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Newly-Formed National Crane Safety Taskforce Recommends Three-Pronged Approach to Improve Crane Safety Standards

Workplace safety and health
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC) have formed a National Crane Safety Taskforce to improve the safety of crane operations. The Taskforce is led by Mr Tan Wee Seng, MD of Bovis Lend Lease Pte Ltd and has members from various stakeholder groups, including the government, industry and suppliers. Set up in July 2009, the Taskforce will:
  • Provide industry leadership and work with the WSH Council to make recommendations to improve the safety of crane operations;
  • Provide industry inputs when developing the implementation plan for the recommendations; and
  • Garner buy-in and support from industry for effective implementation of the recommendations to reduce work-related fatality and injury rates involving crane incidents.
Crane Safety Analysis and Recommendation Report

2.   As a start, the National Crane Safety Taskforce has worked with the WSHC and the MOM to review 40 crane incidents that occurred over the years. The Taskforce has identified important learning points and areas of improvements for safer crane operations. The findings are published in a Crane Safety Analysis and Recommendation Report . The Report highlighted several contributing factors to crane incidents, including the lack of adequate training and safety procedures, workers' failure to follow safety rules, failure of crane components, insufficient checks and measures to address ground conditions, as well as inadequate supervision and management.

3.   Based on these contributing factors, the Taskforce has made several recommendations and will be embarking on a three-pronged strategy with the WSHC and MOM to improve crane safety. These include:

i)   Enhancement of Training
  • Improve training content of various mandatory courses for lifting operations, particularly those for lifting supervisors, crane operators, riggers and signalmen.
  • Improve quality of delivery of the training courses on lifting operations to ensure lifting personnel are competently trained.
ii)   Enhancement of Outreach Efforts
  • Establish programmes to enhance outreach efforts to top management, crane manufacturers (upstream) and crane operators (downstream).
  • Develop a risk register for lifting operations and incorporate crane safety messages in the various engagement platforms, including case studies, newsletters and forums.

iii) Review of Codes of Practice
  • Review the relevant Codes of Practice such as the CP62:1995 Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Tower Cranes (which is led by SPRING)
  • Draft and issue a checklist on Crane Maintenance.
4.   In addition, the Taskforce will explore new technology to enhance safe lifting and make recommendations to the government on possible review of legislation. The Taskforce will provide further updates on its progress in early 2010.

5.   Industry stakeholders who wish to contribute to the work of the National Taskforce and improve the safety of crane operations can email to contact@wshc.gov.sg. Details on the Taskforce and the report are available on the WSH Council website.

Annex A _Composition of National Crane Taskforce_.pdf
Annex B _Crane Safety Analysis Recommendation Report_.pdf