NSL

LIFT PLANNING TRAINING

CODE: NSL 013

ABOUT THE COURSE

This awareness course has been developed to highlight the factors that must be considered when
planning a lifting operation. At the end of the course, you’ll have met the course objective of
acquiring a demonstrable level of knowledge and understanding of the following subjects.

Regulations
Categorization of lifting operations
The load
Lifting & landing sites
Route to be travelled
Environment factors
How you are going to lift it?
How will everyone communicate?
Step by step procedure
Diagrams or Sketches
Rigging/Material Lists
Approval, Authorisation & Endorsement
Management of change, lessons learned
A safe Approach to Lifting

Introduction:

Competent lift planning which includes level 1 & level 2 risk assessment, is fundamental to safe lift
operations. It has been shown that inadequate or insufficient lift planning, along with poor
supervision and hazard awareness, is a major root cause of lifting incidents.

With this in mind it is unsurprising that internationally, it is a regulatory requirement that all lifting
operations “But perhaps more accurate would be at state that all lifting operations must be
competently planned”

Lift plans shall be developed by a competent person along with input from those involved in the
operation, before approval, endorsement & authorisation.

The plimary considerations when planning or executing lifting operations are….

a) How the lifting operation is to be performed

b) The identification & mitigation of hazards
c) The safe system of work to be used, including the identification
d) The necessary equipment
e) Personnel
f) Resources
g) Controls & actions

Lift plans shall also consider the deck or ground strength required to carry out the operation safely.

Most day to day lifts will indeed be planned by a single competent person but depending on the
complexity of the lifting operation and / or the magnitude of the lift, the planning will probably
involve the input from a lot more than one competent person for example for a heavy offshore lift
between a floating crane, a lay barge and a fixed installation, there may well be input from…..

➢ The installation manager

➢ The crane barge master
➢ The master of the vessel towing the lay barge
➢ Project engineers
➢ The construction supervisor
➢ The rigging foreman
➢ The lifting specialist or technical authority
➢ The barge crane operator and in certain circumstances
➢ A meteorologist.

These people all have their own competencies in different areas, but which may not just be
relevant but actually crucial to the safety of the overall lifting operation.

Many factors have to be considered with regards to reducing risks during the transportation and
placement of a load on site. Lift planners and/ or project teams need to consider all the hazards
and risks, and where possible design them out. Any risks that cannot be designed out must be
considered and communication throughout the planning and construction phases and applied to
the task specific job safety analysis and risk assessment.

With this in mind, the purpose of this awareness course is to highlight the many factors that must
be considered when planning a lifting operation.

REGULATIONS
✓ API RP 2D
✓ 1926.1432
✓ NORSOK Standard R003
✓ LOLER

In the US there are very few specific requirements regarding the need for lift planning.

E.g in API RP 2D it is not mentioned in the main body of the document but does state in appendix
A3 for the rigger training, that training in lift planning is required. However, this may change in
future editions.
Another US example is 1926.1432, multiple crane/derrick lifts, supplemental requirements; it
states in the plan development….

➢ Before beginning a crane/derrick operation in which more than one crane/derrick will be
supporting the load, the operation must be planned.

Whereas in Norway and the UK there are specific requirements for the planning of lifting operations,
competently.

E.g in Norway, NORSOK Standard R003, the safe use of lifting equipment and ROO3 the safe use of
lifting equipment in onshore petroleum plants, both states….

➢ Each lifting operation shall be planned in order to ensure safe execution and that all
predictable risks are taken into consideration. The planning shall almost be carried out by
personnel who have the relevant competence

In the UK, Regulation 8 of the lifting operation and lifting equipment regulation specifies that every
lifting operation must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and
carried out in a safe manner.

It is also indicated in LOLER’S approved code of practice that the level of planning an risk assessment
increases with the complexity of the lifting operation, as does the required level of supervision.

The result of lifting related incident is almost always costly, in terms of damaged equipment and
plant subsequent delays to the job, the costs of an investigation, but more importantly, the costs,
financial and otherwise, to the people who are hunt or killed by the accident.

For the reasons, lifting operation, whether carried out off shores, on shores or onboard a vessel must
be strictly controlled to make sure the personnel doing the work have the requisite amount of
knowledge and experience to carry out the work safely.

CATEGORISATION OF LIFTING OPERATIONS

To ensure that lifting plans are developed consistently all lifting operations must to be categorized as
either category 1,2 or 3 and shall dictate the required level of….

• Risk assessment
• Lift planning
• Training and competence
• Approval & authorisation
• Endorsement and…
• Peer review when required.

Abbreviations
SLCP Site Lifting Competent Person
SLC Site Lifting Coordinator
LTA Lifting Technical Authority
SLTA Segment Lifting Technical Authority
LIFT MANAGEMENT FLOW CHART
Identify Lifting Task
Roles & Responsibilities
Equipment Requirements

Categorise Lift
Section 3.5.1

Is there a dispensation
GWO?

Category 1 Category 3
Section 3.5 Category 2 Section 3.5
Section 3.5

Lifting LTA Approval

Generic Lift Plan

Standard Lift Plan Unique Lift Plan

Generic Lift Plan Standard Lift Plan
UDP Section 3.7 UDP Section 3.7
UDP Section 3.7 UDP Section 3.7

Create Risk Assessment Create Risk Assessment Create Risk Assessment

Create Risk Assessment
GDP 4.5.0001 GDP 4.5.0001 GDP 4.5.0001
GDP 4.5.0001

Approval by SLCP Approval by SLCP Approval by SLCP Approval by SLCP

Authorisation by SLC Authorisation by SLC Authorisation by Authorisation by

UDP Section 3.8 Table 3 UDP Section 3.8 Table 3 SLC SLC

Site Lifting Co-ordinator

No Endorsement Required Endorsement
To decide if Lift warrants
Endorsement by LTA
required from LTA

Peer Review by SLTA

See Section 3.8

Complete Pre-Lift Meeting

Execute Lift using safe practices

Learn-Update Lift Plan

Update lift plan with lesson learnt & file/Archive for reuse in future operations
GENERAL NOTES; Where the lifting activities are likely to be repeated overtime, the risk
assessments, Lifting plans & method statements should be held on file for subsequent review and
reuse.

-Categorisation is completed by using the applicable flowcharts, which are specific to the
environment where the lift will ne performed. The environment are….

➢ Onshore
➢ Offshore
➢ Marine, and…
➢ Subsea

-These flowcharts contain a list of questions, columns for answers and category areas, which aligned
to specific questions. Starting at the top and working down, the user answers, either ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to
the questions.

-The first question that is answered ‘yes’ identifies the category of lift by aligning with a defined area
and therefore no need to answer any further questions. For example, the onshore categorisation
flowchart asks some of the following questions which are aligned to category 3…

✓ Does the lift need a heavy lift crane to be built on site?

✓ Is the mobile crane percentage of utilisation above 80%?
✓ Does the lift have limited boom clearance i.e less than 1 meter or 3.3 feet?

-If you answered ‘yes’ to the second question, then it would be a category 3 lift. If however, you
answered ‘No’ to all the category 3 questions, you would then keep going and answer the category 2
questions, and so on, until you either answered ‘Yes’ to a question or until the questions were
answered with a ‘No’

-Personnel should also refer to the lift management flowchart for further guidance.

▪ All Lifting Operations Must Be;

➢ Competently Planned
➢ Appropriately Supervised
➢ Carried out in a safe manner
➢ Risk Assessed

The Competent Person: The appointed person responsible for producing written plans and
supervising complicated and complex Lifts.

Competent Personnel: Personnel suitably trained and / or experienced to perform the Lifting
operation safely & efficiently as illustrated above.
-These lifts can be categorised as Category 1, if they meet the following
criteria…
✓ A formal rig site lifting competence assessment program is implemented and approved by
Global Wells Organisation Lifting Technical Authority
✓ The Lifting plan has been authorised by the site Lifting Co-ordinator as Category 1
✓ A risk assessment that recognises that the lift shall be carried out by the drill and well service
crew has been developed & approved.
✓ The drilling & Well service crew have the necessary experience & are assessed as competent
to perform this category of lift.
✓ The lift is for drilling & well operations and not for the maintenance of associated drill floor
or well operations equipment.
✓ The Lift is on or above the rig floor/pipe deck or other drilling areas.
✓ The site lifting co-ordinator has agreed that the drill crew can execute the lift.
✓ One person is appointed in charge & in control of the Lifting operation and…
✓ The senior tool pusher/well site leader for their delegate maintains a register of the persons
competent to supervise lifting operations in drilling areas.
✓ If Lift fails to meet those criteria, then it must be categorised as per the standard
categorisation process.
✓ It should be noted that the use of permanently installed drilling equipment, such as the draw
works, bridge cracker & iron roughneck for example are already covered in existing drilling
documents & are therefore excluded from the management of lifting operations & Lifting
Equipment UDP

LIFTING PLANNING
Lifting plans have essentially 3 main sections; A rigging/material List, A method statement & A
sketch or a drawing, is optional depending on the complexity of the Lift. These sections are where
the majority of information is recorded.

The detail in the method statement and material list is also dictated by the complexity of the lift, for
example category 1 or routine lift plans may only have one page, whilst category 3 or complex lift
plans may have several pages.

Also included in standard planning documents should be sections for recording…

❖ A brief description of the lifting operation

❖ The weight of the load, the rigging & the centre of gravity location.
❖ Level of supervision and Roles & Responsibilities.
❖ Site name or Location of the site
❖ The category of lift.
❖ A tick box section for possible considerations. Any item highlighted in this section should be
addressed in more detail later in the plan for example, if the box related to tag lines was
highlighted, then how many are to be used, where they are connected, etc should be
detailed in the method statement and/or material list.
❖ Details regarding the route to be travelled, and…
❖ Specific details related to who produced the plan, who approved, authorised or endorsed it,
associated document numbers, identification number e.t.c
To start with a lift plan should begin with a brief description of the lifting operation, which should
detail for example the following points…

✓ What you are lifting in other words a description of the Load?

✓ How heavy is it, what is the weight of the rigging & where is the centre of gravity?
✓ Where are you lifting it from?
✓ Where are you lifting it to?
✓ How are you going to lift it?
✓ How many people will be involved, what are their roles & responsibilities
✓ How will everyone communicate

This initial outline is the start of the planning process. Each point can then be considered, and then
the relevant information entered into the lifting plan.

THE LOAD
We must first look at the load

*Consideration must be given to…

✓ Is it high value or relatively unique, in other words costly to replace, and…

✓ Is it critical to operations, in other words will delay or failure of the lifting operation result in
loss of production.

In addition…

✓ Where is the centre of gravity located? This must be known so that reaction forces, sling
tensions, stability, e.t.c can be determined.
✓ Structural intergrity; is it rigid or flexible, is it capable of withstanding the forces to be
applied.
✓ Is there a risk of dropped objects
✓ It’s size & shape, with regards to clearances during the lift, travel & landing.
✓ What’s inside? Does it contain a fluid, is there residual material, will it affect stability, e.t.c?
✓ Will it have to be slug, does the load need protecting from the slings, do the slings need
protection from the load, or…
✓ Does it have dedicated lifting points?

-If lifting points are fitted, they need to be designed dimensionally to correspond with a shackle or
other type of connecting equipment and with an applicable capacity. The following points also need
to be considered regarding lifting points.

✓ Design and manufacture

✓ Impact factors or dynamic amplification factors with regards to the lift environment, for
example when working offshore, marine or subsea
✓ Sling angle tension
✓ The availability of connecting equipment
✓ Lift point orientation/alignment with applied forces.
✓ Whether the lift statically determinate or indeterminate.
✓ The anticipated number of operations during its life cycle, and…
✓ Specific test & inspection requirements.
What Does it Weigh?
-Finally, but probably the first question asked about the load is, what does it weigh?

-The weight of the load will determine the size of the rigging & will influence your choice of lifting
appliance and it’s capacity. Therefore, you first find out the weight of the load from an accurate
source for example from the manufacturer’s documentation, a data plate attached to the load, a
shipping manifest, calculation, e.t.c & then it should be verified or confirmed from another source.

-If these are not available & only an estimate can be made, then it is essential that a reserve or
contingency factor is added to the estimation, such as 25%

-There are also other circumstances, such as in the marine environment where dynamic loadings are
anticipated, where a weight factor, contingency or reserve is also required. This would be calculated
by multiplying the gross weight of the load the reserve or contingency factor.

-Adequate contingencies, relative to the lift environment must be considered & include during the lift
design stage to ensure that the load, lifting equipment & site conditions are capable of safely
maintaining the anticipated loadings.

-When confirming the weight of the load the equipment would normally be a calibrated load cell
suspended from a crane but in the case of heavier loads such as offshore modules, these can be
weighed by using a set of calibrated hydraulic rams or jacks. This is usually the most cost effective
way of weighing a heavy load. Using this setup will also allow you to confirm the centre of gravity in
the horizontal plane.

-There are also subsea considerations regarding the load, such as…

• Hydrodynamic loadings and seabed section

• Water depth
• Resonance effect, for example in ultra deep water
• Load intergrity with regards to water pressure.
• Changes to the in-air load weight due to the effects of flooding, draining, marine growth,
debris & grout, if removing from an existing subsea structure or asset, and…
• Changes to buoyancy and the centre of buoyancy.

-To finish this section always remember to allow for the additional weight of the rigging & when
applicable the crane hook block when selecting the lifting appliance.

LIFTING AND LANDING SITES

Next you will need to consider where the load is located & where you are lifting it to.

For lifting & landing, consideration must be given to…

➢ Is it clear to be lifted and landed or is the load in a tight space?

➢ Can it be lifted and landed without being damaged or damaging surrounding plant or
equipment?
➢ What are the safe areas & exclusion zones?
➢ Is the landing area capacity sufficient?
➢ Is there a pre-landing hold off position if lifting subsea?
➢ What are the acceptable sea state conditions during vessel landing & offloading operations?
➢ If lifting from a vessel what are the acceptable motion limits, are there DP limitations & is
there heave compensation criteria?
➢ Are there any height restrictions and…
➢ Does the angle of the crane boom give adequate clearance to the load & structure when
elevated?

If the load has to be stacked, then this shall only be permitted…

➢ After a full risk assessment has been completed.

➢ After written approval by the site manager & the lifting Technical Authority has been given.
➢ If the load is specifically designed for that purpose & is clearly marked as suitable for stacking
➢ If the load is designed not to cause a snagging hazard.
➢ If stacking is confined to a pre – designated stacking area and…
➢ There is the facility to attach & detach the sling assembly at ground level.

Sometimes, once a load is lifted, for various reasons it cannot be re-landed until it reaches it’s final
lay-down point, this is called a non-returnable load.

This can exacerbate any problems encountered during the lifting operation especially if you are
working within a weather window, if a load cannot be re-landed, a more in-depth level of planning is
required & increased safety factors or contingencies applied to the lifting accessories & appliances.

ROUTE TO BE TRAVELLED
Whether you are just moving a load or travelling with the load, for example using crawler crane or
Self-Propelled Modular Transporter, you need to inspect the route to be travelled (as long as you are
not lifting over water) as this will help identify any obstacles such as power lines, underground
services, height restrictions, clearances between existing pieces of plant & equipment and the actual
ground conditions.

If the route takes you close to high voltage electricity cables it is advisable to call the power company
to see if the power can be switched off for the duration of the lifting operation. Specific allowable
distances from the power lines change depending where you are in the world so they should be
verified during the planning stage.

On a busy worksite, you can also take this opportunity to cordon off the area to primarily prevent
non-involved personnel inadvertently walking under or near to a suspended load but also to keep
personnel away from drop & equipment tipping zones.

When lifting subsea the route may not be directly below the crane tip, currents and tides may drift
the crane wire and load away from the vessel. The depth of water must also be considered.

If you are lifting between a vessel & an installation offshore, remember to consider the additional
forces created due to the dynamics. In addition, be aware of the drop cone criteria if lifting over or
near subsea process equipment.
This brings us onto lifting over or in close proximity to live plant, which is defined as any lifting where
there is a process safety risk of the load. Lifting appliances & or lifting accessories impacting,
damaging and or rupturing live plant.

*Live Plant is defined as equipment containing hazardous, pressurised, energised or strategic

resource.
Example include; pipes, electrical cables or vessels containing hydrocarbons. It also includes primary
power generation units, for example turbines & their exhaust systems.

Lifting over or in close proximity to line plant, regardless of lift category shall not be undertaken
unless…
➢ No other feasible alternate exists
➢ Risks are reduced to as low as reasonably practicable, and…
➢ An operational contingency plan is in place.

Operational contingency plans shall define the potential worst-case consequences in the event of a
dropped object or catastrophic failure of the lifting equipment, documenting the mitigation
measures to be taken prior to the lift and the emergency response actions required in such an event.
Exclusion zones used during the lift shall be extended to match the requirements of the operational
contingency plan.

In addition, these plans should only be reused for repeat operations, where the original operation lift
plan, equipment, assumptions made and operating conditions are verified as unchanged.

During the planning stage for the route to be travelled, details, if applicable, should also be recorded
on how hands-free lifting & the safe use of taglines will be accomplished.

Finally, on this subject, if you are transporting a load, you must consider stability. Centre of gravity,
height, ground conditions, incline angle, e.t.c must all be assessed. You certainly do not want to
follow a successful lift with the load falling off or overturning the transport.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
After assessing the lift & landing and the route to be travelled, the following factors need to be
considered with regards to the environmental conditions during the lift, which are for example…

➢ The time required to perform the lift.

➢ The weather forecast.
➢ Visibility, available daylight &the availability of artificial lighting.
➢ Wind speeds, sea states, tidal patterns & currents.

For example, a crane boom can act as a conductor and attract a lightning strike during a thunderstorm.
Therefore, if there are clear signs of an approaching thunderstorm, lifting operations must cease & all
personnel should be moved out of the vicinity of the crane until the possibility of danger passes.

In addition, wind can exert additional forces to the crane & the load, which can affect both the strength
& stability of the crane & safe handling of the load. It is therefore essential that the maximum wind
speed at which the crane must be taken out of service is recorded on the lift plan.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO LIFT IT?
We will now look at the criteria to consider regarding the lifting appliances and the rigging. After first
asking how much the load weighs, this is probably the most common second question; that is ‘How
are we going to lift it?’

To start with, all equipment must be used within it’s rated capacity & never purposely overloaded. It
must also only be used for the purpose for which it was designed, such as fitted with the correct
counterweight, the correct outrigger, configuration to be used, supplied with suitable instructions,
load charts e.t.c

In addition…

➢ If the crane is to be used, can it operate within its safe operating radius, which should be
based on the worst-case radius.
➢ If the appliance within the acceptable capacity utilisation percentage such as 80% or under.
➢ If using more than one crane, you will need to consider their lifting operations, capacities &
operational speeds.
➢ If you are using crawler cranes, have you considered their relative travelling speeds?
➢ If using multiple air hoists or manual hoists, are the hoisting speeds compatible and what is
the acceptable working angle, for example during cross hauling operations?
➢ Have you considered how to control the level of the load and hence the loading in each
hoist? And…
➢ Will extreme heat or cold affect the capacity of the equipment?

Next, whether just lifting, slewing & landing the load using a mobile crane or travelling with the load
using a crawler crane or transporter, the ground has to adequately withstand the intended loadings.
Therefore, the overall gross weight to be applied, the maximum allowable ground bearing pressure
calculations & load spreading details must be supplied.

If the crane has to work anywhere near an excavation, remember that the outrigger/track load
enters the supporting surface at 45 degrees so its imperative that the outrigger/track is positioned
no closer to the edge of the excavation than a distance slightly greater than the depth of the
excavation. The location of any underground services such as sewers, utility supplies, e.t.c must also
be verified.

Remember also that the ground conditions can change with the weather, and that its load bearing
capacity can be reduced especially when it rains.

There are also criteria specific to the rigging or lifting accessories that need to be considered, for
example the…

➢ Availability of suitable rigging

➢ Compatibility of various rigging components with each other
➢ Weight of rigging items with regards to gross weight to be lifted & manual handling.
➢ Protection of rigging from the load, for example sharp corners.
➢ Wire rope bend radii & efficiencies
➢ Increased stresses in the rigging due to angular loading & dynamic factors.

In this section we will also cover specific considerations with regards to uncertified steelwork & lifting
points, Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs), marine and /or subsea lifts & lift personnel.
If the use of uncertified steelwork and lifting points is required then they shall only be used after
assessment & their use approved by a structural technical authority. If used repeatedly or
periodically then they must be…

➢ Assessed
➢ Examined
➢ Overload tested
➢ Certified, colour coded and…
➢ Marked with a SWL or WLL & unique identification mark.

SPMTs have the ability to lift & lower loads & as such their use must be planned. However, there is
specific information when using this type of equipment that must be considered and contained in
the lift plan, this includes for example…

➢ As loaded drawings
➢ Stability calculations, which should be based on a three-point suspension grouping with a
minimum, non-combined centre of gravity & stability angle of nine degrees where nine
degrees is not achievable a combined centre of gravity should be used and a physical
connection made between the load & the trailer.
➢ Route survey, swept at analysis, and…
➢ Lashing calculations.

This type of lift is a category 3 operation, with the lift plan being sufficient to demonstrate that the
load can be safely transported through to the pint of installation at site. In addition, all SPMTs should
use a simple level gauge in addition to the contractor’s monitoring system.

In addition to the previous considerations all marine and/or subsea lift plans should consider the
following…

➢ The safe use of airlift bags

➢ Equipment relative to ease of use by drivers & ROV
➢ Equipment & load identification in poor visibility conditions
➢ Aluminium ferrules shall not be used for subsea lifts without approval of the BP lifting
technical authority
➢ The crane operator shall be assessed as competent to carry out subsea crane operations.
➢ Pre-planning of subsea lifting operations shall consider the safety of drivers, ROV & the
intergrity of subsea installations or equipment
➢ Safety factors, for example skew load factors, sling shackles & grommet safety factors e.t.c
➢ Bumper & guide details
➢ Load stability
➢ The interface between floating lifting appliances & fixed structures
➢ Critical clearances
➢ Communication protocols, and…
➢ Hazards material

Remember, subsea lifts are a specialised form of lifting & therefore the design of which should only
be undertaken by qualified engineers with experience in this area

When the lifting of personnel is required, whether with cranes, forklifts or winches and regardless of
lift environment they shall also be considered as a high operation & be categorized as a category 3
lift.
This type of lift operation shall also only be used when it is…

▪ Not practicable to gain access by a less hazardous means.

▪ Fully managed in accordance with strict procedures, and…
▪ Rigorously risk assessed to ensure that the risk of personnel falling from a carrier, being
crushed, trapped or struck while being transported in a carrier has been mitigated to as low
as reasonably practible

In addition…

▪ Lifting Technical Authorities need to monitor & record the quantity and type of personnel
lifting operations performed at each facility.
▪ Lifting equipment for lifting personnel shall be thoroughly examined for the purposes of
recertification at least every six months.
▪ Site lifting coordinates need to consult site managers before approving any lift plan, which
involves the lifting of personnel
▪ Only carried out with lifting equipment, which has been specifically designed for lifting
personnel, certified for lifting personnel, and…
▪ A rescue plan is developed, made readily available and effectively communicated.

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE INVOLVED?

A lift plan should clearly identify the number of personnel required to carry out the lift, along with
their roles & responsibilities.

In addition, when you list the personnel required to perform the lifting operation, for example
riggers, banksmen, slingers, crane operators, e.t.c remember to verify their qualifications &
experience levels.

Normally, there would be a minimum of 3 people involved in a simple lifting operation involving a
crane, however if the load is travelling a substantial height or distance, you may require more than
one banksman to guide the crane operator. You may also, if you are multi point lifting with chain
blocks, need more to operate the hoists.

In addition, depending on the size of the load where it is being landed, you may also require several
load handlers on tag lines.

Controlling all these people as the lifting operation progresses is not easy & so it is imperative that
you establish proper communications prior to the start of the lift, which we will cover in the next
section.

HOW WILL EVERYONE COMMUNICATE?

The methods of communication must be clearly addressed & agreed during the risk assessment &
planning stages along with being defined & communicated during the pre-lift safety meeting.
The basic form of communication in routine and simple lifting operations is hand-signals. These are
acceptable for majority of lifts in good light conditions but for safety reasons, it is better if these are
backed up with short-wave radio communication as well.

However, when multiple lifting or cross hauling equipment is being used, radios are a must. If this is
the case then the various cranes, hoist or winch operators & other participants must all be given
simple but distinctive call signs such as crane 1 & crane 2, winch A & B or tagline 1, tagline 2 e.t.c to
reduce the chance of communication error.

In addition, lifts, which may be passing from a vessel to the quayside or from a barge to an
installation, the lift controller or person in charge will probably change as the lift progresses,
therefore responsibilities will also change, which will need to be communicated effectively to all
concerned.

There must also be a clear communication process indicated in the lift plan between the lift team
and facility management and a plan for unexpected events or change for example a general alarm
could be sounded if an incident occurs.

STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE

At the planning stage, the competent person or team doing the planning will gradually build up a
picture of the lifting operation & will be aware of what has to be done & in what order to achieve a
successful & safe lift.

This info will have to be relayed to a team of lift personnel who are actually doing the physical work
& the best way to do this is through a written step-by-step procedure. When putting this together,
you should imagine yourself actually doing the job & write down in the correct order the sequence of
events.

This will help identify any possible problems & allow you to deal with them at the planning stage
rather than have them crop up during the actual lifting operation, for example you may rearrange the
order of events to increase efficiency.

The step-by-step procedure allows you to transmit specific information to each & every member of
the lifting team to reduce as far as possible, the chance of people making decisions.

It should start, for example, with instructions to hold a pre-job safety meeting, inspection of the work
area & equipment, followed by cordoning off the work area. It should then finish with personnel
tidying up the worksite, inspecting equipment & signing off the job as complete.

If written correctly with all the relevant information, each & every person involved will know exactly
what they are supposed to be doing. They will know what equipment goes where, when to operate
it, they will be aware of any specific hazards & will know where to position themselves to reduce the
risk of injury in the event of things going wrong.

The step-by-step procedure can also be used as a template for the risk assessment & should also be
the focal point of the pre-job safety meeting before the lifting operation commences.
DIAGRAMS OR SKETCHES
A diagram or sketch of the overall lifting operation showing where the load is travelling from & to is
invaluable to the team doing the work. During production it can also help identify obstructions,
headroom problems, clearance e.t.c and it is better to identify these at the planning stage than
discover them when you are actually doing the job.

However, a diagram, sketch or drawing should never be used in isolation. The method statement
must always be studied in detail.

For more complex lifting operations, such as subsea lifting operations, there may be an additional
series of sketches, for example showing the rigging arrangements at the various lift points. These are
also useful for showing how the rigging should be installed by giving a visual picture.

Once again, the process of making up these sketches, if done to scale, helps identify if there are any
dimensional compatibility problems between the various components. These diagrams and sketches
can also be cross-referenced with ‘hold’ points that refer to additional instructions and/or safety
warnings.

In addition to the above considerations, all onshore crane lift plan drawings should be drawn to scale
& detail for example…

➢ Crane model
➢ Crane counter weight to be used
➢ Outrigger configuration, position & load spreading details.
➢ Tail clearance at slew path.
➢ Crane location & set up dimensions
➢ Proximity of underground services
➢ Load, rigging, hook block & total weight
➢ Worst-case radius & capacity
➢ Percentage of capacity utilisation
➢ Pick up, set down locations, direction & path of slew
➢ Headroom limitations
➢ Boom length & clearances
➢ Height of load at worst case.

If sketches exist for a lifting operation from a previous time, they must be reviewed to ensure there
have been no changes which could affect the efficiency/safety of the lift.

RIGGING/MATERIAL LISTS
Once you have created your diagram/sketches of the lifting operation & prepared the step-by-step
procedure, you will have to put together a rigging and material list.

However, before we move onto the list, we must ensure the equipment we use is fit for purpose.
Therefore…
*All lifting equipment needs to be of adequate strength & stability for each load, having regard in
particular to the stresses induced at its mounting or fixing point. In addition, every part of a load &
anything attached to it & used in lifting it is of adequate strength.

*Equipment to be used should have been procured to recognized standards, adequately constructed,
certified & suitable for its intended task.

*In addition, lifting equipment has also to be supplied with appropriate certification and be clearly
marked with…

➢ A Safe Working Load (SWL) or Working Load Limit (WLL)

➢ A unique identification mark to allow for traceability to its certification, and…
➢ Suitable for lifting personnel if designed for lifting personnel.

Furthermore, to increase operational safety factors lift planners & project teams, during the initial
design stage, should principally consider an 80% or below utilisation of a crane’s capacity.

However, if you intend crane utilisation to be above 80%, then review and acceptance of the
proposed utilisation by a Technical Authority should be sought.

Getting back to the list, it should contain all the rigging equipment required to do the lift, for example
cranes, hoists, winches, slings, shackles, e.t.c. You must be accurate with the descriptions to make
sure you get the correct materials.

Remember to include such things as safe working loads or capacities, required operating radii (for
cranes), sling lengths and angles, heights of lift for hoists, rigging screw diameters, thread type if
using hoist rings, eyebolts or eyenuts, torque settings, e.t.c

Bear in mind that your procurement department may hire in some of the larger lifting appliances so
in cases where you have selected specific manufacturer’s models because of their dimensional
suitability/compatibility, make notes on the rigging material list that they must NOT deviate from the
stated specification.

If using rigging screws in a lifting scenario, remember that they are quite often supplied uncertified
as they are looked upon as ‘tie-down’ of lashing items. Always insist that they are load-tested &
certified for lifting.

When detailing endless slings, be very specific when describing the length, for example you can order
them by circumference, which is the total length of the round sling (measured around circumference)
or by the effective working length, which is the linear length.

If you are ordering various slings of similar but slightly different lengths, have the manufacturers hard
stamp the lengths on the ferrules at the time of manufacture. This can save a lot of time in sorting
through them when delivered especially if they are large/extremely long or heavy slings.

By the same token, if asking for multi leg sings with varying leg-lengths, for example to suit a load
with an off-set centre of gravity, get the rigging shop to markup legs accordingly so you know which
leg gets attached to which pad eye on the load.

Include access equipment such as ladders or cherry-pickers that may be required to help with the
installation of the hoists & rigging.

Finally, don’t forget the peripherals such as barrier tape, specialised PPE if required, packing
materials for protecting the rigging, level gauges, e.t.c
APPROVAL, AUTHORISATION & ENDORSEMENT
Category of Lift Approval Management & Endorsement Authorisation
Plan Control
Site Competent RPU Lifting Site Lifting
Person Technical Co-ordinator
Authority or
Delegate
Category 1 X Management & Audit
Control (See note 1)
Category 2 X For seeking On request by X
Endorsement SLC
Category 3 X & Authorisation X X

-All personnel who approve, authorise, endorse & peer review lifting plans shall have a defined level
of competence in compliance with local OMS procedures.

-The first step in the process is approval and all Category 1,2 & 3 lift plans shall be approved by a Site
Competent Person.

• Approval
Signifies that a lifting plan is safe to execute, it mitigates all risks and hazards, provides a safe system
of work and is in accordance with Local OMS requirements and Regional Legislation.

-Next is Authorisation; All category 2 & 3 lift plans shall be authorised by a Site Lifting Co-ordinator.

-Category 1 Lift shall be audited by the Site Lifting Co-ordinator periodically to confirm conformance
with Local OMS requirements.

• Authorisation
Signifies that the lift has been correctly categorized, that the lifting plan has been developed
correctly and that the correct management processes have been followed during the applicable
approval & endorsement stages. In addition, adequately considered & mitigated all personnel safety
& process safety risks.

-All Category 3 plans shall be endorsed by either a Competent Delegate who is independent from the
Lifting Contractor.

• Endorsement
Signifies that a lifting plan is safe to execute, it mitigates all risks and hazards, provides a safe system
of work & is in accordance with Local OMS requirements & regional legislation. In addition, that all
required technical support has been provided & incorporated.

• Peer Review
When required, signifies a high-level assurance as part of the endorsement stage. It has been
designed to provide an independent view of high-risk lifting operations.
-Where site-based personnel have not achieved the required level, then duty will be escalated to a
suitably competent person nominated by the Technical Authority as appropriate. Under no
circumstances should a lift be conducted without the correct approval, authorisation or
endorsement.

MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE AND LESSONS LEARNED

It is worth mentioning at this stage of the course that when a lifting operation, for whatever reason,
deviates from the approved/authorised lift plan and/or additional hazards are identified, the task
must be stopped, made safe immediately & all personnel moved to a safe position.

Many injuries, and some fatalities, have resulted from not following this approach. Therefore, the
purpose of this section is to instruct personnel that anyone can “stop-the-job” when there is a
deviation or where they suspect that safety has or is about to be compromised. In addition, once the
job has been stopped, that there is a process that should be followed, which is management of
change. This process provides a route for personnel to follow, which is designed to ensure that
changes are managed safely & efficiently.

Any member of the Lifting team can request a management of change to be invoked & suspend the
activity, if for example there is a…

✓ Deviation from company procedures or the lift plan.

✓ Modifications to equipment
✓ Change to the equipment set up and/or the sequence of events
✓ Requirement for additional equipment that is not included in the lift plan, and…
✓ Significant change to environment conditions.

-The effectiveness of the management of change process is dependent on an individual’s ability to

identify that safety has, or is about to be compromised.
Therefore, it is essential that personnel who are required to plan & carry out lifting operations have a
suitable level of hazard awareness, work experience & task knowledge, in other words, competence.

-In addition, to prevent or reduce the risk of incidents happening, there must be a system of post
lifting operation learning in place.

-Everyone involved in the operation should have the opportunity to discuss and record applicable
improvements on the lift plan. Any learning points recorded on the lift plan should be reviewed by
the Site Lifting Co-ordinator & where appropriate, actions taken & communicated to all relevant
personnel.

-In addition, any significant lifting related incidents & accidents shall be reported to the Lifting
Technical Authority allowing the community of practice to be briefed & hence preventing re-
occurrence.
A SAFE APPOACH TO LIFTING
This last section offers guidance for effecting safe lifting operations.

➢ Competence
Any person using lifting equipment must be trained to operate that equipment. The person must also
have a working knowledge of its capabilities & the defects likely to arise in service.

Therefore, always verify the competence of personnel when planning a lift.

Never Exceed the Safe Working Load

During the planning stage, ensure that the load imposed on any item of equipment or on part of any
item does not exceed the equipment’s safe working load. When there is any uncertainty about the
weight of the load or the equipment, it is recommended that load sensing devices be used. In
addition to the above, care should be taken to ensure that at all stages of the lift, the load remains in
a stable condition.

➢ Correct Use

The equipment should be used only for the specific purpose for which it is designed & should not be
adapted for any other purposes without the approval of a Technical Authority.

➢ Check the Lift

Plan to carry out trial lifts. This allows the operator to check his estimations of balance, stability, &
general security of the load while it is in a relatively safe position. If any discrepancies are found, the
load should be lowered & the slinging revised. The sequence of trial lift & adjustment should be
repeated until the operator is satisfied that the load is balanced, stable & secure.

Think Ahead
Plan the route the load will be travelling on the way to the lay-down point & ensure any obstructions
are cleared away. In addition, ensure that the lay-down point is of adequate size & capable of taking
the weight of the load.

When lowering the load, it should be brought to a halt a short distance above the landing site to
allow the operator to steady it, check the position of the landing packing & ensure that all personnel
have the fingers and feet clear of the load. The load should then be inched down into position.
Before slackening off the slings, check that the load is safe & stable. If not, it should be lifted slightly
(to allow the landing packing to be adjusted) & lowered again. The trial landing procedure is very
similar to the trial lift procedure & should be repeated until the load is safely landed.

Safety Margins
When undertaking a multi-point lifting operation, for example where two or more lifting appliances
are used, steps must be taken to ensure that no item of equipment or lifting point is at any time
subjected to a load in excess of its safe working load.

There are a number of ways of ensuring this according to the nature of the operation, for example
where total lifting capacity is not unduly limited then, each lifting point together with its associated
lifting machine & tackle could be selected to be capable of sustaining the entire load.
Alternatively, where the capacity is limited, the use of the load sensors will provide continuous
guidance on individual lift point equipment loadings as the operation proceeds. A further alternative
is to carefully calculate the loads, which will be imposed but care must be taken to ensure that no
false assumptions are made especially with regard to the weight and the position of the centre of
gravity.

In the case of rigid loads, consideration should be given as to how many lifting points will bear the
load at any time as in practice the majority of the load may be taken on only two lifting points. In
such cases the safe working load of each lifting point & it’s associated equipment should not be less
than half the total load.

Misuse of Equipment
Finally, always remember the use of lifting equipment beyond its SWL is strictly forbidden. Particular
attention must be given to the avoidance of over-loading, incorrect slinging & trapping of slings
between the load & the ground or floor.

-END-