Lift Planning

The Crane Association of New Zealand (Inc.) has a number of tools to assist a PCBU by ensuring that an appropriate lift planning process is in place.

Lift planning in New Zealand can be broken into four distinct types:

1. Lift Plans
2. Rigging Plans
3. ​Advanced Lift Plans
4. Engineered Lift Plans

The Crane Association Lift Plan was designed to form part of process safety for crane operations.

The Crane Association produces a number of lift plans and rigging plans available for businesses to use as part of there process. You can purchase these plans from shop.cranes.org.nz. Crane Association Members receive a discount on the purchase price.

Lift Plans

Lift Plans detail how to carry out simple or regular crane lifts. They are usually developed by the crane team on the day or similarly competent people. A Lift Plan may have an attached Rigging Plan for Complex Lifts or Irregular Loads.
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The Crane Association provides industry standard lift plans with training material for:

• Lite Lift Plan
• Standard Lift Plan
• Lite Multi Crane Lift Plan
• Standard Multi Crane Lift Plan

The "Lite" versions of the plans are not in duplicate while standard plans provide a duplicate copy.

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“Lite”

• A simpler version or subset, of something, in which complexity is foregone for the sake of easier application.
• Having less weight.

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Rigging Plans

Rigging plans detail how the rigging or a load will work and the calculations and checks taken for the rigging of a load. They are usually developed by the lift team on the day or similarly competent people such as a Dogman / Rigger. A Lift Plan may have an attached Rigging Plan for Complex Lifts or Irregular Loads.
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The Crane Association provides rigging plans with training material for:

• Lite Rigging Plan
• Standard Rigging Plan

The Lite versions of the plans are not in duplicate while standard plans provide a duplicate copy.

Advanced Lift Plans

Advanced lift plans are generally drawn lift plans. They may follow a similar format to the lift plan and rigging plan discussed above but they will generally be more accurate in their content. They are usually developed by a crane operator or person experienced in using software to plan a crane lift. A advanced lift plan may look similar to a engineered lift plan but has not been created or signed off by an engineer or similarly competent person..

In an Advanced Lift Plan you may expect to see:

• A drawing of the lift/rigging
• A Lift Methodology
• Customer (PCBU) requirements – Such as Geotechnical Requirements

The Crane Safety Manual for Crane Operators and Dogman sets out general guidelines for lift planning.

Engineered Lift Plans

Engineered lift plans are generally lift plans for complex lifts. They may follow a similar format to the lift plan and rigging plan discussed above but they will generally be more detailed and / or technical in their content. They are usually developed by an engineer or similarly competent person.

In an Engineered Lift Plan you may expect to see:

• A drawing of the lift/rigging
• A Lift Methodology
• Customer (PCBU) requirements – Such as Geotechnical Requirements

The Crane Safety Manual for Crane Operators and Dogman sets out general guidelines for lift planning.

Developing Workplace / Project Lifting Procedures

The Crane Association of New Zealand (Inc.) has developed comprehensive lifting procedures for larger sites and projects.

The lifting procedures outline responsibilities and accountabilities for:

• Contract Managers / Plant Managers
• Lifting Coordinator
• Lifting Supervisor
• Crane Operators
• Dogman / Riggers

A copy of the Lifting Procedures is available here.
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In choosing to adopt the Lifting Procedure Sites and Projects align themselves with recognised industry practices in New Zealand.