A lift plan is a document that gathers all of the information regarding a particular lift into one place. 

It is a ‘living’ document that is continually updated until the lift has started.  We at The Dothea Group believe that every lift should have a documented lift plan.  Even the most standard lift needs a simple lift plan to make sure that the lift is within the limits of the equipment and is accomplished safely.  This goes back to the old saying, “failing to plan is planning to fail.”  Depending on the organization there are usually three levels of lift plans: standard lift plan, non-standard lift plan, and critical or engineering lift plan.  These levels are basically set depending on the level of risk taken with each lift.  We have broken these levels out to a separate article to dive into more detail for each one.  It is important to check with regulations that apply to your project and your organization to understand what is exactly required on your project.

A great guide for lift planning is ASME P30.1.  This voluntary standard gives planning considerations and practices that apply to load handling equipment and other equipment and activities when moving loads vertically or horizontally.  This standard addresses many issues not contained in 2010 OSHA 1926.1400. 

There are ten key items that should be a part of every lift plan.  The level of detail required varies depending on the risk of the job, but each is still critical to know and document prior to executing the lift.

1 //

• The first is the load to be handled.  Do you know the weight, center of gravity and its overall dimensions?  The source of this information is also important.  Is it stated on drawings or written on a bill of lading?  Does the load have objects or substances on it that could shift while being lifted?  One example of this is water.  Did it rain the night before and is the load full of water now?  This will obviously change the weight of the load to be lifted and could alter the center of gravity.  Even worse, the water could start spilling out at some point during the lift and cause issues.  Are there lifting points on the load to be lifted?  Do they appear to be in good condition and located properly?  Sometimes multiple pieces are put together and each individual piece has lugs for handling, but those same lugs shouldn’t be used to lift the newly created module without proper analysis.  It is important to look over the entire load to make sure that the lugs are approved for lifting and sized correctly for the entire pick.

2 //

• The second is the load handling equipment or LHE.  This could be a crane, tugger, gantry system or any other device that is used to lift a load vertically or horizontally.  The obvious question is does this LHE have enough capacity to handle the load.  This should include all of the deductions from the rated capacity at the set pick radius.  This can be figured out by reading a load chart or looking at the manufacturer’s information that gives guidance on how to use the LHE.  Another item to consider is how external dynamics might affect the LHE.  This could be wind, speed of the load movement, air quality, etc.  Is there enough room for the LHE and is it approved to be on-site?  Selecting the proper crane or LHE for your job is critical. 

3 //

• The third is the rigging setup.  Does the rigging have the proper capacity throughout the lift?  Is the rigging setup to the center of gravity?  Is the rigging properly protected from sharp edges, high temperatures or chemical issues?  If you are upending or turning a load, are all of the rigging points and rigging sized properly for the changing dynamic loads?  Have the loads in the slings been properly identified, has your sling angle been taken into account?  These questions will push you to the proper devices to use in rigging the load. 

4 //

• The fourth is load movement and the load handling equipment.  The travel path and load movement need to be identified in your lift plan.  In the movement, is there an opportunity for the load to collide with something else?  Does the load need to be lifted up and over a building?  Are there people usually in that building or is there critical infrastructure in that building?  Also a part of following the load movement is where are your people?  Where are your spotters being located and also your tag-line personnel?  From lift point A to the end point B, there needs to be a plan for what each person is doing and where they are located.  This will help in case of an emergency and help ensure everyone is a safe distance from the load path.

5 //

• The fifth is personnel training qualification.  Throughout the OSHA standards, they talked about competence.  There are other terms such as qualified person, qualified lift director, qualified rigger, qualified signal person or designated person.  Each of these positions require some sort of training and qualification.  Your Site Safety Manager or Officer needs to be involved as well.  Again, depending on your organization and jurisdiction, these terms may vary and their requirements may change.

6 //

• The sixth is the site of the work itself.  Can the LHE be set up properly?  Can it be removed safely after the lift has been completed?  If the LHE is on the ground, what is the ground bearing pressure applied and can the existing ground support it?  Are there power lines running over the job site?  Are there undergrounds that need to be addressed under or near the LHE?  Has the load path discussed in item four been walked down?  It should be walked down to understand if there is any critical equipment, power lines, people, etc. that could pose a risk during the lift.  If you are using a crane, is there room to build the crane and lay down the boom in case of an emergency or high winds?  During the lift, if you are swinging the load, does the load move from behind a building or structure then out in to the open?  The wind could play games on the load and crane or LHE here.  Wind can have a large effect on a lift.

7 //

• The seventh item is communication.  Communication is key in any endeavor, but it is especially critical in lifting operations.  During many lifts, the operator may be blind to the load and is relying on the communication of others.  Voice and hand signals need to be clear and understood between all parties during the lift.  Making sure everyone involved is on a separate radio channel to eliminate outside chatter than doesn’t involve the lift helps.  You should also look to have a backup plan if your primary source of communication fails. 

8 //

• The eighth item is the safety director and safety supervisor mentioned in the fifth item.  They will be coordinating with on-site personnel before, during and after the lift to ensure proper barricading is up and directing traffic away from the load path.  The main goal here is site control and to make sure someone doesn’t enter the load path while lifting operations are going on.

9 //

• The ninth item is the contingency plan.  Are the correct response teams available?  The hazards of the lift should be identified.  What if a storm comes out of nowhere, do you have a place to lay down the boom or evacuate people?  One over looked item often is to talk about where the crane should fall if it were to happen.  Obviously no one wants this to happen, but if it does, it could save lives if the operator know where to try to put the crane down if something catastrophic were to happen.  The safety personnel should keep this area clear as a precaution as well.

10 //

• The last item is the emergency action plan.  As mentioned in item seven, what is your back up plan if your primary communication method fails?  This should be addressed.  We can’t control everything, but we should plan for the items that we can control.  We can’t plan for an earthquake, but we can make sure personnel are tied-off, know the evacuation routes, know where to set the crane down, and know that the response teams are ready.  The safety director and their team usually build this portion of the plan.  It needs to be properly communicated to those involved with the lift so in case something does happen, there isn’t hesitation, but proper action.

With the lift plan, a pre-lift meeting should be held as well.  For a standard lift, this could be a short 5 minute meeting to just make sure everyone is on the same page and to poke holes in the plan.  A non-standard lift may not take very long either.  But an engineered or critical lift could take a few hours, days or weeks depending on its complexity and the number of parties involved. 

A lift plan should not just rely on the LID or LMI of a crane. We discuss this in a separate article, but these devices only help validate your lift plan and should not be used as your sole source plan.

Lift plans are also useful for future projects and training others.  It can show you gaps in your planning after the lift that can be improved on for the next lift.  The lift plan can be used to train newer employees on how a lift was completed and to show all of the elements that go into a lift.  It is also a good document that can be shared between shifts on a job site to show what worked and didn’t work so the next crew can learn from the first crew. 

We want to make sure you have a successful lift and that starts with proper planning.  We can help in this process by helping to create a lift plan with you whether it is a standard lift, non-standard lift, or an engineered (critical) lift.  Here at The Dothea Group, we will do our best to meet your schedule needs and we will provide efficient, engineered solutions to better your project, improve safety, and increase your bottom line. 

If you are interested in learning more about our engineering services, contact us today.  We can partner with you to ensure a successful bid or project.