Tower cranes: Pre-erection and commissioning inspections and tests

The need for inspections and tests

This alert advises tower crane owners (and informs their clients) of the need to ensure appropriate safety-critical inspections and tests are carried out before and during the erection of the crane, and as part of its commissioning on site.

Legal requirements

The OHS Act 2004 requires that:

• A person who installs, erects or commissions plant who knows, or ought reasonably to know, that the plant is to be used at a workplace must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that nothing about the way in which the plant is installed, erected or commissioned makes its use unsafe or a risk to health.

The OHS Regulations 2017 require that:

• A supplier who hires or leases plant must ensure that, between any hiring or leasing, the plant is inspected and maintained to ensure that any risk arising from its use is, so far as is reasonably practicable, eliminated; or otherwise controlled.
• The supplier must make and keep a record detailing any inspection or maintenance carried out while the supplier has management or control of the plant.

Recommendations for inspections and tests

Pre-erection and commissioning inspections and tests of tower cranes should be based on the manufacturer’s recommendations and relevant Australian Standards.

WorkSafe recommends that these processes be carried out (or overseen and certified) by suitably competent third parties that are independent of the crane’s owner, and continues to support the Green Sticker inspection program administered by CraneSafe (a division of the Crane Industry Council of Australia).

More information

Further advice on safe use, inspection, testing, maintenance and repair can be found in Australian Standards (AS):

• AS2550.1 – Cranes, hoists and winches – General requirements
• AS2550.4 – Cranes, hoists and winches - Safe use - Tower cranes