Crane & Lifting Equipment SWMS
Mobile, tower, and crawler crane lifting operations including rigging, exclusion zones, and load handling.
SWMS variants reference your state's WHS legislation. Instant download after payment.
This SWMS covers mobile, crawler, and tower crane lifting operations on construction and civil sites — crane set-up and ground bearing, rigging practice, load movement, exclusion zones, and the dogging and rigging licences under WHS Regulation 2025 r. 309. It is scoped for crane operators, crane owners, dogmen, riggers, and the Principal Contractor's crane coordinator. Crane operations are distinct from every other scope in the WAH batch because the hazard is not predominantly a fall hazard — it is the mass, momentum, and unforgiving consequence of a failed lift. A 15 tonne precast wall panel dropping 6 m to a crew below does not require height above 2 m to kill; it requires one bad rigging decision, one missed ground-bearing check, or one moment of operator inattention. The crane SWMS therefore centres on rigging integrity, ground capacity, exclusion-zone management, and licensed personnel in every role. The work triggers HRCW Category 15 (crane work) and Category 13 (powered mobile plant); load-related fall exposure triggers Category 3 only in specific scenarios such as personnel lifts. Section 299 of the Regulation requires this SWMS. CIH-authored and aligned with AS 2550 series for crane safe use, AS 1418 series for crane design, and AS 3775 for chain slings.
Hazards identified
13 hazards covered, sorted by priority.
Structural failure of the crane — jib buckling, counterweight lift, or tip-over; catastrophic consequence with fatal exposure to operator and surrounding crew.
Outrigger pad sinks or slab fails under point load; crane tips or settles with load at height; load falls onto surrounding area.
Chain, wire-rope, or webbing sling failure under load; load dropped onto exclusion zone; secondary equipment damage.
Worker within the lift swing radius struck by moving load; fatal crush injury from multi-tonne precast, steel, or concrete element.
Electrocution of operator or ground crew when jib contacts LV or transmission line; crane structure becomes conductive path.
Hoist rope failure from two-blocking with the load dropped; limit-switch failure or bypass implicated in many historical incidents.
Load oscillation in crosswind during lift with inability to control; load strikes structure or personnel.
Operator-dogman communication failure during blind lift; load lowered into obstruction or personnel.
Personnel in suspended work box falls when crane or rigging fails; fatal fall from crane-suspended platform.
Follow-on trades walking through the lift zone during operations; struck-by from swinging load or dropped component.
Vehicle struck by crane or load during swing; driver injury from load impact with cab.
Load centre of gravity not identified; load rotates during lift shedding the sling; load dropped.
Operator decision error on extended shift; missed procedural step, mis-read radius, or bypass of limit switch.
Control measures
Hierarchy-of-controls order: elimination → substitution → isolation → engineering → administrative → PPE.
- 1HRWL verification at pre-start — crane operator holds the correct class per WHS Regulation 2025 r. 309: CN (non-slewing truck crane), CV (vehicle loading crane over 10 tonne-metres), C2 (non-slewing mobile), C6 (slewing mobile up to 60 tonnes), C1 (slewing mobile up to 100 tonnes), CO (open slewing above 100 tonnes), CT (tower crane), CB (boom-type elevating work platform excluded as separate WP class). Tickets presented and recorded daily.
- 2Dogging and rigging by HRWL-licensed personnel — DG for dogging (directing the operator by signal or radio and confirming the lift is safe), RB (basic rigging — movement of plant, steel beams, and precast < 8 m), RI (intermediate — precast > 8 m, dual-lifts, demolition), RA (advanced — dual-crane lifts, flying form, cantilever/suspended equipment).
- 3Pre-lift plan — every non-routine lift has a written lift plan specifying load mass, pick point, rigging specification, crane configuration, radius, exclusion zone, and communication protocol; signed by the rigger and the crane operator before the lift.
- 4Pre-start inspection per AS 2550.1 and the crane-specific AS 2550.5 (mobile), AS 2550.4 (tower), or AS 2550.11 (vehicle loading) — boom, wire rope, hook, limit switches, load-moment indicator, controls, and outriggers all checked and signed off daily.
- 5Ground-bearing calculation — point-load at outrigger pads calculated from crane data sheet; bearing capacity confirmed by the structural engineer or by geotechnical assessment; crane mats, composite pads, or concrete mats deployed where bearing is insufficient.
- 6Rigging inspection per AS 3775 (chain) and AS 1666 (wire rope) — slings tagged with SWL, date of manufacture, and inspection interval; damaged or out-of-test slings scrapped immediately.
- 7Overhead power line management — the lift envelope is mapped against all overhead services; 3 m from LV, 6.4 m from transmission per SafeWork NSW; the network operator de-energises or installs insulated covers where clearance cannot be maintained.
- 8Exclusion-zone barricade and signage around the lift envelope plus a 2 m buffer; exclusion enforced by the dogman or a dedicated spotter with authority to halt the lift. No follow-on trades within the zone.
- 9Communication — radio check between operator and dogman before each lift; clear channel with no crossover; visual hand signals per AS 2550.1 as backup; second radio on site in case of primary failure.
- 10Wind-speed stop — lifts suspended at the manufacturer-rated wind speed (commonly 45 km/h for mobile, 20 km/h for tall tower) measured at the hook height; full stop at 72 km/h for free-slewing tower cranes per AS 1418.4.
- 11Two-block and limit-switch integrity — anti-two-block limit tested at pre-start; no bypass of the limit switch during operation; load-moment indicator (LMI) function verified before first lift.
- 12Personnel lifts only in an approved work box compliant with AS 1418.17, only on cranes rated for personnel lifts, and only after a pre-lift plan per WHS Regulation 2025 r. 215; fall-arrest harness worn by occupants with lanyard to the work-box anchor.
- 13Fatigue management — operator shift limited to 10 hours with breaks at 2-hour intervals; no solo operator shift exceeding 8 hours of continuous crane work; second operator or shift handover for extended operations.
- 14PPE baseline: safety footwear (AS/NZS 2210.3), high-visibility long-sleeve shirt, hard hat with chin strap, Grade II eyewear, cut-5 gloves for rigging, and harness for any personnel in a work box.
- 15Post-lift procedure — boom lowered to transport or stow position, hook raised to safe clearance, outriggers retracted, ignition keys removed; full daily record entered in the crane log book per AS 2550.1.
- 16Daily pre-start toolbox talk covering the lift schedule, crew assignments, weather window, and any changes from the prior day; worker sign-on register records operator, dogman, rigger, and spotters by HRWL class.
Applicable Codes of Practice
Primary binding guidance for crane operation, maintenance, inspection, and major inspection.
Establishes HRCW SWMS duties for crane work on construction.
Governs fall protection during personnel lifts in a work box and during dogman access to elevated work.
Applies to overhead line approach distances during crane operation.
Primary safe-use standard for all crane operations.
Mobile crane safe-use standard including outrigger, load chart, and ground-bearing requirements.
Tower crane safe-use standard including wind limits and major inspection.
Design standard for crane manufacture and capacity referenced in load-chart calculations.
Standard for chain sling manufacture, marking, and inspection applied during rigging selection.
High-Risk Construction Work triggered
All crane operations — whether mobile, tower, crawler, or vehicle-loading — trigger Category 15 as the primary HRCW classification and directly engage the SWMS requirement.
Cranes are powered mobile plant and their movement, slew, and hoist operations engage Category 13.
Applies where personnel are lifted in a work box, where a dogman accesses elevated lift points, or where crane maintenance is performed at height.
Because crane work triggers HRCW Categories 13, 15, and (where applicable) 3, Section 299 of the WHS Regulation 2025 requires this SWMS before every lift operation. Section 300 maximum penalty for failure to prepare or maintain is $36,000 for a body corporate and $7,200 for an individual. Operation of a crane by a non-HRWL operator, or lifting without a DG-licensed dogman where required, attracts additional r. 309 offences. Crane incidents causing fatality consistently attract Category 1 reckless-conduct prosecution under Section 31 of the WHS Act 2011 — 5 years imprisonment for individuals and $3.46 million penalty for a body corporate. Crane registration offences under Part 5.1 of the Regulation carry additional penalties.
Who this is for
- →Mobile, crawler, tower, and vehicle-loading crane operators.
- →Dogmen and riggers supporting crane lifts on construction sites.
- →Crane-hire companies supplying equipment and operators to projects.
- →Principal Contractors coordinating crane lift schedules.
- →Construction managers tendering for lift-intensive structural packages.
What you receive
- ✓Editable Microsoft Word document (.docx, Word 2016 or newer compatible).
- ✓Title page with PCBU, ABN, crane make and model, registration or log-book ID, and revision date fields.
- ✓Signed approval block for PCBU, crane operator, dogman, rigger, and Principal Contractor.
- ✓Hazard register with the 13 crane hazards above, each with inherent risk, controls, and residual risk on a 5x5 matrix.
- ✓Lift-plan template for routine and complex lifts.
- ✓Pre-start inspection checklist aligned to AS 2550 series.
- ✓Ground-bearing calculation template for outrigger and crawler point loads.
- ✓Rigging register and inspection log for slings and lifting accessories.
- ✓Worker sign-on register with HRWL classes and ticket expiry fields.
- ✓Applicable legislation schedule and state-variance table.
Worked example
A civil-construction crew is engaged to place 24 precast retaining wall panels at a road-widening project in Homebush. The largest panel is 11 tonnes at a lift radius of 14 m. A 60-tonne C6 slewing mobile crane is hired with an RI-rigger and a DG-dogman. Before work commences the project crane coordinator completes this SWMS: HRWL tickets for operator, dogman, and rigger are recorded; ground-bearing calculation on the road-reserve hardstand identifies a need for 2.4 m × 2.4 m crane mats under each outrigger due to 18 tonnes point load exceeding the slab capacity; overhead Transgrid 132 kV transmission line is 45 m distant — outside the 6.4 m exclusion; a traffic management plan closes one lane during daytime lifts. Lift plan prepared for each panel by the RI-rigger. Operations run for 6 days; 23 panels placed without incident; on day 5 a sustained 51 km/h wind triggers the lift hold until conditions abate.
Related legislation
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) — Section 19 primary duty of care; Section 27 officer due diligence.
- WHS Regulation 2025 (NSW) — r. 203-229 (plant), r. 235-242 (registered plant and major inspection), r. 298-300 (SWMS for HRCW), r. 309 (HRWLs including CN, CV, C2, C6, C1, CO, CT, DG, RB, RI, RA).
- Electricity Supply Act 1995 (NSW) — Section 44 approach distances to overhead conductors.
- Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) — vehicle-loading crane operation and on-road crane transport.
- Transport Administration Act 1988 (NSW) — road-reserve occupancy during crane deployment.
- Heavy Vehicle National Law (NSW) — mass, dimension, and transit compliance for mobile cranes.
Frequently asked questions
What HRWL class covers a 50-tonne mobile crane?
A 50-tonne slewing mobile crane requires C6 class (slewing mobile cranes up to 60 tonnes). Above 60 tonnes, C1 is required up to 100 tonnes, and CO (open class) above 100 tonnes. Non-slewing truck cranes use C2. Vehicle-loading cranes above 10 tonne-metres require CV. The classes are defined in WHS Regulation 2025 r. 309.
Is a lift plan required for every lift?
A written lift plan is required for every non-routine or complex lift — dual-crane lifts, blind lifts, over-capacity or near-capacity lifts, personnel lifts, and lifts near overhead services. Routine repetitive lifts at well-understood radii may be covered by a generic plan referenced in the SWMS, but the risk-assessment must still be specific to the day's conditions.
Can a rigger also act as the dogman?
Only where the rigger holds a current DG ticket — rigging and dogging are separate HRWL classes. A rigger without DG cannot perform the signalling function and a dogman without rigging cannot perform rigging judgement beyond basic hook-and-sling. On complex sites both roles are commonly held by different personnel.
When is a personnel lift in a work box permitted?
Only under WHS Regulation 2025 r. 215 where no reasonably practicable alternative exists, using a work box compliant with AS 1418.17, a crane rated for personnel lifts, and an approved pre-lift plan. The occupants wear harnesses clipped to the work box anchor. Personnel lifts are specialised operations and should not be treated as routine access.
What wind speed stops a crane lift?
The manufacturer's rated wind speed for the crane configuration — commonly 45 km/h for mobile cranes and 20 km/h for tall tower cranes in operating mode, measured at hook height. A 72 km/h out-of-service wind speed applies to tower cranes in slew-free storm mode per AS 1418.4. The SWMS records the specific limits for the crane on site.
Can I use this SWMS for vehicle-loading crane (HIAB) deliveries?
Partially — the crane-level controls apply, but for dedicated HIAB delivery operations the scaffold-delivery SWMS (wah-scaffold-delivery) is more specific to the delivery context. Use this SWMS for dedicated construction-lift HIAB work such as placing structural steel or precast elements.
Document details
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