Lesson 1Ground and foundation checks: crane base, pad conditions, temporary roadways, surface bearing capacity and ground water/drainage issuesIn this lesson, you'll discover how to evaluate crane foundations, pads, and access roads, confirm bearing capacity relative to anticipated loads, spot soft areas, voids, or erosion, and assess drainage or groundwater factors that might compromise stability during operations on Australian sites.
Reviewing geotechnical and bearing dataInspecting crane base, anchors, and padsAssessing temporary roadways and access routesIdentifying soft ground, voids, and erosionEvaluating drainage and groundwater effectsRecording and reporting ground deficienciesLesson 2Communication equipment checks: radio testing, battery management, spare handhelds, signage and backup hand signal protocolsYou'll gain knowledge on inspecting and testing communication equipment, such as radios, batteries, chargers, spare units, and fixed signage, plus establishing reliable backup hand signal protocols to ensure control if primary systems fail during lifts on busy construction sites.
Inspecting radios, headsets, and chargersTesting radio range and audio clarityManaging batteries and spare handheld unitsVerifying posted crane and site signageStandardising hand and arm signal setsPlanning communication failure contingenciesLesson 3Weather assessment procedures: wind monitoring, gust forecasting, visibility checks, rain/icing effects and when to suspend lifting operationsThis lesson outlines procedures for monitoring wind speed and direction, analysing gust forecasts, evaluating visibility, rain, snow, and icing, and applying manufacturer and Australian regulatory limits to determine when to limit or halt crane operations for weather-related safety.
Using anemometers and wind indicatorsReviewing weather forecasts and gust trendsAssessing visibility, fog, and night lightingEvaluating rain, snow, and icing impactsApplying wind and weather operating limitsProcedures to suspend and resume liftingLesson 4Wire ropes, hoist ropes and hooks: inspection criteria, wear limits, lubrication and end-of-life signsLearn inspection standards for wire ropes, hoist ropes, and hooks, covering checks for broken wires, corrosion, kinks, deformation, throat opening, latch operation, lubrication condition, and identifying end-of-life indicators that necessitate removal from service in line with Australian safety guidelines.
Identifying broken wires and strand damageChecking rope diameter and elongationDetecting corrosion, kinks, and birdcagingInspecting hooks for cracks and deformationVerifying hook latch presence and functionLubrication practices and discard criteriaLesson 5Tower crane structural checks: mast, slewing ring, jib, counterweights, corrosion and deformation indicatorsCovering visual and functional inspections of tower crane structures, this lesson includes mast sections, ties, slewing ring, jib, counterjib, and counterweights, searching for cracks, loose fasteners, corrosion, deformation, and abnormal noises or movements as per Australian standards.
Inspecting mast sections and connectionsChecking ties, anchors, and bracing systemsExamining slewing ring and bolt tightnessInspecting jib, counterjib, and pendantsVerifying counterweight condition and seatingIdentifying corrosion, cracks, and distortionLesson 6Work area assessment: locating overhead power lines, adjoining buildings, public street risks, pedestrian routes and exclusion zonesYou'll learn to inspect the crane work zone for overhead power lines, adjacent buildings, traffic paths, and public areas, then set up exclusion zones, barricades, and spotters to manage pedestrian and vehicle traffic around lifting activities on Australian construction sites.
Locating and marking overhead power linesAssessing clearances to buildings and roofsEvaluating risks to streets and sidewalksPlanning load paths and swing envelopesSetting up barriers and exclusion zonesCoordinating with site security and trafficLesson 7Load chart interpretation: ratings by radius, configuration limits, dynamic factors and derating for attachmentsThis lesson teaches how to interpret and apply tower crane load charts, including capacities by radius and setup, impacts of jib length and counterweights, dynamic load factors, derating for attachments, and utilising charts to plan secure lifting operations compliant with Australian regulations.
Understanding chart layout and terminologyCapacity changes with radius and heightEffects of jib length and configurationAccounting for wind and dynamic factorsDerating for hooks, blocks, and slingsValidating planned lifts against chartsLesson 8Crew competency and role verification: verifying riggers, signalers and operator certifications and pre-shift briefing checklistFocusing on validating operator, rigger, and signaler credentials, reviewing necessary certifications, recording daily fitness-for-duty, and running organised pre-shift briefings to synchronise the team on tasks, hazards, and communication in accordance with Australian workplace safety laws.
Verifying operator licences and endorsementsChecking rigger and signal person qualificationsConfirming medical fitness and fatigue statusReviewing site-specific training requirementsConducting structured pre-shift briefingsDocumenting crew verification recordsLesson 9Safety devices and limit switches: function checks for overload, anti-two-block, boom angle/radius, wind speed indicators and emergency stop systemsLearn to test safety devices and limit switches, such as overload protection, anti-two-block systems, boom angle and radius indicators, wind alarms, and emergency stop circuits, confirming they operate properly before starting lifts to meet Australian safety standards.
Testing overload and moment limitersVerifying anti-two-block operationChecking boom angle and radius indicatorsInspecting wind speed alarms and cutoutsTesting emergency stop buttons and circuitsDocumenting safety device test results
