The International Crane Stakeholders Assembly (ICSA) – has published two new detailed, free guidance documents on the use of mobile cranes. The first – ICSA 005 – is the long-awaited report on the use of mobile cranes on barges. Work on this started in the wake of a crane accident in Alphen aan den Rijn in 2015 and the subsequent accident report from the Dutch Safety Board. In the accident, two cranes and part of a prefabricated bridge fell on several buildings. Fortunately, no one was injured when the cranes, which were standing on a pontoon on the river, began to sway and topple over, crushing several homes and shops.
The second guidance document – ICSA 006 – is on the use of mobile cranes for pile driving and extraction and is intended to provide guidance in the assessment of risks. The ICSA said that the use of mobile cranes in conjunction with freely suspended vibratory equipment for pile driving/extraction applications presents unique hazards that can increase risk, requiring additional considerations to be reviewed prior to commencing operations.
Both reports are available for free download from the library section of ESTA’s website at www.estaeurope.eu or from the ICSA at www.icsa-crane.org. The ICSA’s role is to facilitate dialogue between crane industry stakeholders on safety, technical and regulatory issues, and promote consensus positions on issues of common concern. Including ESTA, the ICSA currently has seven active members from Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan and the USA.
