High Risk Work Licence - Vehicle Loading Crane (CV) common mistakes
High Risk Work Licence - Vehicle Loading Crane (CV) · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Choosing the wrong load chart column or capacity for the boom length and radius actually in use, then lifting based on the crane's maximum rated capacity instead of the chart value at that radius.
Candidates memorise a single headline capacity figure and treat the chart as a formality; they also misjudge radius as the horizontal distance to the load's near edge rather than to the centre of the hook or load centre of gravity.
What to do instead
Practise reading the chart for every planned lift: identify boom length, measured radius to the hook/load centre, and any deductions for attachments, then state the derated capacity aloud before rigging. Use a tape or the crane's radius indicator rather than estimating.
Failing to check the ground bearing capacity and the presence of voids, drains, service pits or uncompacted fill before setting up outriggers, and setting outrigger pads directly on soft or sloped ground.
Setup sites often look solid at the surface, and candidates focus on the crane rather than the ground; they also underestimate the point loading transferred through each outrigger pad.
What to do instead
Walk the setup area, identify buried services and voids from site plans or the supervisor, and use load-spreading pads sized for the outrigger force. Treat any doubt about ground condition as a reason to relocate or seek engineering advice.
Extending outriggers only partially, or failing to confirm all outriggers are fully deployed, pinned and on stable pads before lifting, and not checking that the vehicle is level.
Partial deployment speeds up the job and looks adequate; candidates also skip the level check because the site appears flat.
What to do instead
Follow the manufacturer's deployment sequence, extend each outrigger fully to its marked position, fit pins or locks, verify pads are centred, and confirm level with the crane's level indicator or a spirit level before any load is applied.
Skipping the pre-operational inspection items that are not visual from the operator's seat - wire rope condition, hook latch, sling and shackle tags, limit switches, and outrigger/boom pin security - and signing the checklist without physically checking.
Time pressure and routine familiarity lead to box-ticking; defects in rope, rigging and safety devices are not obvious without close inspection.
What to do instead
Perform a documented walk-around in a fixed sequence, physically handling rope, hook, latches and rigging, testing limit and warning devices, and recording defects. Never sign off an item not personally inspected.
Rigging loads without confirming the load's mass, centre of gravity and rigging arrangement, and using slings at incorrect angles without derating for the included angle.
Load mass is often estimated from appearance, and candidates forget that sling leg tension rises sharply as the angle from horizontal decreases.
What to do instead
Obtain mass from documentation or weigh the load, mark the centre of gravity, select slings rated for the leg tension at the actual angle, and use a spreader or adjust the attachment points when the angle is unfavourable.
Relying on the crane's rated capacity limiter or overload warning as the primary control and continuing to operate when it alarms, rather than treating the alarm as a stop signal.
Candidates believe the safety device makes the lift safe and may override or reset it to complete the task; they also do not understand that the device is a backup, not a capacity calculator.
What to do instead
Plan every lift against the load chart so the limiter is never approached in normal operation. Treat any alarm or cut-out as a stop, lower the load, reassess radius and capacity, and never bypass or disable the device.
Moving the load or slewing without a spotter or agreed signals, and travelling with a suspended load or with the boom raised when the manufacturer does not permit it.
Candidates underestimate blind spots and swing hazards, and assume short travel distances are safe; they may also be unfamiliar with the specific travel restrictions for their crane model.
What to do instead
Agree signals and exclusion zones with a spotter before the lift, keep personnel clear of the swing radius, and only travel with a load where the manufacturer's manual explicitly permits it - with the boom lowered, load close to the ground, and a guide in position.
Failing to control load swing and rotation during placement, allowing the load to contact structures or personnel, and releasing the load before it is fully landed and stable.
Momentum and wind effects are hard to judge, and candidates rush the final placement to save time.
What to do instead
Use taglines where practical, slow the slew and hoist near the landing point, lower until the load is fully supported and rigging is slack, and only then release. Keep hands clear and confirm the landing area is clear before final descent.
Shutting down without retracting and stowing the boom and outriggers to the transport position, fitting travel locks and pins, and leaving the hook or rigging unsecured.
End-of-shift fatigue and the next task's urgency lead to shortcuts; candidates also assume the next operator will complete stowing.
What to do instead
Follow the manufacturer's shutdown sequence: retract boom fully, stow and pin outriggers, secure the hook block, remove and store rigging correctly, apply parking brake, and complete the post-operational checklist signature.
Not reporting or recording defects and incidents found during or after operations, and leaving the crane available for use without isolating or tagging it out.
Candidates fear blame or assume someone else will report it; the paperwork is seen as administrative rather than a safety control.
What to do instead
Record every defect and near miss on the maintenance or defect report, tag out or isolate the crane where a defect affects safe operation, and inform the supervisor before leaving the machine available for the next shift.