Access keys | Skip to primary navigation | Skip to secondary navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer |
Problems viewing this site

Workplace health and safety

Home > Workplace health and safety > Law and penalties > Mobile Crane Code of Practice 2006 > 5. Design and plant registration of mobile cranes

5. Design and plant registration of mobile cranes

5.1 Registration of mobile crane design
5.2 Annual registration of registrable mobile cranes

Under the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 (PDF, 1.4 MB) , a mobile crane with a safe working load of more than 10 tonnes must be:

  1. design registered with an Australian state or territory workplace health and safety authority; and
  2. annually registered with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.

5.1 Registration of mobile crane design

The Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 provides that:

  1. an employer or self-employed person must not install or use a registrable mobile crane unless a certificate of registration of plant design has been granted for the design of the mobile crane; and
  2. an employer must not allow a worker of the employer to install or use a registrable mobile crane unless a certificate of registration of plant design has been granted for the design of the mobile crane.

The Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 describes the application process for a certificate of design registration.

The number of the certificate of registration of registrable plant design must be permanently marked on the crane so as to be clearly visible.

A certificate of design registration for a mobile crane issued by an Australian state or territory is recognised in Queensland.

Mobile cranes must be designed in accordance with acceptable engineering principles5 and relevant technical standards6, to ensure the mobile crane is without risk to health and safety.

An application for a certificate of registrable plant design must be accompanied by:

  1. a design verification statement7;
  2. representational drawings8 of the crane; and
  3. the appropriate fee.

A person must not make a design verification statement for any part of a design of plant that the person was involved in designing.

A certificate of registrable plant design stops having effect if the design is changed in a way that requires new measures to control risk.

An example of a change in design causing a certificate to stop having effect:

A certificate of registrable plant design is in force for the design of a mobile crane. The number of counterweights on the mobile crane is increased so that the rated capacity of the crane can be increased. This increases the stress in the crane and may increase the likelihood of the crane overturning. The certificate stops being in force because of the change.

An example of a change in design not causing a certificate to stop having effect:

A certificate of registrable plant design is in force for the design of a mobile crane. The mobile crane’s hoist rope is replaced with a steel wire rope of a different construction (e.g. number of strands) than that listed in the original design registration submission, and the crane manufacturer specifies that the new type of rope may be used. The certificate does not stop being in force because of the change.

5.2 Annual registration of registrable mobile cranes

Under the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997, mobile cranes with a safe working load of more than 10 tonnes are classed as registrable plant.

The Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 provides that an owner of a registrable mobile crane must not use the mobile crane, or allow it to be used, unless the mobile crane is registered.

The Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 1997 describes:

  1. the application process for a certificate of registration;
  2. the renewal of a certificate; and
  3. the relevant powers of Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.

An owner of a mobile crane must renew the registration of the crane annually with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland. All plant registrations expire on 31 January each year.

5.2.1 Application for annual registration of mobile cranes

An application for a certificate of registration for a registrable mobile crane must include the following:

  1. the age of the crane;
  2. a statement by the owner of the crane about the maintenance and inspection history of the crane;
  3. the name, address, contact details and qualifications of the competent person9 who inspected the crane; and
  4. the date the competent person inspected the crane.

The statement by the owner of the crane must confirm that:

  1. the crane has been maintained in accordance with the instructions of the designer and manufacturer, and with relevant Australian Standards, codes of practice and other legislation during the period of one year before the application was made; and
  2. the crane has been inspected by a competent person prior to the registration application being made.

The competent person must certify that:

  1. the crane has been maintained in accordance with the instructions of the designer and manufacturer, and with relevant Australian Standards, codes of practice and other legislation; and
  2. the crane is safe to use.

5. See appendix 1 for definitions.
6. See appendix 1 for definitions.
7. See appendix 1 for definitions.
8. See appendix 1 for definitions.
9. See appendix 1 for definitions.

Last updated June 9, 2006