Crane and hoist operation - Licence requirements
This bulletin outlines the licensing requirements to operate a crane or hoist in the Northern Territory. The use of cranes and hoists is considered high risk work and requires the operator to hold an appropriate licence to perform high risk work issued by NT WorkSafe.
The licensing of workers aims to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to perform high risk work in a safe manner so to reduce the health and safety risk to themselves and other persons in the workplace.
Classes of high risk work licences for cranes and hoists
Tower Crane (CT) covers the operation of a boom or jib crane mounted on a tower structure. The crane may be a horizontal or luffing jib type and the tower structure may be demountable or permanent. This licence type does not cover the operation of a Self-Erecting Tower Crane (CS).
Self-Erecting Tower Crane (CS) covers the operation of a crane that is not disassembled into a tower element and a boom or jib element in the normal course of use and where the erection and dismantling processes are an inherent part of the crane’s function.
Derrick Crane (CD) covers the operation of a slewing strut-boom crane with its boom pivoted at the base of a mast which is either guyed (guy derrick) or held by backstays (stiff legged derrick) and which is capable of luffing under load.
Portal Boom Crane (CP) covers the operation of a boom crane or jib crane mounted on a portal frame, which is supported on runways along which the crane travels.
Bridge and Gantry Crane (CB) covers the operation of a bridge crane (travels along elevated runways) or gantry crane that is either remotely controlled or operated from a permanent cabin or control station on the crane and having more than three powered operations (powered operations include traversing, travelling, hoisting (hoist, raise and lower are considered to be one operation) and rotation). This licence also allows the application of load estimation and slinging techniques to move a load but does not enable the licence holder to direct a plant operator in the movement of a load when the load is out of the operator’s view.
Vehicle Loading Crane (CV) covers the operation of a crane with a capacity of 10 metre tonnes or more, mounted on a vehicle for the purpose of loading and unloading the vehicle. This licence also allows the application of load estimation and slinging techniques to move a load but does not enable the licence holder to direct a plant operator in the movement of a load when the load is out of the operator’s view.
Non-Slewing Mobile Crane (CN) covers the operation of a mobile crane of greater than 3 tonnes capacity that incorporates a boom or jib that cannot be slewed and includes an articulated mobile crane and a locomotive crane, but does not include vehicle tow trucks.
Slewing Mobile Crane (C2) covers the operation of a mobile crane incorporating a boom or jib that can be slewed, with a load capacity up to 20 tonnes. This licence also covers the operation of cranes requiring a CN, CV (excluding the application of load estimation and slinging techniques to move a load) or RS licence.
Slewing Mobile Crane (C6) covers the operation of a mobile crane incorporating a boom or jib that can be slewed, with a load capacity up to 60 tonnes. This licence also covers the operation of cranes requiring a C2, CN, CV (excluding the application of load estimation and slinging techniques to move a load) or RS licence.
Slewing Mobile Crane (C1) covers the operation of a mobile crane incorporating a boom or jib that can be slewed, with a load capacity up to 100 tonnes. This licence also covers the operation of cranes requiring a C6, C2, CN, CV (excluding the application of load estimation and slinging techniques to move a load) or RS licence.
Slewing Mobile Crane (CO) covers the operation of a mobile crane incorporating a boom or jib that can be slewed, with a load capacity over 100 tonnes. This licence also covers the operation of cranes requiring a C1, C6, C2, CN, CV (excluding the application of load estimation and slinging techniques to move a load) or RS licence.
Materials Hoist (HM) covers the operation of a hoist by which only goods or materials may be hoisted and where the car, bucket or platform is cantilevered from, and travels up and down outside, a face of the support of a structure.
Personnel and Materials Hoist (HP) covers the operation of a hoist in which personnel, goods and/or materials may be hoisted that is either a cantilever hoist, a tower hoist or a several winches configured to operate as a hoist. This licence also covers the operation of hoists requiring a HM licence.
Concrete Placing Boom (PB) covers the operation of plant incorporating a knuckle boom, capable of power operated slewing and luffing to place concrete by way of pumping through a pipeline attached to, or forming part of the boom of the plant.
Reach Stacker (RS) covers the operation of a powered reach stacker that incorporates an attachment for lifting and lowering a shipping container.
Plant not requiring a licence to operate
A worker operating plant that does not require a licence will still need to be appropriately trained and deemed competent in the use of the plant they are operating (e.g. Vehicle Loading Crane with a capacity of less than 10 metre tonnes or Bridge and Gantry Cranes with three or less powered operations).
Examples of how to assess the competency of a person to operate the crane could include a review of the work history and training records of a person, conduct appropriate challenge tests and have an experienced competent worker of the Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) assess a new worker on behalf of the PCBU.
Operators can demonstrate their competency in the operation of plant by:
- Holding a statement of attainment or other nationally recognised qualification
- Successfully completing training at an industry training school
- Completing on-the-job training under supervision of an experienced competent person.
- Many Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) also provide a fee for service called verification of competency conducted by an accredited assessor aligned to that RTO.
Applying for a licence
Applications should be made using the form:
Additional information
The following information on high risk work licensing is available on the NT WorkSafe website.