Dogging and slinging techniques

Overview

The purpose of this guidance is to clarify:

• the legal duties and definitions for dogging and slinging techniques
• when work is not dogging
• slinging and directing loads without exercising judgment for high volume and repetitive lifts
• who has the appropriate expertise to pre-determine slinging techniques

What is dogging work

In Victoria, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 define dogging work to mean one or both of the following:

• the application of slinging techniques, including the selection or inspection of lifting gear, to sling a load
• the directing of a crane or hoist operator in the movement of a load when the load is out of the operator's view

For the purposes of dogging work, slinging techniques means those slinging techniques that require the exercise of judgment about:

• the suitability and condition of lifting gear, and
• the method of slinging, 
  
  by consideration of the nature of the load, its mass and its centre of gravity.

A person performing dogging work must hold a dogging high risk work licence (HRWL).

Examples of exercising judgment

Exercising judgment about the suitability and condition of lifting gear includes:

• deciding on the type of sling to be used, based on the load to be lifted. For example, chain, wire rope, flat webbing, round sling
• deciding on the type of any shackles, eye bolts, clamps, etc. used and their orientation
• confirming the adequate work load limit of lifting gear to lift a load by applying the reeving, edge ratio, load and sling angle factors
• calculating the weight of the load when the weight is unknown
• assessing whether the slings or associated lifting equipment, such as shackles, are free of any damage or discard criteria as specified by the manufacturer or relevant Australian standards

Exercising judgment about the method of slinging includes:

• deciding on the method of slinging to secure the load. For example straight lift, choke hitch, double-wrap choke hitch, basket hitch
• deciding on where the lifting gear is to be positioned on the load
• deciding to shorten the sling or slings

When does work not meet the definition of dogging

It is not considered dogging work when:

• there is no need to exercise judgment about slinging techniques, and
• the plant operator is not required to be directed in the movement of the load when the load is out of the view of the plant operator

This means the employer or person with management and control of the workplace has ensured that loads can be safely slung without the need to exercise judgement by considering the load, its mass, and its centre of gravity in relation to:

• the suitability of lifting gear, or
• the condition of lifting gear, or
• the method of slinging

When work does not meet the definition of dogging work, a dogging high risk work licence is not required.

Slinging and directing loads without exercising judgment

The practicality of safely slinging loads without exercising judgement will vary from workplace to workplace. This depends upon:

• the range of lifting work undertaken
• the predictability of the loads, and
• the complexity of the slinging techniques

This is generally where high-volume and repetitive lifting occurs with no changes to the load or slinging techniques used. For example, in manufacturing or production-line type environments.

Where high-volume and repetitive lifting occurs it is possible that slinging techniques can be pre-determined and specified by a suitably licenced or suitably qualified person with specialised expertise in that area. See 'Who can pre-determine slinging techniques' section below for more information.

In these cases there must be no requirement for anyone to give directions to the crane or plant operator in the movement of the load when the load is out of the view of the crane or plant operator. If directions are required and the load is out of view, the work will be dogging work irrelevant of the predetermined slinging techniques and a dogging HRWL is required to perform this work.

If the loads to be lifted vary from the pre-determined procedures then:

• a licensed dogger needs to undertake the dogging work, or
• the procedures need to updated by a suitably licenced or suitably qualified person and those performing the work need to be retrained

Who can pre-determine slinging techniques

To rely on another person to pre-determine slinging techniques, the employer must ensure that the person who specifies pre-determined slinging techniques is:

• suitably licenced, or
• a suitably qualified person with specialised expertise in that area

The following are generally regarded as being suitably licenced or suitably qualified:

• persons with a high risk work licence in dogging (DG), or
• persons with a high risk work licence in rigging (RB, RI, RA), or
• engineers experienced in designing safe work lifting procedures

Pre-determining slinging techniques

Where slinging techniques can be pre-determined, employers, or a person with management and control of the workplace, must ensure that:

• the people engaged in slinging loads have been given sufficient training, instruction and information to enable them to correctly follow the specific procedures, including the pre-determined slinging techniques, and
• the work can be done safely without risks to health and without the need to exercise judgment in relation to:
  • the suitability and condition of lifting gear, and
  • the method of slinging

A system developed by a suitably licenced or suitably qualified person, based on known loads and weights to be lifted, may be implemented provided that:

• the equipment and resources to be used are defined based on each load and nothing changes or varies in the load or equipment
• the lifting gear available for use at the workplace is minimised
  • If there are multiple sets of lifting gear, they need to be easily identifiable.
  • For example, they are colour-coded for each load or load type to be lifted to enable identification by the users.
• the documented procedure states where and how the lifting gear is to be applied to the load
  • For example, designated lifting points negate the need to exercise judgement.
• the lifting gear is used, inspected, maintained and stored in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and Australian Standards
• the load is within view of the crane or plant operator at all times
• sufficient information, instruction, training or supervision is given to the persons undertaking the activities

The tasks must not be undertaken if the systems or tasks do not include the load or circumstances of the proposed work to be done.