PART 17: CRANE-LIFTED WORK PLATFORMS

17.1 General

A crane-lifted work platform is the piece of equipment, from which personnel carry out their work, which is either attached to the crane's hook or the head of the crane's boom.

Picture 8: Work Platform

Conditions that apply to the use of a crane-lifted work platform:

(1) All platforms shall be designed, manufactured and tested in accordance with BS 2573 (50% overload) or a standard that is acceptable to the Department of Labour. The work platform must have the safe working load visibly marked.

(2) The platform is to be fitted with sidewalls or guardrails with midrails and toe-boards, or guardrails with any other suitable barrier such as expanded metal or chain mesh. The sidewalls or guardrails should be of a minimum height of 1 metre and be able to withstand, without obvious deflection, a horizontal force of 440 Newtons or a vertical force of 690 Newtons applied separately in any position.

(3) The floor of the platform shall be slip-resistant and free draining. Electrically insulated platforms need not be free draining, but can be fitted with an insulated insert complying with ANSI 92.2. Insulated work platforms should be dried using a sponge before use. Platform gates, where fitted, shall be able to be secured in position and open inwards or slide and be self-closing.

(4) A safe means of access to the platform shall be provided. If access is by means of steps or a fixed ladder, the rise of steps or rungs shall be uniform and shall not exceed 300 mm. The steps or rungs shall be slip-resistant.

(5) Machines designed for specific activities may have different platform and guardrail layouts provided an equivalent level of safety is afforded operators.

(6) Work platforms are to be inspected prior to first use in New Zealand to ensure compliance with these conditions. This initial inspection and subsequent annual inspections are to be carried out by a competent person, and a record kept of these inspections.

(7) All cranes being used as a suspended work platform shall have power lowering capability. Free-fall capability shall be locked out.

(8) Where a crane that is to be used with a suspended work platform has multiple hoist drums and is fitted with a hoist system that allows either hook block to free fall, the hook block not in use shall be removed and the wire rope stowed.

(9) Cranes operating suspended or fixed/pendulum platforms shall operate at not more than 75% of their safe working load.

(10) All cranes being used with suspended platforms shall have anti-two-block devices fitted, unless they have a fixed hook.

(11) When operating suspended work platforms from the hook, all hook safety latches shall be fully operational.

(12) Cranes with automatically-applied brakes to the hoist or twin-lever operated may operate with two hooks.

(13) When a crane lifted work platform is in use, the crane operator shall be in attendance at all times and shall operate the crane within the manufacturer's recommendations.

(14) The crane operator shall carry out appropriate inspections of equipment daily before use.

(15) Persons working on the platform shall wear the appropriate safety harness at all times suitably attached via an approved lanyard. If the arrangement of harness anchor point and work platform means that it is at all possible for the attached person to move beyond the confines of the platform then the lanyard shall incorporate an energy/shock absorber. If movement beyond the confines of the platform is not possible then attachment via a suitable fixed-length lanyard is acceptable and may be preferable in some circumstances. In the case of a platform suspended from the hook, all harnesses shall be independently attached to the hook. Where the platform has a roof or cover or the design otherwise precludes direct attachment of the harness lanyard to the hook there shall be an appropriate number of harness anchor points incorporated in the structure. Such indirect harness anchor points shall meet the minimum strength requirements of Section 3 of AS/NZS 1891.4:2000 and be certified by a CPEng.

(16) Appropriate personal protective equipment shall be worn at all times.

(17) Persons working from the platform shall be able to communicate clearly with the crane operator at all times.

(18) Truck loader type and other cranes using work platforms (personnel baskets/buckets) of the fixed or pendulum (vs. suspended) type must have a fixed boom connection between the crane and the work platform including the yoke. The inspection certificate issued will cover the crane and the work platform (including all work platform attachment components) for its intended use only.

(19) When operating a swing platform above water, persons in the platform may replace the safety harness and lanyard with an approved life jacket, provided a job-specific assessment has been undertaken taking into account the working environment and the hazards presented in that workplace, e.g. structures, changing water levels, currents and wind.

(20) In all other instances where it may be necessary to suspend one or more persons from a crane without the use of an approved work platform (e.g. in arboriculture operations), these arrangements must be in full compliance with the relevant Codes of Practice.