Overhead Crane SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers planning, operating and securing overhead crane lifting work, from inspections and load handling through to shutdown. It supports work planning by identifying key lifting, movement, communication and maintenance hazards for risk management.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Plan lifts, assign responsibilities and brief the crew
• Set up and maintain an exclusion zone around lifting work
• Inspect the crane, controls and lifting gear before use
• Sling, secure and balance loads before lifting
• Test controls and communication arrangements
• Hoist, travel and land suspended loads
• Operate pendant controls from a suitable position
• Isolate the crane for maintenance activities
• Respond to faults, emergencies and uncontrolled load events
• Clean up, report defects and complete sign-off

Who is this for?

Suitable for contractors, workers, supervisors and businesses involved in overhead crane lifting activities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Applicable Commonwealth, state or territory WHS/OHS legislation and regulations, including duties to manage risks, provide safe plant, maintain plant, provide information/training/supervision, consult workers, manage electrical risks and ensure high risk work is performed by licensed persons where required.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace.
• Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Hazardous Manual Tasks.
• Model Code of Practice: Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace.
• Model Code of Practice: Construction Work, where the work is construction work and a SWMS is required.
• AS 1418.18 Cranes, Part 18: Crane runways and monorails.
• AS 2550.1 Cranes, hoists and winches—Safe use, Part 1: General requirements.
• AS 2550.3 Cranes, hoists and winches—Safe use, Part 3: Bridge, gantry, portal, semi-gantry and monorail cranes.
• AS 4991 Lifting devices.
• AS 1353.2 Flat synthetic-webbing slings.
• AS 3775 Chain slings for lifting purposes.
• AS/NZS 1891 series Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices, where fall protection is required.
• Model Codes and Australian Standards are guidance unless adopted or otherwise given legal effect in the applicable jurisdiction. The SWMS controls reflect guidance that suspended loads must remain controlled, must not travel over persons, and require exclusion zones and reliable communication.

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Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)

• Task-specific job steps, hazards and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each job step
• Plant, equipment and PPE requirements where applicable
• Permits, qualifications and high-risk construction work details where applicable
• Worker consultation, sign-off and review sections