The Tower Crane Interest Group (TCIG) have produced a range of guidance documents and technical information notices which can be downloaded free of charge below:
Emergency Action Planning & Rescue From Height - TCIG 2101
TIN 013 was originally published by the interest group to provide guidance on the planning and p... read more
Emergency Action Planning & Rescue From Height - TCIG 2101
TIN 013 was originally published by the interest group to provide guidance on the planning and procedures required for a successful and safe rescue and lays out what needs to do be done for rescue at height. TIN 013 was recently reviewed but due to the depth and extent of the content, has been converted as a Good Practice Guide, allowing the content to be better laid out for clearer reading, identification and extraction of key information.
Requirements for Tower Cranes Alongside Railways Controlled by Network Rail
This guidance provides clarity about oversailing of Network Rail (NR) infrastructures by tower c... read more
Requirements for Tower Cranes Alongside Railways Controlled by Netw...
This guidance provides clarity about oversailing of Network Rail (NR) infrastructures by tower cranes due to the inherent risks to NR operations, personnel, the travelling public etc and the requirements that must be taken. Where lifting operations are being taken over or adjacent to a live railway, NR infrastructure or railway public areas, they must be consulted at the earliest stage of planning. They will then determine the measures required, which may well include a railway possession and, if appropriate, isolation.
The climbing of tower cranes is a specialised technique used in the installation of tower cranes... read more
Climbing of Tower Cranes - TCIG 1101
The climbing of tower cranes is a specialised technique used in the installation of tower cranes to increase or decrease the height of a crane without the use of a large mobile crane to lift components to the top of the crane. The publication provides guidance to help successful tower crane climbing operations which depend on detailed planning and effective teamwork by suitably trained and experienced personnel.
Maintenance, Inspection and Thorough Examination of Tower Cranes - TCIG 0801
The purpose of this guide is to set out the considerations to meet legal requirements and is div... read more
Maintenance, Inspection and Thorough Examination of Tower Cranes - ...
The purpose of this guide is to set out the considerations to meet legal requirements and is divided into two sections - Maintenance activities and then Thorough Examinations. It is aimed at tower crane owners, and those managing and carrying out the maintenance and thorough examination. However, the document will also be of benefit to other groups such as tower crane users.
This guide covers the whole of the lifting operation from the tower crane user's perspective. It... read more
Safe Use of Top Slew Tower Cranes - TCIG 0701
This guide covers the whole of the lifting operation from the tower crane user's perspective. It sets out to provide guidance in an easily assimilated form, paying particular attention to the duties of the whole lifting team, the hazards involved in tower crane operation and precautions to be taken if accidents are to be avoided.
Safe Use of Self Erecting Tower Cranes - TCIG 0601
The management of the installation and use of SETCs follows the same principles as other tower c... read more
Safe Use of Self Erecting Tower Cranes - TCIG 0601
The management of the installation and use of SETCs follows the same principles as other tower cranes and the purpose of this document is to provide guidance on the safe siting, erection, use, maintenance, thorough examination and dismantling of SETCs, together with the management and planning of these activities. It also applies to truck mounted tower cranes types
All lifting operations must be undertaken by a trained and competent team using a safe system of... read more
Tower Crane Operator's Handbook
All lifting operations must be undertaken by a trained and competent team using a safe system of work established prior to the start of any lifting operation and the tower crane operator plays a vital role in the team. The aim of this guide is to provide the operator essential but practical advice to help and remind them to carry out this role successfully and safely.
Placing Tower Cranes out of and Back into Service - TCIG Safety Alert -
This safety alert is about placing tower cranes out of service for extended periods and was publ... read more
Placing Tower Cranes out of and Back into Service - TCIG Safety Ale...
This safety alert is about placing tower cranes out of service for extended periods and was published at the start of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown period. This alert offers guidance not only on placing the crane out of service but what enhanced checks should be carried out – over and above normal daily checks – when being put back into service after an extended period of non-use. This was to coincide with the increasing number of construction sites that were restarted up again. As the pandemic remains currently into 2021 and further mothballing of sites could occur, the advice in this safety alert remains valid until further notice.
The HSE issued a safety alert to the construction industry to remind those working on projects w... read more
HSE Safety Alert on the Use of Tower Cranes
The HSE issued a safety alert to the construction industry to remind those working on projects where tower cranes are in use of the importance of the safe erection, operation, maintenance and dismantling of such cranes. This alert has been prompted by a number of serious incidents involving tower cranes in recent years.
Following a fatality where during the initial stage of the lift, the load became snagged on an obstruction, resulting in the sling being overloaded and breaking and the load falling on the Slinger / Signaller, the Principal Contractor has issued a Technical Briefing Note (TBN) titled ‘Hands off, Step back 5 Paces’. This publication provides learning material to mitigate future incidents of the same nature and intended to reduce the risk of loads striking personnel due to unexpected load movement as well as provide a series of actions that are a hierarchy of control.
The Industry Lifting Lead AP Group have produced a Schedule of Common Lifts publication, which has been produced to provide guidance on lifting methods for a number of loads frequently lifted on construction sites.
The schedule, published by NOCN, is designed to support both the training of lift planners on dedicated courses and further to provide additional guidance for the competent person planning or responsible for a lifting operation, supplement the information contained within a lift plan.
The group are keen to stress however that the publication highlights good practice but is not, and nor is it intended to be, a substitute for appropriate lift planning by a competent person and remind the industry that all lifting operations must carried out in compliance with LOLER 1998 and the relevant standards e.g. BS 7121. The Schedule for Common Lifts publication can be downloaded free of charge below.
This is an educational film that tackles the safer climbing of tower cranes and raises the awareness of safe practices which can avoid potential risks at all stages of tower crane climbing and aims at driving improvements across the industry to rule out incidents. 'The Safe External Climbing of Tower Cranes' film was developed and produced jointly by Bovis Lend Lease and Select Plant Hire, working in partnership with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) as well as the CPA.
The film offers step-by-step practical advice through all stages of tower crane climbing, from planning stages through to onsite activities, including identification of the planning required before work and on site, on the day.
The film compliments the Climbing of Tower Cranes publication - TCIG 1101, produced by the CPA Tower Crane Interest Group, which outlines good practice, potential hazards, development of safe systems of work and the essential checks to be carried out both before and during climbing activiites.
