Part 1: General

1.1 Preface

This code has been prepared by representatives of the crane and inspection industries and the Department of Labour. The purpose of the code is to support the requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment (Pressure Equipment, Cranes, and Passenger Ropeways) Regulations 1999 and the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995. References in this code to “regulations” mean the Health and Safety in Employment (Pressure Equipment, Cranes, and Passenger Ropeways) Regulations 1999.

Adoption of this code will provide for an increased level of safety for all types of cranes covered by this document.

Proposals for changes to this code may be submitted to the Department of Labour, for consideration by the industry group concerned.

Note: Operational matters such as site conditions, minimum distance from electrical conductors, operation of tower cranes and load-lifting gear are in the Crane Safety Manual, obtainable from the Crane Association of New Zealand (Inc.).

1.2 Scope

This code covers, but is not limited to, the following types of crane:

• dockside derrick/post
• jib mobile (including crawler)
• overhead travelling and gantry tower
• pillar self-erecting tower
• vehicle-mounted truck loader wharf and container
• monorail

It also covers the following equipment when being used as a crane:

• forklift trucks
• material handlers
• telehandlers
• earthmoving and forestry equipment

It does not cover derricks or spreader beams on-board ships. These are covered by the Maritime Rule Part 49 – Ships’ Lifting Appliances.

1.3 Definitions

For the purpose of this code, the following definitions apply:

Act: means the Health and Safetyin Employment Act 1992.

Activity: in relation to any equipment, means any of the following:

1. adjustment
2. alteration
3. commissioning
4. construction
5. disposal
6. design
7. design verification
8. equipment inspection
9. installation
10. investigation
11. maintenance
12. manufacture
13. operation
14. repair
15. testing.

Alteration: means changing the design of, adding to, or taking elements away from the crane and includes the relocation of non-mobile equipment but does not include repairs, replacements, or routine maintenance.

Anchorage: means the securing of a crane in position, or the fixed end of a rope, or a dead-end of a rope.

Anti-two-block warning device: means a device that warns the operator that the hook block is about to hit the boom head.

Anti-two-block cutout: means a device that is activated as the crane hook block is about to hit the boom head and prevents any further upward movement of the hook block.

Automatic safe load indicator: means a device fitted to a crane to provide the operator with automatic warning of approach to an overload situation.

Boom: means a cantilevered structure from which a load is suspended.

Boom angle indicator: means a device that shows the angle of inclination of a luffing (derricking) boom.

Boom arrestors (also referred to as safety ropes): means ties fitted between the underside of the boom to a fixed part of the crane to prevent whip back. Safety ropes may also be fitted between the underside of a fly jib and boom.

Boom back-stops: means a device fitted to the crane to prevent whip back.

Certificate of inspection: means a certificate issued or renewed under regulation 32 that complies with regulation 33. In the case of an in-house inspection body, the certificate may take the form of a computer record created by that body on the recommendation of the equipment inspector.

Chartered professional engineer (CP Eng.): means a person who is registered and holding a current registration certificate under the Chartered Professional Engineers of New Zealand Act 2002.

Competent person: means a person who has acquired, through a combination of training and qualification or experience, the knowledge and skills to perform the task required.

Controller: under the PECPR Regulations, means a person who is the owner, lessee, sublessee, or bailee of any equipment in a place of work.

Crane:

1. means a powered device, powered in both the vertical and horizontal directions that can, by the movement of the whole device or of its boom, jib, trolley or other such part, reposition or move suspended loads both vertically and horizontally
2. includes all parts of the crane down to and including the hook or load-handling device, and all ropes, wires, chains or other devices used to move the hook or device
3. does not include lifting tackle that is not an integral part of the crane.

Crane rating chart: means a notice fitted on or attached to a crane stating the maximum safe working load for the crane in specified operating conditions.

Crane operator: means a person who has acquired, through a combination of training, qualification or experience, the knowledge and skills to operate a particular type of crane.

Current: means for the time being in force and “currently” has a corresponding meaning.

Derricking: refer to “luffing”.

Designer: means a designer of equipment that could reasonably be expected to be operated in a place of work.

Design verification: means verification that the following comply, in every respect related to safety, with the requirements of the appropriate design standards and contain every safety feature that is relevant, whether or not referred to in those standards:

1. design of equipment
2. alterations to designs, affecting the structural strength or safety of equipment, made in the course of manufacture
3. designs of any repair or alteration affecting the operational safety of the equipment repaired or altered or any other equipment
4. the fabrication inspection requirements specified by the designer.

Design verifier: means a person who:

1. is employed or engaged by an accredited inspection body to carry out the functions referred to in the regulations
2. is the holder of a relevant certificate of competence.

Equipment: refer to regulation 4 of the PECPR Regulations.

Equipment inspection: means an inspection carried out by an equipment inspector that:

1. is carried out to determine whether equipment is safe and is likely to remain safe
2. takes place in one or more of the following periods:
   1. the period in which the equipment, or its component parts, is manufactured
   2. the period after the manufacture and before the commissioning of the equipment
   3. the period after the commissioning of the equipment
   4. the period after a repair or alteration to which the regulations apply
   5. the period after maintenance, or an adjustment, alteration, or repair to which the regulations apply.

Equipment inspector: means a person who:

1. is employed or engaged by an inspection body to carry out the functions referred to in the regulations
2. is the holder of a relevant certificate of competence.

Erection: means, in relation to any type of equipment, the assembly and construction, and includes installation.

Factor of safety: means the ratio obtained by dividing the minimum specified breaking load by the safe working load.

Hoist unit: means a standard mass-produced lifting unit providing powered vertical lifting capacity by either chain or wire, via a hook and block. Power may also be provided to a beam runner, if fitted, for horizontal travel.

HSE Act: means the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, as amended.

HSE Regulations: means the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995.

Inspection body: means:

1. an organisation currently accredited by International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ)
2. in relation to a design verifier or equipment inspector, the inspection body by which the design verifier or equipment inspector is employed or engaged
3. an organisation currently recognised under the PECPR Regulations.

Lifting gear:

1. means a device used:
   1. to attach the load to the hook or load-handling device, or
   2. to control the load independently of the hook or load-handling device, or
   3. as a container for the load
2. includes lifting beams, lifting frames, spreaders or similar devices that are not an integral part of the crane.

Limit switch: means an automatically activated switch to warn an operator or to stop a particular crane motion prior to reaching the extremity of operations.

Load-handling device:

1. means a device:
   1. that is an integral part of the crane
   2. that may be substituted for the hook
2. includes lifting beams, lifting frames and spreaders or similar devices and associated chains, pins, pulley blocks, pulley frames, ropes, shackles, twist locks and wires.

Load indicating device: means a device that measures and displays the weight being lifted or the force being applied.

Load moment: means the load multiplied by the horizontal distance from the centre of rotation to the hook.

Load moment indicator: means a device that indicates the load moment.

Load moment limiter: means a device, which is preset prior to operation, that limits the lifting capacity at any given crane configuration.

Load radius indicator: means a device fitted on a crane that shows the distance to the hook measured from the centre of the slew.

Lock out: means to use a piece of equipment that renders another item inoperable.

Luffing: means the raising and lowering of the crane boom.

Maintenance: includes servicing.

Maintenance records: consist of:

1. maintenance requirements provided by the manufacturer
2. in-house inspections/checks carried out by the controller or their staff.

Where the manufacturer’s requirements are not available, advice must be obtained from within the industry.

Multi-lifting: means the use of more than one crane to raise a single load.

Must: where the word “must” is used, then the particulars that are referred to are mandatory.

Operate: in relation to equipment:

1. means to use the equipment
2. includes making the equipment available for use, whether by hiring or otherwise
and “operation” has a corresponding meaning.

Operating manual: means documentation published by the manufacturer(s) that includes maintenance procedures, general specifications and other relevant data.

Outriggers: means structural members used to provide stability during crane operations.

Overload protection: means a device that prevents the crane from moving into an overload situation by stopping all load moment increasing functions.

PECPR Regulations: means the Health and Safety in Employment (Pressure Equipment, Cranes, and Passenger Ropeways) Regulations 1999.

Radius: means the horizontal distance from the centre line of the crane hook to the centre of rotation.

Rated-capacity indicator: see safe-load indicator.

Regulations: means the Health and Safety in Employment (Pressure Equipment, Cranes, and Passenger Ropeways) Regulations 1999 (PECPR).

Repair: means to restore equipment to an operating condition but does not include alterations, replacements or routine maintenance.

Safe-load indicator: a device that, when fitted to a crane, within certain specified tolerance levels, gives a warning of the approach to the safe working load of the crane, and further warning when the safe working load has been exceeded.

Note:

1. In addition, a safe-load indicator may have to supply certain defined information associated with the safe use of the crane.
2. Rated-capacity indicator is an equivalent term.

Safety device: means any kind of device, item, or system that is used in or on equipment and that controls or monitors any aspect of the safety of the equipment and includes a safety relief device.

Safe working load (SWL): for gantry type cranes, means the maximum load the crane can lift and, for all other cranes, means the maximum load at minimum radius. The crane rating sheet shows the maximum load at other radii.

Secretary: means the Secretary of Labour.

Self-erecting tower crane: means a tower crane with the capability of self-erection. Self-erecting cranes are not to be confused with self-climbing cranes.

Self-climbing tower crane: means a tower crane using its own motive power to extend its height. Self-climbing cranes are not to be confused with self-erecting cranes.

Shall: where the word “shall” is used, then the particulars that are referred to are mandatory.

Slewing: means the rotary motion of a crane, boom or load in a horizontal plane.

Stability: means the ability of a crane to resist tipping.

Supplier:

1. means a person who supplies or imports equipment that could reasonably be expected to be operated in a place of work
2. includes a person who sells or hires, or offers for sale or hire, equipment that could reasonably be expected to be operated in a place of work.

Suspended load: means any load hanging below the hook or lifting equipment.

Telescopic boom: means a boom that incorporates telescopically extendable elements in the boom structure.

Type fault: means a fault inherent in a particular type of equipment, resulting from deficiencies in the design or manufacturing process, that may cause the equipment to cause serious harm to any person.

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