Product Overview

Summary: This Cranes and Hoisting Equipment Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, practical steps for planning, conducting and supervising lifting operations safely on Australian worksites. It helps businesses control high-risk crane and hoisting activities, protect workers and assets, and demonstrate compliance with WHS legislation and industry standards.

Cranes and hoisting equipment are among the most high-risk plant items on any worksite. A single uncontrolled lift can result in catastrophic injury, structural damage, or long-term business disruption. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, step‑by‑step framework for planning, authorising and carrying out lifting operations using mobile cranes, tower cranes, bridge and gantry cranes, vehicle loading cranes, hoists, chain blocks and other lifting devices. It focuses on practical controls such as pre-start inspections, load assessment, exclusion zones, communication methods, weather considerations and emergency response.

Developed specifically for the Australian regulatory environment, this SOP helps businesses meet their duties under WHS legislation and relevant Australian Standards. It supports consistent training and supervision across crews, ensuring that crane operators, doggers, riggers and supervisors are all working from the same playbook. By implementing this procedure, organisations can significantly reduce the likelihood of dropped loads, crane overturning, collisions with structures or services, and unsafe lifting of people or loads, while also creating a clear audit trail that stands up to regulator or client scrutiny.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of crane rollovers, dropped loads and struck-by incidents through a consistent, documented lifting process.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation, plant regulations and crane-related Australian Standards.
• Standardise pre-start checks, lift planning and communication protocols across all sites and shifts.
• Improve coordination between crane operators, doggers, riggers and supervisors, reducing delays and misunderstandings.
• Provide clear guidance for responding to equipment faults, near misses and lifting emergencies.

Who is this for?

• Crane Operators
• Doggers and Riggers
• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Maintenance Supervisors
• Manufacturing and Warehouse Managers
• Mine and Quarry Managers
• Engineering and Fabrication Workshop Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Crane overturning due to overloading, poor ground conditions or incorrect setup
• Dropped loads causing crush injuries or property damage
• Collision with structures, plant, vehicles or overhead services (including powerlines)
• Falling objects from improperly secured or rigged loads
• Mechanical failure of cranes, hoists, slings, chains and lifting accessories
• Pinch and crush points during rigging, attaching and detaching loads
• Electrical shock or arcing from contact or arcing near overhead powerlines
• Instability caused by wind, weather and dynamic loading
• Ergonomic and manual handling injuries during rigging and guiding loads
• Unauthorised operation or bypassing of safety devices and interlocks

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Types of Cranes and Hoisting Equipment
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and High Risk Work Licensing Requirements
• 4.0 Competency, Training and Verification of Competence (VoC)
• 5.0 Planning Lifting Operations and Lift Risk Assessment
• 6.0 Pre-Start Inspections and Equipment Condition Checks
• 7.0 Ground Conditions, Outriggers, Supports and Crane Set-Up
• 8.0 Load Assessment, Rigging Selection and Inspection of Lifting Gear
• 9.0 Establishing Exclusion Zones and Traffic Management
• 10.0 Communication Methods, Signals and Two-Way Radio Protocols
• 11.0 Step-by-Step Safe Operating Procedure for Lifting Operations
• 12.0 Working Near Overhead and Underground Services
• 13.0 Adverse Weather, Wind Limits and Environmental Conditions
• 14.0 Use of Workboxes, Man Cages and Lifting of Personnel (if applicable)
• 15.0 Post-Operation Shutdown, Securing and Housekeeping
• 16.0 Inspection, Testing, Maintenance and Tagging of Cranes and Lifting Gear
• 17.0 Hazard Identification, Risk Control Measures and Hierarchy of Control
• 18.0 Incident, Near Miss and Equipment Fault Reporting Procedures
• 19.0 Emergency Response and Rescue Procedures for Crane Operations
• 20.0 Document Control, Review and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory equivalents)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory equivalents) – Plant and High Risk Work
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces (for personnel and workboxes where relevant)
• AS 2550 series: Cranes, hoists and winches – Safe use
• AS 1418 series: Cranes, hoists and winches – Design and construction
• AS/NZS 1891 series: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices (where work at height on cranes is required)
• AS 4991: Lifting devices
• AS 3775: Chain slings for lifting purposes
• AS 4497: Roundslings – Synthetic fibre
• AS/NZS 4801 or ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems