CPA Bulletin

www.cpa.uk.net CPA Bulletin > February 2020 37 The Crane Interests Group’s (CIG) guidance on the maintenance, inspection and thorough examination of mobile cranes, which was originally published in 2010, has recently been subject to a minor revision in November 2019. Additions and revisions include: • The specific inclusion of heavy lift cranes; • A new section on the inspection of the chassis of roadgoing mobile cranes; • New requirements for the identification and recording of safety critical components; • New guidance on the need for thorough examination of mobile cranes after rigging on site, • Additional information on the preparation of defined scopes of periodic thorough examination and thorough examination following installation. Additional information has been included on ground assessment, medical fitness and protection against fumes along with an updated bibliography and references. The updated guidance can be downloaded from https://www.cpa . uk.net/crane-interest-group-publications-guidance/ CHANGES TO THE BEST PRACTICE GUIDE - MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION AND THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF MOBILE CRANES (CIG 1001) TECHNICAL: 2 The Crane Interest Group (CIG) has issued a Technical Information Notice (104), following a number of queries from the crane sector, to clarify the definition of a ‘hybrid’ lifting operation and the potential issues arising from this type of lifting operation. BS 7121-1:2016 identifies two sets of contractual arrangements for the provision of mobile cranes to employing organisations (users). In the first arrangement, the customers hires a crane and manages the lift themselves - straight crane hire - in which case the employing organisation is responsible for ensuring that there is a safe system of work in place and that all lifting operations are carried out safely, in accordance with current legislation and best practice. The crane owner needs to provide a competent operator and that the crane that is properly maintained, inspected and thoroughly examined. Straight crane hire arrangements should always be carried out using the CPA Model Conditions for the Hiring of Plant (2011 edition) and the Supplementary Conditions applicable to Mobile and Crawler Cranes (2011 edition). The second arrangement is where the customer employs a lifting contractor, such as the crane company, to carry out the lifting operation, where the planning, supervision and execution of the lifting operation(s) will be carried out by the contractor. This is known as a Contract Lift and should always be carried out using the CPA Standard Terms and Conditions for Contract Lifting Services (2011 edition). There is, however, a third arrangement in which a crane is hired by the owner to an employing organisation, but the crane owner becomes involved with some aspects of planning the lift. This is known as a ‘hybrid’ lift but it is unclear who is responsible for ensuring that the planning of the lift, as set out in BS 7121, is carried out. This could well result in incomplete planning and an ineffective safe system of work. A further complication is where a crane with an operator is hired to the employing organisation with additional personnel such as slinger/ signallers. In this case these people could potentially be viewed as being in charge/control of the lifting operation. From a commercial aspect, this can compromise the crane owner if the crane has been hired under the CPA Model Conditions as by becoming involved with the planning of the lift, the owner automatically takes on some of the responsibilities associated with a Contract Lift. If the lifting operation fails, the crane owner is likely to have difficulty in contractually recovering their costs for crane repair, etc. and may well face counter claims from the employing organisation for not having planned the lift properly. Past incidents of this nature have led to criminal prosecution of the crane owner by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for being partially responsible for inadequate lift planning. They have also resulted in protracted and costly civil legal proceedings as the various parties and their insurers seek to recover costs. Hybrid lifts as described in Clause 5.7.2.3 of BS 7121-3:2017+A1:2019 should not be undertaken as the crane owner is taking on additional responsibilities and placing themselves at considerable reputational and financial risk should issues occur. CIG TIN 107 can be downloaded from https://www.cpa.uk.net/crane- interest-group-publications-guidance/ TECHNICAL INFORMATION NOTICE (CIG TIN 107) MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION AND THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF CONSTRUCTION HOISTS (CHIG 1101) The Construction Hoist Interest Group (CHIG) has further updated guidance on the Maintenance, Inspection and Thorough Examination of Construction Hoists, first published in 2011. This revised document - re-numbered from CHIG 0301 to CHIG 1101 to reflect the changes - provides guidance on the daily pre-use checks, inspections, thorough examination and maintenance of hoists. It also includes check lists and report forms for pre-use checks, weekly inspections and thorough examination. It should be read in conjunction with BS 7212 - Code of practice for safe use of construction hoists. The revised guidance can be downloaded from https://www.cpa.uk.net/construction-hoist-interest-group/