New guidance from the ICSA aims to raise safety standards

ICSA – the International Crane Stakeholders Assembly – has published two new detailed, free guidance documents on the use of mobile cranes.

The first – ICSA 005 – is the long-awaited report on the use of mobile cranes on barges. Work on this started in the wake of a crane accident in Alphen aan den Rijn in 2015 and the subsequent accident report from the Dutch Safety Board.

In the accident, two cranes and part of a prefabricated bridge fell on several buildings, Fortunately, no-one was injured when the cranes, which were standing on a pontoon on the river, began to sway and topple over, crushing several homes and shops.

The original English video report on the accident from the Dutch Safety Board is on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJevke4_i5Y.

The second guidance document ( ICSA 006) is on the use of mobile cranes for pile driving and extraction and is intended to provide guidance in the assessment of risks.

The ICSA said that the use of mobile cranes in conjunction with freely suspended vibratory equipment for pile driving/extraction applications presents unique hazards that can increase risk, requiring additional considerations to be reviewed prior to commencing operations.

The report says: “Proper planning can help avoid negative influences that may affect the crane and lifting attachments during pile driving/extraction applications. Inadequate crane capacity, boom length, and the high potential for vibrations and shocks to be transmitted to the crane can create unique hazards, all of which could result in a dangerous situation.”

This document is complementary information to the manufacturers’ operation manuals and any corresponding safety warnings, and applies to all types of mobile cranes as defined in standards such as EN13000, AS 1418.5, ASME B30.5 or CSA-Z 150.

Both reports are available for free download from the library section of ESTA’s website at www.estaeurope.eu or from the ICSA at www.icsa-crane.org.

The ICSA’s role is to facilitate dialogue between crane industry stakeholders on safety, technical and regulatory issues, to encourage networking and promote consensus positions on behalf of the crane industry on issues of common concern, such as the harmonization of international standards.

The ICSA currently has seven active members. They are:
• Association of Equipment Manufacturers [AEM]
• Crane Industry Council of Australia [CICA]
• Crane Rental Association of Canada (CRAC)
• The European association of abnormal road transport and mobile cranes [ESTA]
• European Federation of Material Handling [FEM]
• Japan Crane Association [JCA]
• Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association [SC&RA]