or darkness prevents clear signals and a clear view of the load and landing point.

Heat, cold and ice affect ropes, brakes and operator alertness; inspect and adjust work practices accordingly.

End-of-shift shutdown: land and secure the load, raise the hook, park the trolley per the manual, apply brakes, and isolate the power where required.

Logbook: record the shift, any defects, wind events, and the parking configuration; hand over to the next operator.

Emergency stop: use the emergency stop button for immediate danger; know its location and test it during pre-start checks.

Power failure: the load remains suspended; keep the exclusion zone, use the manual lowering procedure if fitted, and call for assistance.

Fire or structural alarm: lower the load if safe, then evacuate per the site emergency plan; do not re-enter the cab until cleared.

Incident response: make the area safe, preserve the scene, provide first aid, notify the regulator and the PCBU, and record statements.

After an incident, the crane is out of service until inspected and cleared by a competent person and any regulator hold is lifted.

Emergency drills and rescue plans for the cab (including a means of evacuation) must be in place before work starts.