Safe Work Australia looking for input on safety of cranes in maritime industry

Safe Work Australia is calling for industry input on ways to improve the safety of crane operations across the maritime industry. Feedback gathered during this consultation will shape reform options for lifting equipment used aboard vessels, alongside wharves and inside busy port precincts.

Machinery working while a deck pitches, rolls and heaves faces conditions rarely encountered by land-based plant. Regulators are looking beyond generic guidance, seeking practical evidence from the maritime sector about what protects people who rig, signal and supervise loads offshore.

Why lifting at sea demands different controls

Cranes operating in dynamic environments, such as those found on vessels, encounter specific work health and safety (WHS) issues stemming from ship movement and changeable maritime conditions, the national safety body said. Scope extends to vessel-mounted cranes, pedestal jibs, knuckle-boom units and davits.

“Despite these risks, they are often used without specific licensing, training, and risk controls tailored to these environments,” the agency stated.

Hazards flagged for vessel-based lifting tasks

• Deck motion and swell that shift suspended loads, creating sudden dynamic overload.
• Wind, spray and poor visibility that disrupt signalling or precise load control.
• Congested decks offering limited slewing space close to personnel.
• Corrosion plus salt exposure that complicate inspection of hooks, ropes and slings.
• Licensing pathways that may not reflect competencies genuinely needed offshore.
• Fatigue and long-term health risks tied to extended shifts away from shore.

Who should share expertise

Port, shipping and logistics specialists — plus businesses that own, hire or maintain deck cranes — are encouraged to contribute. Vessel masters, riggers, dogmen, trainers, safety representatives and health advisers hold field knowledge no desk analysis can replicate. Manufacturers or hire companies familiar with winch safety documentation may also add valuable technical depth.

What change could look like

Options canvassed in the paper released for feedback touch licensing categories, competency assessment, maintenance intervals, and Australian Standards referenced for lifting gear aboard ships. Clearer duties would help employers confirm each lift gets planned, supervised and recorded — discipline already familiar onshore through a Safe Work Method Statement or established safe practices across manufacturing.

How to lodge a response

Views can be submitted online via the Consultation Hub, where the discussion paper and closing dates appear. Every response received helps policymakers weigh operational reality against regulatory intent, much as earlier calls for comment did on welding operations safety and the National Safe Work Month theme.