The Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner (OFSC) has developed new guidance - Considerations for Mobile Crane Ground Conditions -  to help principal contractors to safely plan and use mobile cranes.

Developed in consultation with Federal Safety Officers and the Crane Industry Council of Australia, this new guidance workflows the process of verifying the capacity of the ground to safely carry the weight of the crane under load. This is key to ensuring the stability of the crane and preventing rollovers.

Companies accredited under the WHS Accreditation Scheme need to have, and implement onsite, a systems-based approach to ensure compliance with mobile crane requirements. Even when engaging the services of specialist mobile crane subcontractors, compliance with the Scheme audit criteria requires accredited companies to ensure their system effectively manages all relevant risks and hazards.

Mobile crane risk management has been a key focus of the Hazard 2020 Safety Campaign, with the OFSC’s ongoing data analysis revealing significant issues with compliance. The OFSC has hosted several educational webinars on the management and use of mobile cranes:

• Ground Conditions for Crane Risk Management 
• Articulated Cranes 
• Lift Planning for Crane Risk Management

Follow the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner on LinkedIn to stay up to date on safety news, Scheme updates and future events.