1. Introduction
1.1 Legislation
1.2 Australian Standards
The purpose of this code of practice is to give practical advice about how to manage risks associated with mobile cranes, vehicle-loading cranes and other mobile plant used as a mobile crane to raise or lower a freely suspended load.
For the purpose of this code:
A mobile crane means a machine that:
- is used primarily for raising or lowering a freely suspended load;
- is capable of travelling over a supporting surface without the need for fixed runways (including railway tracks); and
- relies only on gravity for stability, with no vertical restraining connection between itself and the supporting surface, and no horizontal restraining connection (other than frictional forces at supporting-surface level) that may act as an aid to stability.
A vehicle-loading crane means a crane mounted on a vehicle or trailer to load and unload that vehicle or trailer, and which may be used for other lifting purposes within its rated capacity in accordance with the crane manufacturer’s instructions.
Other mobile plant means a machine that is primarily used for activities other than raising or lowering a freely suspended load, and includes a backhoe, excavator, front-end loader and telescopic handler.
This code of practice provides practical advice about how to manage the risk of injury, illness or death to persons from:
- operating;
- working with;
- working near;
- erecting;
- climbing;
- dismantling;
- inspecting;
- testing;
- maintaining;
- repairing; and
- being in an area adjacent to a mobile crane, including a public area.
1.1 Legislation
In order to understand the relevant workplace health and safety requirements for mobile cranes, a person must consider and understand the:
- Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (PDF, 766 KB);
- Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2008;
- Electrical Safety Act 2002 (PDF, 788 KB); and
- Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 (PDF, 1 MB).
1.2 Australian Standards
An Australian Standard is a published document which sets out specifications and a procedure designed to ensure that a material, product, method or service is fit for its purpose and consistently performs in the way it was intended.
Australian Standards provide useful information which will assist a person to better understand this code and may assist in discharging an obligation a person may have for health and safety. References in this code to relevant Australian Standards were correct at the time of publication.
Unless otherwise stated, a reference in this code to an Australian Standard or to a standard published jointly by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand is a reference to the standard as in force at 1 July 2006.
A list of relevant Australian Standards is provided at appendix 2.
Further information is available from Standards Australia.
Last updated 21 August 2008