Product Overview

Summary: This SOP sets out clear, practical steps for safe lifting and handling across renewable energy projects, from wind farm construction to solar farm installations. It helps Australian businesses control high-risk manual tasks, crane and lifting operations, and load handling in remote or challenging environments, supporting WHS compliance and preventing musculoskeletal and serious crush injuries.

Lifting and handling activities in renewable energy projects are complex, often involving large, awkward and high-value components such as turbine blades, nacelles, towers, inverters and solar panels. These operations are frequently carried out in remote locations, on uneven terrain, at height, and in variable weather conditions, significantly increasing the risk of dropped objects, crush injuries, equipment failure and musculoskeletal disorders. This Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, end-to-end framework for planning and carrying out lifting and handling tasks safely in wind, solar, battery storage and hybrid renewable projects across Australia.

The SOP guides your teams through pre-lift planning, selection and inspection of lifting gear, safe use of cranes and mechanical aids, communication protocols, exclusion zones, and manual handling controls tailored to renewable energy work. It supports businesses to meet their WHS obligations by embedding risk assessment, permit-to-work integration, and toolbox talks into daily operations. By implementing this procedure, organisations can reduce incident rates, protect workers and contractors, safeguard expensive equipment, and demonstrate due diligence to clients, regulators and insurers across the rapidly growing renewable energy sector.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of serious injuries from lifting operations, dropped objects and poor manual handling practices on renewable energy sites.
• Ensure consistent, compliant lifting and handling practices across wind, solar and battery projects in line with Australian WHS requirements.
• Improve planning and coordination between crane crews, riggers, technicians and supervisors to minimise delays and rework.
• Protect high-value equipment and components from damage during transport, lifting, installation and maintenance activities.
• Strengthen your safety culture by providing clear, practical guidance for toolbox talks, inductions and refresher training.

Who is this for?

• Project Managers – Renewable Energy
• Site Supervisors
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Construction Managers
• Wind Turbine Technicians
• Solar Farm Installers
• Rigging and Dogging Personnel
• Crane Operators
• Electrical Supervisors
• Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Crush injuries from moving, swinging or suspended loads
• Dropped objects during lifting at height (e.g. turbine towers, platforms)
• Manual handling injuries, including sprains and strains from handling solar panels, cabling and components
• Equipment failure or misuse of cranes, hoists, slings and lifting accessories
• Pinch points and entrapment during alignment and installation of large components
• Adverse weather impacts on lifting operations (high winds, poor visibility, extreme heat)
• Slips, trips and falls on uneven, muddy or sloping terrain during handling tasks
• Vehicle and mobile plant interactions during loading and unloading activities
• Fatigue-related errors in remote or FIFO renewable project environments

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope – Application to wind, solar, battery and hybrid renewable projects
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations – Lifting terminology, roles and equipment
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities – PCBU, Project Manager, Supervisor, Crane Operator, Rigger, Dogger, Technicians
• 4.0 Planning Lifting and Handling Activities – Risk assessment, lift planning and permits
• 5.0 Hazard Identification and Risk Controls – Renewable energy–specific lifting and handling risks
• 6.0 Manual Handling Controls – Handling solar panels, cabling, tools and small components
• 7.0 Selection and Inspection of Lifting Equipment – Cranes, hoists, slings, shackles, spreader bars and lifting points
• 8.0 Pre-Lift Checks and Site Preparation – Ground conditions, weather, access and exclusion zones
• 9.0 Safe Operating Procedure – Step-by-step process for standard and complex lifts
• 10.0 Working at Height and Dropped Object Prevention – Controls for tower and platform work
• 11.0 Communication and Signalling – Hand signals, radios and lift coordination meetings
• 12.0 Interaction with Mobile Plant and Transport – Loading, unloading and traffic management
• 13.0 Emergency Response and Incident Management – Uncontrolled loads, equipment failure and injury response
• 14.0 Training, Competency and Licensing Requirements – Crane, rigging, dogging and WHS training
• 15.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement – Audits, inspections and lessons learned
• 16.0 Document Control and Record Keeping – Lift plans, inspection records and training evidence

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Regulations – Hazardous Manual Tasks and Plant
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – General Guide for Cranes
• 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
• AS/NZS ISO 31000: Risk management – Guidelines