sin()
PROVEN

SAFE WORK PROCEDURE

SWP-003

CRANE OPERATION

The chart is the law of the machine.

DOCUMENT
GOSPEL-SWP-003
REVISION
01 CURRENT
EFFECTIVE
2026-09-01
OWNER
GOSPEL Safety
APPROVED BY
GOSPEL
REVIEW
2027-09-01

PURPOSE

Operate the crane to the chart, with a crew you can hear, on a lift you can account for.

SCOPE

Mobile and tower operations performed under this program. Personnel lifts only where legally permitted and engineered.

This document is the method — the steps. Hazards, consequence and residual risk for the same work are in the JHA library. A procedure is not a hazard analysis. A hazard analysis is not a procedure.

PROCEDURE

  1. 01

    KNOW THE LIFT

    Weight, deductions, radius, path, set. If you cannot put it on the chart, you do not take it.

  2. 02

    CREW

    One signalperson. Radios or hands agreed. Stop word. Zone held.

  3. 03

    TEST

    Take the load just clear. Check list, boom, outriggers, ground, hitch.

  4. 04

    MOVE

    Smooth hoist, boom and swing. No dragging. No side loading. No shock.

  5. 05

    STOP

    Unclear signal, person in the zone, alarm, wind, anything that was not in the brief — stop.

  6. 06

    LAND

    Set on a prepared surface. Do not leave a load suspended and walk away.

RESPONSIBILITIES

This program

The published method for the work. Stop-work is named in it. It does not own the site.

Supervisor

Confirms the plan, the crew, the zone and the stop criteria. Owns whether the hook moves.

Crane operator

Runs only the machine they are competent on, to the chart, after inspection. Stops on an unclear signal or a broken plan.

Rigger

Selects, inspects and applies the hitch. Does not guess weight, centre of gravity or angle.

Signalperson

One set of hands on the crane. Holds the zone. STOP means stop.

Worker

Works to this program and to site rules — whichever is stricter. Uses the three rights. Reports damaged gear.

REQUIRED COMPETENCY

  • Certificate for the class
  • Competency on this crane
  • Can calculate deductions and radius

EQUIPMENT

  • The crane for this lift
  • Chart
  • Working LMI / RCI
  • Communication

PPE

  • Hard hat
  • CSA-grade footwear
  • High-visibility clothing
  • Eye protection
  • Task-rated gloves
  • Hearing protection where required
  • Fall protection where the work exposes a fall

PROHIBITED PRACTICES

  • Lifting over people
  • Riding the hook or load
  • Using the crane as an elevator unless permitted and engineered
  • Interpreting a bad signal

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Stop the lift. Make people safe. Land or hold the load if it can be done without a second incident. First aid. Notify the site and the employer. Hold the scene.

DOCUMENTATION

  • FLHA
  • Pre-use / inspection record
  • This SWP number and revision

REFERENCES

  • Workers Compensation Act s. 21 — known or reasonably foreseeable hazards; instruction and supervision
  • OHS Regulation (B.C. Reg. 296/97, in force 15 Apr 1998) Part 3 — OHS program, instruction, inspections
  • OHS Regulation Part 4 s. 4.13 — risk assessment where rescue or evacuation may arise
  • OHS Regulation Part 8 — PPE; headwear CSA Z94.1-05 or Z94.1-15
  • OHS Regulation Part 11 — fall protection
  • OHS Regulation Part 14 — Cranes and Hoists
  • 14.2(5) — CSA Z150-1998, or ASME B30.5-2004, or ASME B30.22-2005 (articulating boom)
  • 14.2(6) — CSA Z248-2004 for tower, hammerhead and self-erecting tower cranes
  • 14.35 pre-use inspection · 14.36 load weight · 14.42.1 critical lift · 14.44 loads over work areas · 14.45 unattended loads · 14.47–14.49 signals
  • OHS Regulation Part 15 — Rigging
  • Manufacturer load chart, manual and configuration limits
  • Site lift plan, FLHA and site rules where stricter

PROVENsin(). Current version on this site.