Safe system of work Tower Crane

A safe system of work should be established and documented by the owner. Such system should be followed for every lifting operation whether it is an individual lift or a series of repetitive operations. This safe system of work should be prepared and endorsed by the owner, with the advice of the competent person, safety officer and other relevant personnel. The same principle should be applied whether the lifting operations are carried out at a construction site or the crane is a permanent fixture, e.g. in a factory or at a dock. The safe system of work should be effectively communicated to all parties concerned by the owner.

The safe system of work should include but not limited to the following:

planning of the operation;

selection, provision and use of a suitable crane and equipment;

maintenance, examination and testing of the crane and equipment;

the provision of a log-book for the competent examiner/competent person/mechanic to enter the details of testing, examination, inspection, maintenance/repair works which have been carried out for the crane;
the provision of properly trained and competent personnel who have been made aware of their relevant responsibilities under sections 6A and 6B of the FIUO;
adequate supervision by properly trained and competent personnel;

observing for any unsafe conditions such as adverse weather conditions that may arise during operation;
ensuring that all necessary test and examination certificates and other documents are available;
preventing unauthorized movement or use of a crane at all times;

the safety of other persons who may be affected by the lifting operation; and

the contingency plan providing procedures to be followed in case of emergency situation.

The lifting operation should be taken to include any necessary preparation of a
site, and the siting.

Control of the lifting operation

To ensure the implementation of the safe system of work, a responsible person should be appointed to have overall control of the lifting operation. This appointed person should have adequate training and experience to enable these duties to be carried out competently.