New South Wales Government

The hazards associated with cranes and hoists include:

• entanglement with trees and other machinery
• workers trapped between the lifted material and any fixed structures
• workers struck by ejected material
• release of potential energy
• contact with overhead powerlines
• exceeding safe working load capacity.

Operators of cranes and hoists should be able to:

• perform a basic inspection of the crane before it is used to ensure there are no obvious faults
• identify the maximum load the crane or hoist can lift
• assess the weight of the load they wish to lift
• choose and use the appropriate chains, straps and/or lifting harness for the load
• operate the crane or hoist to safely shift the load.

A high risk work licence is required by operators of the following machinery:

• boom-type elevating work platforms (WP)
• bridge and gantry cranes (CB)
• derrick cranes (CD)
• material hoists (HM)
• non-slewing mobile cranes (CN)
• personnel and materials hoists (HP)
• portal boom cranes (CP)
• self erecting tower cranes (CS)
• slewing mobile cranes (C2), (C6), (C1), (C0)
• tower cranes (CT)
• vehicle loading cranes (CV).

The Licensing pages contain further information on licensing of operators or the design and item registration of cranes.

Call 13 10 50 for more information about cranes and hoists.