A gantry crane is a crane that:

  • consists of a bridge beam or beams supported at 1 or both ends by legs mounted to end carriages;
  • is capable of travelling on supporting surfaces or deck levels, whether fixed or not: and
  • has a crab with 1 or more hoisting units arranged to travel across the bridge

A bridge crane is a crane that:

  • consists of a bridge beam or beams, that are mounted to end carriages at each end; and
  • is capable of travelling along elevated runways; and
  • has 1 or more hoisting mechanisms arranged to traverse across the bridge

Hazards

Gantry and bridge crane operations may present a risk of injury to workers and other people from:

  • Striking: people being struck by the load or falling objects from the load (e.g. materials, components) due to plant or equipment failure or operator error.
  • Collision: while moving the crane, contact or collision with other plant can occur.
  • Structural failure:can arise from improper, overloaded lifts, or failure of worn or damaged components such as damaged lifting gear.
  • Safety devices: failure of safety devices such as overload limit switches and braking systems.
  • Falling objects: people being struck by the load or falling objects from the load (e.g. materials, components) due to plant or equipment failure, operator error or high winds.
  • Falls from height: workers falling while accessing the crane or performing maintenance.
  • Psychosocial hazards: for example, high job demands, isolated work, or fatigue can lead to physical and psychological injuries.

Safety requirements

  • Training: ensure operators are trained, including emergency procedures, and are licenced and follow SOPs.
  • Working with loads: never exceed the Working Load Limit and ensure loads are balanced and secured before lifting.
  • Exclusion zones: ensure they are in in place.
  • Communication: have an agreed system of communication with support personnel who have line of sight of the operator.
  • Operation: avoid lifting over people and ensure travel paths are clear.
  • Wind: monitor wind speeds and their effect on size and shape of the suspended load and crane boom for outdoor gantry cranes.

High Risk Work Licence

A person who operates a gantry crane or bridge crane must hold the relevant High Risk Work Licence to operate the crane.

Registration

Gantry cranes or bridge cranes require design registration but not plant item registration.

Gantry cranes or bridge cranes requiring design registration include:

  • gantry cranes with a safe working load greater than five tonnes.
  • bridge cranes with a safe working load of greater than 10 tonnes.
  • any gantry crane or bridge crane which is designed to handle molten metal or Schedule 11 hazardous chemicals.

Registration costs can be found at Registration Fees.

Design registration

Plant design registration – Guidance notes

To register or alter the design of plant:

Plant design - New or alteration to design

The crane can be designed to any internationally recognised published technical standard with the following documents being required for the registration of the crane design:

  • each crane model must have a separate design registration application form.
  • a statement signed by the designer of the crane stating:
  • the designer has complied with their obligations under section 22 of the WHS Act.
  • the published technical standards and engineering principles used in the design.
  • design calculations and drawing(s) in English, as referenced in the designer's statement
  • an independent design verification statement.
  • payment of the fee which lasts for the life of the design (payable on completion of the online application).

Note:

  • design registration applies to all plant items manufactured to the same design.
  • design registration is valid for the life of the plant.
  • manufacturers, importers, and suppliers of plant are prohibited from supplying plant unless the design of that plant is registered.
  • design registration in SA is not required if the plant design is registered in another state under a corresponding WHS law (WHS Act 2012 (SA)).
  • any alteration to the design of registered plant that may affect health, and safety requires an alteration to its design registration.
  • the design of a gantry or bridge crane includes the supporting structure and foundations. Design verification must include the supporting structure and foundations. A separate Design Registration Certificate is required for the footing.

According to Regulation 244 – Altered Plant Designs to be Registered, you do not need to register a design alteration for the relocation of a gantry, bridge or tower crane if:

  • the crane is relocated to a different workplace and
  • the design of the supporting structure or foundations of the crane is altered in accordance with a site-specific design prepared for the safe operation of the crane at the new location and
  • the design of the crane is not altered in any other way.

Change of details

You must provide us with written notice within 14 days if:

  • you change your name or address, or any other information stated on your application for registration
  • the plant design has been altered to an extent where it is subject to new control measures

Inspection and maintenance

A preventative maintenance program must be in place, taking into account the working environment, frequency and severity of use of the plant. It needs to be carried out according to the manufacturer’s specifications and Australian standards (i.e. AS 2550.1, AS 2550.3), with inspections carried out by a competent person such as:

  1. Pre-operational inspection: before the beginning of each work shift or change of operator.
  2. Routine inspection: conducted at intervals of 3 months.
  3. Periodic inspection: conducted at intervals of 12 months.
  4. Major inspection: conducted by the end of the 10th year in-service.

For further information: Safe Work Australia Guide to inspecting and maintaining cranes.

Record keeping

A record (e.g. logbook) of the service and maintenance history of the plant needs to be kept and made readily available and be written in easy to understand English.

Refer to AS 2550.3 and WHS Regulation 237.

Contact us

Visit: safework.sa.gov.au

Call: SafeWork Licensing Unit on 1300 365 255

Email: licensing.safework@sa.gov.au

Further information

SafeWork SA

Resources

Legislation

  • WHS Act 22 - Duties of PCBUs that design plant, substances or structures
  • WHS Regulation 213 – Maintenance and inspection of plant
  • WHS Regulation 219 (3) – Plant that lifts or suspends loads
  • WHS Regulation 237 – Records of plant
  • WHS Regulation 244 – Altered plant designs to be registered

Australian Standards

  • AS 1418.1: Cranes, hoists and winches – General requirements
  • AS 1418.3: Cranes, hoists and winches - Bridge, gantry, portal (including container cranes) and jib cranes.
  • AS 1418.18: Cranes, hoists and winches – Crane runways and monorails
  • AS 1666: Wire-rope slings
  • AS 1666.2: Wire-rope slings - care and use
  • AS 2550.1: Cranes, hoists and winches—Safe use: General requirements
  • AS 2550.3: Cranes, hoists and winches – Safe use: Bridge, gantry, portal (including container cranes) and jib cranes.
  • AS 2759 Steel wire rope – Use, operation and maintenance
  • AS 4991 Lifting devices

Codes of Practice

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What are the registration requirements for gantry and bridge cranes?

In South Australia all gantry and bridge cranes are classified as high risk plant under the Work Health and Safety legislation (WHS Reg. Schedule 5 Part 1). Every gantry and bridge crane must hold design registration before they are placed into service.

The crane supplier (who may also be the importer) has the legal duty to ensure the crane design is registered, and that they hold a copy of the design registration certificate prior to any distribution and sale of the crane.

The design registration number issued by SafeWork SA or an interstate regulator is unique to that model of crane and must be permanently marked on the crane.

Item of plant registration is not required for gantry or bridge cranes.

Q2. Are there any registration fees?

Cranes incur a fee when they are first design registeredwhich is valid for the life of the plant.

A design registration fee applies only once for the initial application because upon issue there is no expiry date.

Q3. Who can apply for design registration?

  • a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) that designs an item of plant may apply to the regulator for the registration of the design of that item of plant.
  • a person with management or control of an item of plant at a workplace may apply to the regulator for the registration of the design of that item of plant.

Q4. Duties of the crane Designer and Design Verifier.

The designer must undertake a design risk assessment and be satisfied through engineering calculations that the crane is at the appropriate level of safety in accordance with the published technical standards and/or engineering principles being used. The designer must declare that they “have complied with the designer’s obligations under Section 22 of the WHS Act in respect to the design of the plant.”

For design verification under regulation 252, a Design Verifier is a person who has the skills, qualifications, competence and experience to design the plant or verify the design

The Design Verifier has the important role of determining through their own independent assessment that the design satisfactorily complies with design intent published technical standards, and/or engineering principles. They must also declare that “they were not involved in the production of the design; and that the design was produced in accordance with the published technical standards and/or engineering principles specified by the designer’s statement and documents.”

The crane original design can be to any internationally recognised published technical standard including calculations and drawings. However, Design verification must declare full compliance with AS 1418.1 and AS 1418.3.

Q5. Does each gantry and bridge crane require individual design registration?

No, once the design is registered, there is no restriction on the number of cranes that can be supplied, provided they comply with the registered design. The registration holder must ensure the design registration number is provided with each gantry and bridge crane that is supplied.

The design of a gantry or bridge crane includes the supporting structure and foundations. Design verification must include the supporting structure and foundations. Therefore, a separate Design Registration Certificate is required for the footing.

Q6. Is interstate design registration recognised in South Australia?

Yes, interstate design registrations issued under a corresponding WHS law (i.e. a law of another Australian jurisdiction corresponding, or substantially corresponding, to the WHS Act 2012 (SA)) are recognised in South Australia. However, it is important to ensure the crane design also complies with relevant South Australian Approved Codes of Practice.

There may be Australian States or Territories who have introduced specific variations to the WHS model legislation and while the design may comply with the legislation in those jurisdictions, it may no longer fully comply with South Australian requirements. If this is the case, item of plant registration may be refused (i.e. design registration may not be recognised) because the design does not fully comply through a corresponding WHS law equivalent to that in South Australia.

Q7. Are overseas design registrations recognised?

Every crane installed in South Australia must have an Australian design registration.

Q8. When is an application for alteration to a design of a gantry and bridge crane required?

The WHS Regulations state that “a reference to the alteration of a design is a reference to an alteration that may affect health or safety.”

What does that mean?

'Alter' in relation to any plant means to change the design of, add to or take away from the plant where the change may affect health or safety, but does not include routine maintenance, repairs or replacements.

When a gantry or bridge crane is first design registered, the design is based on certain criteria and specifications that set a minimum level of safety. If that level of safety is altered, then an application for the alteration must be submitted to SafeWork SA. Below are some changes that may affect the level of safety:

  • Structural modifications: changes that affect load-bearing capacity or stability must be registered. This includes modifying the frame.
  • Mechanical or Hydraulic Changes: alterations to lifting mechanisms, winches, hoists or hydraulic systems that impact performance or rated load.
  • Rated Capacity Adjustments: any modification that changes the crane’s maximum lifting capacity, load charts or operational limits.
  • Safety System Upgrades: installing or modifying safety devices such as load moment indicators, limit switches, or emergency braking systems that affect operational safety.

Note: alterations must be compliant to the most current published technical standard.

Q9. What happens after I submit an application for design registration?

After SafeWork SA receives an application and fee payment has been receipted:

  1. SafeWork SA will audit each section of the application form and supporting documentation. It is important that correct information is provided.
  2. If any information is missing, SafeWork SA will contact the applicant. This may cause delays in processing.
  3. Once details are audited and any additional requested information and/or revised documents received the application will be processed and the plant design registered.
  4. A design registration certificate will be sent to the applicant following approval. The certificate will contain information as submitted in the application form, the applicant details and design registration number.

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