High Risk Work Licence - Tower Crane (CT) study plan
High Risk Work Licence - Tower Crane (CT) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Tower crane types, major components, structural principles and stability & Legislative and regulatory requirements, duty of care and licensing obligations
Label the major structural and mechanical components of a tower crane (mast, slew ring, jib, counter-jib, trolley, hoist, counterweights) and state the function of each
Explain the load path from hook to foundation and describe how counterweight, radius and load interact to produce overturning moment
Summarise the licence, duty-of-care and record-keeping obligations that apply to a tower crane operator under the relevant WHS legislation
Distinguish the roles of operator, dogger, rigger and crane supervisor in a lift plan
Your checkpoint
A one-page annotated component diagram plus a 250-word written summary of operator licensing and duty-of-care obligations, self-marked against the source notes
Tower crane types, major components, structural principles and stability & Hazard identification, risk assessment and control for tower crane operations
Calculate overturning moments for three worked examples and predict which configuration is least stable
Identify the stability hazards created by wind, eccentric loads, incorrect counterweighting and out-of-service slewing
Apply the hierarchy of risk control to five tower crane hazards and justify the chosen controls
Describe how a hazard register entry is written for a crane-related task
Your checkpoint
A completed risk assessment table covering five tower crane hazards with hazard, initial risk, control measure and residual risk columns
Hazard identification, risk assessment and control for tower crane operations & Pre-operational inspection, function checks and fault reporting
Sequence a pre-operational inspection from approach and isolation checks through to structural, rope, limit and safety device checks
Explain the purpose and test method for moment limiting, hoist limiting, slew limiting and anemometer devices
Write a fault report that states the defect, its location, the immediate action taken and the person notified
Decide when a defect requires the crane to be taken out of service rather than derated or monitored
Your checkpoint
A written pre-start inspection checklist of at least 20 items, each with an accept/reject criterion and a sample fault report
Site preparation, crane siting, foundation and erection/dismantling interfaces & Environmental and site conditions, including wind, powerlines and ground conditions
Explain how bearing pressure, foundation design and crane siting decisions affect stability
Describe the interface between the crane erector, the site controller and the operator during erection, climbing and dismantling
Identify minimum clearance distances and control measures for cranes working near overhead powerlines
Describe how wind speed, ground bearing and slope change the safe operating envelope
Your checkpoint
A site siting and environmental constraints brief of 400 words covering foundation, powerline and wind controls, plus a 15-question self-test scored at 80% or better
Load estimation, slinging, lifting gear selection and load charts
Estimate load mass from dimensions and material density for five items including a bundle and a fabricated assembly
Select slings, shackles and lifting gear by working load limit and state the derating applied for sling angle and configuration
Read a load chart to determine capacity at a given radius, boom/jib configuration and reeving, and apply the deduction for gear mass
Explain why the load chart radius, not the measured distance, governs capacity and identify the chart limits for the task
Your checkpoint
A lift study for three loads showing mass estimate, sling selection with derating, chart capacity at the working radius and calculated utilisation percentage
Load estimation, slinging, lifting gear selection and load charts & Slewing, travelling, trolleying and precision load placement
Perform ten load chart capacity calculations under time pressure with no arithmetic errors
Plan a lift sequence that minimises slewing, trolleying and hoisting travel while keeping the load within the chart envelope
Describe control inputs for smooth slewing, trolleying and hoisting, and explain how to control load swing and final placement
Explain the effect of shock loading, side loading and rapid deceleration on rope, structure and stability
Your checkpoint
A timed 20-question load chart and precision placement worksheet, completed at 85% or better, with a written lift sequence plan for a blind placement
Communication, signalling, teamwork and exclusion zone management & Slewing, travelling, trolleying and precision load placement
Demonstrate standard hand and whistle signals and describe radio protocol including call signs, repeat-back and stop-the-job authority
Design an exclusion zone and pedestrian control arrangement for a lift over a live access route
Explain teamwork responsibilities during a blind lift and how the operator confirms the dogger's position
Describe how to maintain precision placement accuracy when the load is out of the operator's direct sight
Your checkpoint
A communication and exclusion zone plan for one lift, including signal method, radio call sequence, zone dimensions and a self-recorded signal demonstration checklist
Shutdown, securing, emergency procedures and incident response & Environmental and site conditions, including wind, powerlines and ground conditions & Legislative and regulatory requirements, duty of care and licensing obligations
Sequence the shutdown and securing procedure for end of shift, including leaving the crane in the specified out-of-service condition
Explain emergency procedures for power failure, fire, structural alarm, uncontrolled load and imminent severe weather
Describe incident notification, scene preservation and evidence recording obligations after a near miss or incident
Complete a full-length practice exam and review every incorrect answer to identify the underlying knowledge gap
Your checkpoint
A full-length timed practice exam scored at 90% or better, plus a one-page emergency and shutdown quick-reference card written from memory
Milestones
Week 2: Can explain overturning moment and counterweight interaction and score 80% or better on a 15-question stability and component self-test
Week 4: Can produce a complete pre-start inspection checklist and a siting brief unaided, and score 80% or better on the mixed domain 2, 4, 5 and 9 self-test
Week 6: Completes ten load chart calculations within 20 minutes at 85% or better accuracy, correctly applying sling derating and gear mass deduction
Week 8: Scores 90% or better on a full-length timed practice exam covering all ten domains, with no domain below 75%