The starting point for the plan should be a clear description of what the lifting operation is to achieve. It is not an ‘idiot’s guide’ but should provide the detail that a suitably trained person will need to carry out the operation. It should have an appropriate level of detail.

Similarly it should avoid acronyms unless they are explained somewhere. It should avoid jargon unless it will be understood by all involved. It should use standard terms for equipment rather than colloquialisms. It should be presented in a style which is user friendly. To be effective, the plan should be available to all the key personnel involved. The document is likely to sit in a file and never be referred to unless something goes wrong. Whether it adequately addresses everything it should, presents the information in a concise, clearly understandable way, and is followed in practice, is often ignored. In effect, the preparation of the document is a box-ticking exercise. Unfortunately, the content of these documents and what is done with them often falls far short of good practice. In recent years, written plans have become a lot more commonplace, and plans or method statements are frequently required when working on other employer’s premises. In this context, adequate planning is one of the key requirements of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) simply because experience has shown how important it is to safety. Although it has the force of law only within the UK, it is nevertheless often followed as good practice in other parts of the world. In the various articles I have written, I have regularly cited the relevant UK legislation. Derrick Bailes, chief executive of the LEEA, shares his expertise on writing an optimal lifting plan.Ī complex lifting operation is one where unusual or dangerous loads are lifted lifts are performed in difficult or hazardous environments the lift is performed in unusual circumstances more than one lifting appliance is required or which uses special lifting equipment. However, for a lift of any complexity, a written plan is essential.

They will have a mental checklist to automatically run through before they start and will keep it in mind during the operation. Simple, routine lifting operations can be safely carried out without a written plan, provided the personnel involved are properly trained in their respective roles. Indeed, rather too frequently, the problem lies in the complete lack of any meaningful planning. When crane incidents occur, the cause can often be traced back to mistakes made in the planning of the lifting operation.

Simple crane lift plan