Safe crane ops require planning, communication and practice
Crane ops are getting bigger and more complex to accommodate larger tenders, toys and even submersibles. Many explorers or support vessels sport large cranes that launch tenders from the foredeck and midships forward, devoting significant boat real estate to fit the larger toys on board. These set-ups push yachts closer to commercial territory.
Cranes have a high potential to cause damage and injury, and as the industry hasn’t quite caught up to standardizing training for crane operations, it’s an area that requires our attention.
Gear Checks
First, inspect:
The crane (hydraulics, remote, mount)
All lifting gear (slings, eyebolts, shackles)
Attachment points on the object you’re lifting
Crane remotes/controls — check battery and full function
Once the equipment is ready, notify all departments, ensure engineering is aware of operations, ask to fire up any additional generators that may be required, ensure the captain has given the green light and, of course, check that you have acceptable conditions and sea state.
Preparing for the lift, you’ll need tag lines (lines attached to the object being lifted) to cover every direction of swing, with a person assigned to each (you may need four or more), each wearing helmets, enclosed shoes and any other PPE required. Each person involved is designated a duty, i.e. spotter, line handler or crane operator. For communications, a headset is best, and any hand signals used must be agreed upon beforehand.
Have an informal safety meeting before ops begin. Cover assignment of duties and hazards to be aware of, establish comms and have a general round table to ensure all crew are familiar with the plan and on the same page. The SOP should include an attached pre-lift checklist.
Now, finally, it’s time to lift. Slow is pro; announce every action before commencing and have each crew member call clearance distances where necessary. Any swing is up to the tag line handlers to counter. Never at any time should anyone be directly under the lifted object, for any reason.
When placing in the water, be aware of load shocking the crane with rising and falling swell. Once the object is in contact with the water and buoyant, come down significantly on the crane and release the load to ensure it doesn’t come under tension suddenly with a falling swell.
Charter days aren’t training days. Training new operators must be done when it’s quiet; trainees should first shadow an experienced operator before completing a dry run (no load on the crane) and do their first lift under calm conditions with no time constraint. This process can take days or weeks, so plan accordingly.
Lastly, gather for a debrief and voice any improvements to be made for the next lift.
For compliance, you need to have the following, at the minimum:
- A written SOP for each type of lift (tender, jet skis, rescue boat)
- A lifting gear register (shackles, slings, lines, hook block — all tagged and logged with annual inspections done by a third party)
- Evidence of crew familiarization (training records, sign-offs, drills)
- Up-to-date certs for all cranes and davits — and their remotes