The exclusion zone
§ 18-3 requires that nobody is exposed to danger when a load is lifted. In
practice that means a zone people stay out of — and a zone that is actually
enforced, not merely drawn.
- Where the zone runs, and how it is marked
- Who keeps it clear — that is a task with an owner
- How large it is when the load can swing, rotate or shed parts
- What about floors below, scaffolding and openings in the deck
The zone erodes one shortcut at a time. See the articles Nobody under the
load and Dropped objects.
Communication
- Which channel, and that it is clear of other traffic
- One signaller at a time — said out loud, not assumed
- Standard signals, not local variants
- Read-back: a message that is not confirmed has not been received
See the article Radio discipline.
When communication fails
This belongs in the plan before it happens, not improvised:
- The default is to stop. Not to finish “the last bit”
- Where the load is set down if it is in the air
- What backup communication exists, or which hand signals apply
- Who resumes, and how it is confirmed that everyone is back
See the article When communication breaks.
Stop
One word, known to everyone, and it means stop whoever says it. No discussion
in the moment.
The plan is the employer's. Under § 18-6 lifting operations must be planned and carried out properly, with the necessary organisation and competence, and that duty sits with the employer. These pages explain how a plan is built and what each element means — they are not a plan, and nothing here substitutes for an assessment made by someone competent for the specific lift. Where a figure is needed — capacity, distance, bearing pressure, wind limit — it comes from the crane's documentation, the equipment certificate or the relevant specialist, never from this site.