Is Your Crane Lifting Attachment Safe?

Complying with crane lifting safety standards is an essential workplace health and safety requirement that can save lives.

In 2011, a Malaga crane and hoist company and two of its Directors were fined a total of $180,000 over the death of a 22-year-old Western Australian construction worker in October 2007. The court was told that the slinging practice used onsite was inherently dangerous because it relied heavily on the packing straps supporting the load, which they clearly did not.

This is just one of many cases where improper lifting practices and unsafe equipment have led to serious injury and death.

In this article, we’ll look at the Australian Standards for crane lifting attachments and whether your lifting attachments are safe to use.

Australian Standards for Cranes and Lifting Equipment

There are several Australian Standards related to cranes, lifting equipment and man cages:

AS 1418.1 Cranes, Hoists and Winches (General Requirements)

Cranes and their lifting equipment are subject to AS 1418.1. AS 1418.1 covers the general design requirements and classification of cranes to ensure safe lifting practices.

The standard was updated in 2021 to address issues like fatigue, which have been identified as a safety concern. These updates provide a safer workplace for crane operators and the rest of your staff members.

AS 1418.17 Design and Construction of Workboxes

Crane man boxes (also called workboxes) are designed to hold one or more people while the crane is in-use. This type of lifting operation is high-risk, and so workboxes are subject to AS 1418.17.

Under AS 1418.17, crane man boxes are required to:

• Have the working load limit (WLL), tare mass and design number clearly marked on the unit
• Have sides that are at least 1 metre high
• Have anchor points for fall arrest
• Have supplied lifting slings that are attached by moused shackles or hammerlocks
• Have inward-opening doors, where applicable
• Have a safety factor of 8 for chains and 10 for wire rope

In addition to these design standards, operators using a workbox must be wearing a full body harness at all times.

AS 4991 Lifting Devices

In 2004, Standards Australia released their design criteria for Lifting Devices under a new standard – AS 4991.

The design criteria within AS 4991 states that lifting attachments must withstand a “proof load” of 2 times the unit’s working load limit (WLL), up to a load capacity of 10 tonnes.

Under AS 4991, crane lifting attachments must also be:

• Engineered, design and drawn
• Manufactured by tradesman that can perform welding tasks to AS 1554.1sp
• “Proof loaded” as a final test and to obtain the equipment’s capacity rating

In practice, this ensures all crane lifting attachments are well-within their rated load limits. It also sets benchmarks for quality of welding and construction to prevent dodgy manufacturers from producing dangerous equipment.

Training Your Team on Crane Lifting Attachments

Crane lifting attachments alter the way cranes can be used. In some cases, a lifting attachment may require additional safety considerations.

The best thing you can do to make your attachments safe is to provide training to operators and other staff. During training, run your staff through safe operating practices (especially for man cages) as well as how to document lifts.

Get Safe, Compliant Crane Lifting Attachments From Bremco

Bremco manufactures and distributes quality crane lifting attachments. Our range includes crane lifting cages, crane man cages, crane lift bins and other general crane attachments.

All Bremco crane lifting attachments are manufactured and proof load tested in accordance with Australian Standard AS 4991 and AS 1418.17 for our crane man boxes. All units come with a standard compliance plate and serial number, allowing you to record this in your safety lifting register.

Bremco products are manufactured to the highest quality and meet strict engineering guidelines to conform with Australian standards. This ensures the attachments contribute to a safe work environment.

If your crane attachment was not designed, engineered and manufactured using the above steps, there is a fair chance that your lifting device will not conform to Australian Standards, and you could run the risk of injuries or worse.

Explore our catalogue online at any time, or contact Bremco to order Australian-made crane lifting attachments.

Brett Moody