Page 111 - Alex Ruscuklic - Complete Works

Note: This material has been prepared using the best information available to WorkSafe Victoria. Any information about legislative obligations or responsibilities included in this material is only applicable to the circumstances described in the material. You should always check the legislation referred to in this material and make your own judgement about what action you may need to take to ensure you have complied with the law. Accordingly, the Victorian WorkCover Authority extends no warranties as to the suitability of the information for your specific circumstances.
FAILURE OF IMPORTED LIFTING EQUIPMENT – CRANES
This alert warns of the dangers of inadequately designed, untested and unmarked lifting equipment.
An imported engine-lifting crane failed when it was tested with the designated load (2 tonne – as marked on the crane). Similar cranes have distorted when lifting a load well below the marked capacity.
Manually operated lifting equipment, intended primarily for light industrial and/or domestic use, is often imported without clear markings, and in some cases is under designed placing workers and the public at risk of serious injury.
Such lifting equipment is dangerous and should NOT be used unless it has been designed and tested to handle the designated load.
Importers and suppliers of unsafe lifting equipment can be prosecuted and fined up to $250,000 (Corporation) or $50,000 (Individual).
Equipment Requirements
In Victoria, the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Sections 27, 29 and 30), requires any designer, manufacturer or supplier of plant for use in a workplace to ensure that it is designed, constructed and tested to be safe for normal use. It is further required that plant be supplied with adequate information to ensure its safe use. Sections 23 and 24 of the Act also require employers and self employed persons to ensure that persons other than employees are also not exposed to risk.
Australian Standards AS 1418 (the Crane Code) and AS 3990 (Mechanical equipment - steelwork), or other relevant published technical standards should be used for the design, construction and testing of these cranes.
Duties of Suppliers
To ensure the safety of workers at workplaces, the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 imposes duties on suppliers of imported plant.
Designers, manufacturers and suppliers of plant, including lifting equipment, should ensure that the plant is designed and tested to appropriate standards, and permanently labelled in accordance with those standards. The provision of appropriate test certificates is recommended. AS 1418 requires these markings to include Manufacturer, Model and Serial No., Safe Working Load, and Supplier details.
Additional requirements are also imposed for powered plant and equipment, under the Occupational Health and Safety (Plant) Regulations 1995.
Duties of Employers
Section 21 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 requires employers to provide a safe working environment for employees. Any employer having a similar crane (to those described above) in the workplace should ensure that it is capable of safely lifting the rated loads. If the supplier of the equipment cannot supply written assurance, preferably in the form of copies of suitable test certificates, then independent testing should be undertaken.
Acts and Regulations
Acts and regulations are available from Information Victoria on 1300 366 356 or order online at www.bookshop.vic.gov.au. View the legislation at Victorian Law Today at www.legislation.vic.gov.au.
Overhead Crane 10T Load Test by Austin Hoist & Crane
page 5