Product Overview

Summary: This Rigging and Lifting Operations SOP sets out a clear, step‑by‑step method for planning and carrying out lifting activities safely on Australian worksites. It helps your team control the significant risks associated with cranes, lifting gear and suspended loads, while supporting compliance with WHS legislation and industry best practice.

Rigging and lifting activities are among the highest‑risk tasks carried out on Australian construction, civil, mining, manufacturing and logistics sites. A single dropped load, rigging failure or uncontrolled lift can result in fatal injuries, major asset damage and significant regulatory scrutiny. This Rigging and Lifting Operations Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, practical framework for planning, authorising and executing lifts so that every person on site understands their role, the equipment in use and the controls that must be in place before a load leaves the ground.

The SOP guides your team through the full lifecycle of a lifting task: from pre‑planning, load assessment and lift studies, through pre‑use inspection of cranes, slings and lifting gear, to controlled execution of the lift and post‑lift inspection and documentation. It embeds key WHS principles such as risk assessment, isolation of exclusion zones, communication protocols and emergency response. By standardising how you manage rigging and lifting operations, this document reduces reliance on informal practices, supports competency‑based training, and provides clear evidence that your business is meeting its duty of care under Australian WHS laws and relevant standards.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the likelihood of dropped loads, crushing injuries and near misses during lifting activities.
• Ensure rigging and lifting operations are planned, authorised and carried out in line with Australian WHS legislation and industry standards.
• Standardise how cranes, hoists, slings and lifting accessories are inspected, selected and used across all sites.
• Improve communication and coordination between crane operators, doggers, riggers, spotters and supervisors.
• Provide clear documentation to support training, inductions, toolbox talks and incident investigations involving lifting operations.

Who is this for?

• Crane Operators
• Doggers and Riggers
• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Workshop and Yard Supervisors
• Maintenance Managers
• Logistics and Warehouse Managers
• Plant and Equipment Coordinators
• Principal Contractors

Hazards Addressed

• Crushing and impact injuries from suspended or swinging loads
• Dropped objects from improperly rigged or secured loads
• Structural failure of cranes, lifting beams, slings, chains and shackles
• Overloading of lifting equipment due to incorrect weight estimation or load rating selection
• Struck-by incidents within crane and lifting exclusion zones
• Contact with overhead or underground electrical services during lifting operations
• Equipment tip‑over or instability due to poor ground conditions or incorrect outrigger setup
• Pinch points and hand injuries during attaching, detaching and guiding loads
• Manual handling strains during handling of rigging gear and load manipulation
• Noise and communication failures leading to unsafe signalling or conflicting instructions

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology (Rigging, Dogging, Types of Lifts)
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Planning and Risk Assessment for Lifting Operations
• 6.0 Lift Categorisation (Routine, Non‑Routine, Critical and Complex Lifts)
• 7.0 Load Assessment, Weight Estimation and Centre of Gravity
• 8.0 Selection of Cranes, Lifting Equipment and Rigging Gear
• 9.0 Inspection, Testing and Tagging of Lifting Equipment
• 10.0 Site Preparation, Ground Conditions and Exclusion Zones
• 11.0 Communication Methods, Signals and Permit Requirements
• 12.0 Step‑by‑Step Procedure for Conducting Lifts
• 13.0 Working Near Overhead and Underground Services
• 14.0 Use of Tag Lines, Guide Ropes and Load Control Techniques
• 15.0 Management of Adverse Weather and Environmental Conditions
• 16.0 Emergency Response, Incident Management and Rescue Considerations
• 17.0 Post‑Lift Activities, Demobilisation and Documentation
• 18.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 19.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement of Lifting Operations

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations (as implemented in relevant Australian jurisdictions)
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Plant in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Construction Work
• AS 2550 series: Cranes, hoists and winches – Safe use
• AS 1418 series: Cranes, hoists and winches – Design and construction
• AS 4991: Lifting devices
• AS 1353: Flat synthetic-webbing slings
• AS 3775: Chain slings for lifting purposes
• AS 4497: Round slings – Synthetic fibre
• AS/NZS 1891 series: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices (for work at height associated with rigging and lifting)
• State and Territory WHS/OHS Regulations relating to high risk work licences for dogging, rigging and crane operation