02.04.2012

Malta starts crane crackdown

Malta’s Occupational Health and Safety Authority has said that it will carry out random inspections of tower cranes and their documentation. Lifting operations will be stopped immediately if any cranes are unsafe, considered unsafe or not covered by proper documentation.

The move follows a bulletin on crane safety issued by the authority two weeks ago, reminding contractors and crane owners of the regulations covering cranes and their responsibilities.

The regulations require that after installation cranes are thoroughly examined by a competent person and a certificate of the test and examination - specifying the safe working loads - be issued and signed by the person making the test. This then has to be kept available for inspection on demand. The crane foundation must also be certified and signed off by a competent person.

The crane operator must also be able to read and interpret the load charts so that the crane is not overloaded and a safe passage for pedestrians should be established and clearly indicated in cases where the crane is erected alongside a road or walkway.

The move follows a number of lifting accidents since 2009, since then the authorities have attempted to tighten up on the number of unsafe operators that use very old and poorly maintained cranes and often operate them in an exceptionally unsafe manner.
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