1. Common workplace hazards
1. Prepare for hazards
Shown here are some common workplace hazards.
Weather
Powerlines
Vehicles/other
mobile plant
Hazardous Materials
Underground services
Open trenches/
excavations
Tripping hazards
Pedestrians
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2. Too dark
1. Prepare for hazards
Hazard: If the work area is dark or dimly lit you might not be able to see clearly.
Control: Use extra lighting such as portable lamps, or try to find a brighter area if you can.
RIGHT
WRONG
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3. Hoisting down Luffing boom up
Hand signals
Hoisting down
Motion
Hand signal
Whistle
2. Communicate clearly
1 long
Commonly used signal
(Not Australian Standard)
Luffing boom up
Motion
Hand signal
Whistle
3 short
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4. Stop Hand signals 1 short Emergencies
Motion
Hand signal
Whistle
2. Communicate clearly
1 short
Emergencies
It is important to communicate in an emergency.
Make sure you:
• Tell other people there is an
emergency
• Tell people what the emergency is
• Tell people when to exit unsafe areas.
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5. General start-up procedures
Start the crane
Look in the user’s manual or manufacturer’s instructions to find out the right way to start the crane.
Strange noises
Listen for unusual or strange noises and vibration or shaking in the non-slewing mobile crane when you start it. Strange noises could mean the crane has a fault and you should have the crane inspected to find the cause of the fault.
General start-up procedures
3. Check the crane 1.
Apply the parking brake to stop the vehicle from moving. 2.
Make sure the manual accelerator control lever is in the catcher and crane control levers are in the neutral positions. 3.
Put the vehicle’s shift lever in the neutral position. 4.
Start the engine. 5.
Depress the clutch pedal, pull up the power take-up (PTO) lever completely, and release the clutch pedal slowly. This will start the hydraulic pump. 6.
CAUTION – in winter and cold climates do not operate the crane immediately after doing steps 1 – 5. First, operate the hydraulic pump alone to warm up the hydraulic oil.
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6. Do the pre-operational checks
Once you start your non-slewing mobile crane you need to make further checks. Post-start checks include:
Horn/lights/drive indicator
Warning devices/systems
Gauges
Warning devices/systems
3. Check the crane
Hazard controls
Brakes
Hazard controls
All controls and motions to full capability/extension (to make sure the crane is safe to use).
Check the hoist limit switch/cut-out to avoid double-blocking. Double-blocking occurs when the hook/block assembly is dragged into the head sheaves. This can cause a serious incident.
WRONG
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7. Check ground conditions
Check that the ground can support the crane and the load before you set up. Ground conditions can affect the need for outriggers and packing.
4. Plan the lift
Talk to an expert
Wet ground
You may have to talk to an expert to assess the ground for you. An engineer’s report can tell you if the ground is safe to work on and suitable for supporting the crane.
If it rains the ground may be soft and unstable for heavy vehicles and machinery. If you think the ground is too soft or wet ask a competent person to test the ground before you set up the crane.
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8. Move the load safely
You are mobiling (moving) a load. Before you move the load, think about:
How the crane will get in and out of the work area
Hazards and obstructions in your path and work area
6. Do the lift
When you are mobiling the crane (driving with a load attached), remember to:
• Move as slowly as possible – at creep speed
• Accelerate (speed up) and brake slowly to stop load swing
• Keep the boom/jib length short to keep the crane well-balanced
• Keep the load close to the ground to keep the crane well-balanced.
The weight and size of loads
Boom angle/length
Boom/jib deflection
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9. Shut down and pack up
This part of the book is about how to shut down, pack up and put away equipment. It covers stowing and securing equipment, using motion locks, shutting down the crane and post-operational checks.
7. Shut down and pack up
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10. Stow and secure outriggers/stabilisers
Most non-slewing cranes don’t use outriggers and packing. Sometimes when using a telehandler you will use outriggers. When you have finished with the crane, stow and secure the outriggers and packing safely for travel.
To stow and secure outriggers and packing you should:
1. Retract the outriggers using the controls in the cabin.
7. Shut down and pack up
2. Pick up and clean packing.
3. Stow and tie down the packing in its place on the crane.
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11. Part 3 – Check the crane
Question 18. What kinds of problems should you look for on the crane itself?
click for answer
Answer may include:
Broken windscreen
Oil and fluid leaks
Damaged or flat tyres
Quiz

12. Question 25. Which crane safety devices need to be tested and working?
Part 3 – Check the crane
Question 25. Which crane safety devices need to be tested and working?
click for answer
Answer may include:
Horns/sirens
Warning lights
Quiz
Hoist limit/maximum radius
Minimum radius luff limit