2019 CICA Regional Meeting in Newcastle

On Friday the 5th of July 2019, the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) New South Wales branch (CICA NSW) hosted their annual regional meeting in Newcastle, with over 70 crane business owners and management attending.

The full-day event featured representatives from the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).

During the event, CICA NSW presented several initiatives for the industry:

CrewSafe Program

Patrick Cran presented on CrewSafe, a machine-specific Verification of Competency (VOC) assessment program for the crane industry. This voluntary assessment was developed in consultation with the mobile crane industry and CICA. CrewSafe recognizes that different makes and models of cranes require different operator training. For example, a 40T Liebherr is not the same as a 40T Tadano, despite being the same weight. Through CrewSafe, operators are tested on all machine-specific tasks, including setup, configuration, and operation. Photos and videos are taken during the assessment and uploaded to a portal accessible to crane business owners. This process provides verification of competencies for the industry. While currently focused on operators, there are plans to expand assessments to dogging and rigging by the end of the year.

Although there are challenges, such as the cost of CrewSafe, the Tier 1 general contractor verification process, and WorkCover not mandating CrewSafe because it is a third-party service, the initiative continues to grow with support from the mobile crane industry and CICA members. CrewSafe helps crane business owners ensure that operators can perform to the required standard, providing visual verification of skills rather than relying solely on resumes, tickets, and licenses.

Outrigger App Launch

CICA also launched the Outrigger app in NSW, which estimates the required bog mat or timber area for a given crane and load combination. The results can be emailed or sent via SMS to the site or office. The app assists taxi crane operators, who may not always have all the information needed to set up safely onsite. Through the Outrigger app, CICA aims to create a process for verification from the outrigger to an owner or manager, helping to prevent crane accidents. John March from JPM Cranes presented the app and emphasized the importance of adopting new technologies for safety. He noted:

“What is 2 hours of downtime compared to a fallen down crane? If we can stop just one crane from falling from the use of this app… it’s worth it!”

Traineeships in the Crane Industry

The meeting also addressed the importance of adopting traineeships in crane business operations. Emma Makinson from Coffs City Cranes shared their experience with five trainees, ranging from Year 9-12 early school leavers to current staff seeking to upskill from operator to rigger. Key benefits of adopting traineeships include:

• ​Introducing new talent to the crane industry
• ​Combining employment and training
• ​Closing the generational gap within the industry
• ​Creating good habits by training younger people the correct and safe way to work
• ​Contributing to the local community and economy

Charity Dinner and Industry Advocacy

The day concluded with a charity dinner and auction for the Guide Dogs of NSW and ACT, raising over $42,000. The regional meeting highlighted CICA's dedication to the industry and their advocacy for the mobile crane sector. Assignar expressed pride in supporting CICA and their initiatives, and looked forward to the CICA Conference held in the Hunter Valley from 17th – 19th October 2019.