3. Lift Planning and Execution
3.1 Defining the lift
When a lifting operation has to be carried out, it has to be checked if this particular lifting operation has been carried out before on that site. A risk assessment and Lift Plan might already exist.
If a risk assessment and Lift Plan do exist then they shall be assessed to confirm that they are still applicable (e.g. changes to personnel, equipment, site layout or work environment could all result in the need for re-assessment of hazards). Assuming that significant changes have not taken place then lifting operations may proceed under the requirements of the Lift Plan subject to approval by the lifting engineer.
If the lifting operations have not been carried out before, a competent person will prepare a Lift Plan. This has to be initiated by the executing department.
To define the lift the following parameters are established:
• Load weight, shape, centre of gravity and availability of adequate lifting points
• Initial and final load positions and how it will get there
• The environment in which the Lifting Equipment will be used