Lifting - Hierarchy of Controls

The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 changes have caused a rolling out of new Regulations. On of the most interesting of these is the new Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016 (GRWM) which introduces Hierarchy of Control Measures.

These focus the thinking into two categories the task to Eliminate or Minimise risk. The minimisation side has been scaled from the most effective to the least effective:

1. Substitute
2. Isolate
3. Engineering
4. Administration
5. PPE

For work with a Crane the most interesting with significant potential to increase safety on construction and industrial sites is engineering controls.

Use Engineering Controls

Use engineering controls to adapt tools or equipment to reduce the risk.

The load has the greatest potential to benefit from this thinking. Manufacturers and designers have the greatest opportunity to apply engineering controls when thinking of the full life cycle of a item to be lifted. 

Resources

WorkSafe - PCBU Upstream Duties

WorkSafe - Risk Management at Work

Worksafe - How to manage risks

WorkSafe - Building and Construction Risks