Consultation on the Draft Approved Code of Practice for Cranes (3rd Edition)
The deadline for submissions on the draft Approved Code of Practice for Cranes closed on 3 July 2009. The Department has received a number of submissions on this document, which will assist in the development of the final version of the Code. It is expected that the Approved Code will be available in its finalized form at the end of September.
In accordance with section 20 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, the Secretary of Labour has asked the Minister of Labour to approve amendments to the Approved Code of Practice for Cranes. This document includes information on the design, manufacture, supply, safe operation and inspection of cranes.
Approval of the amendments to the Code is subject to:
- The Department consulting with all persons affected, or reasonably likely to be affected, by the amendments
- Providing persons with the opportunity to comment on the amendments
- The consultation period lasting for at least one month.
Upon completion of this consultation process, and when the Minister has had the opportunity, through the Department, to consider the comments received, the Minister may approve amendments to the Code.
The reasons for the amendments are:
- The second edition was approved in 2007; however, representatives of the crane industry determined that some significant changes had occurred to the document that they did not know about, and would not have supported.
- A large number of amendments were made to the second edition of the Code, and text changes were made to virtually every page. In summary, the amendments relate to:
- Training standards for crane operators (part 4)
- Requirements of suppliers and importers to provide accurate documentation as far as is possible (part 8)
- A detailed section on truck loader type cranes (including knuckle boom and telescopic boom cranes) (part 14)
- Further standards on crane lifting platforms (part 17)
- Details on load safety devices and indicators for all makes of crane (Appendix A)
- A complete overhaul of the reference standards, codes and applicable legislation (Appendix C)
- Detailed inspection checklist templates for Tower Cranes (Appendix H).
Public Consultation
The Department welcomes your comments on this draft document. Please see the section below.
If you wish to provide feedback, please complete the Response Form and return it by email or post to:
Nikki Jensen
Senior Advisor, Standard Setting
Department of Labour
PO Box 3705
Wellington 6140
Email: Nikki.jensen@dol.govt.nz
Responses are due by 5pm Friday 3rd July 2009.