Training, competency and authorization
Training
- All personnel that use lifting equipment covered in this SOP, shall be trained by an approved service provider or training authority.
- All training programs shall include the following:
–Training on how to identify site-specific and equipment-specific risks.
–Training on how to adequately perform task and equipment related risk assessments.
–Training on actions to be taken when substandard or emergency situations arise.
- Persons being trained in Classes (B) and (C), as indicated in the section on “Competencies”, shall also be trained in the safe and proper use of Safety Harnesses.
Competencies
- Competency to safely use Lifting Equipment and Lifting Tackle shall be achieved by successfully completing the appropriate Class of Training, as specified below;
- Training on the safe use of Lifting Equipment and Lifting Tackle shall be divided into four groups:
- Class A: Training of personnel in the Rigging Trade.
- Class B: Training of personnel to perform basic lifting procedures on objects weighing up to 10,000kg. (For Artisans and Rigger Assistants only)
- Class C: Training of personnel to perform basic lifting procedures on objects weighing up to 3000kg. (Mainly for Artisan Assistants and Mining Personnel)
- Class D: Training of personnel to perform lifting procedures with specialized equipment such as;
–Tower Cranes, Overhead Cranes and Electrical Power Driven Lifting Equipment
–Mobile Cranes, Tractor- & Truck Mounted Cranes, Cherry Pickers and Scissor Lifts
–Lifting Equipment used with Lifting Platforms, Man Baskets & Bosun Chairs
–Fork-lifts (e.g. Traditional Fork-lifts and any equipment fitted with forklift attachments.)
- Personnel that successfully qualified as per Class (A) training, shall also be regarded as competent in Classes (B) and (C).
- Personnel that successfully qualified as per Class (B) training, shall also be regarded as competent in Class (C).
- Personnel that successfully qualified as per Class (D) training, shall only be regarded as competent in the specific type of equipment that he/she was trained for.
- Personnel trained according to Classes (B), (C) and (D), shall periodically be re-training by means of Refresher Courses, the interval of which shall be 24 months, but not exceeding 30 months.
- Upon successful completion of any of the courses mentioned above, the approved service provider or training authority shall issue a certificate to each individual, as proof that he/she has been found competent.
- The Training Department shall keep record of all such training.
Authorization
- No person shall be allowed to operate any of the equipment mentioned in this SOP, unless that person has been authorized to do so – MHSA Regulation 8.5(5).
- Once an employee has received his/her training certificate, the Training Coordinator can authorize that person to perform lifting procedures as per Classes (A), (B), (C) or (D) qualified.
- Formal authorization shall happen as such;
–The Training Coordinator shall prepare the “Authorization” form, or an updated version thereof, as specified at Annex A, and the “Competency ID” card/tag as specified at Annex B.
–The Training Coordinator shall inform the immediate supervisor of the employee to be authorized, to make arrangements for the said person to report to the Training Department.
–The Training Coordinator shall then allow the employee to familiarize himself/herself with the “Authorization Details”, as specified on the form.
–On accepting this authorization, the employee shall then sign the form at the space provided for that purpose.
–The Training Coordinator shall then issue the said employee, with a copy of his/her authorization form, as well as the “Competency ID” card/tag.
Equipment control, storage and responsibilities
General provisions
- All Lifting Equipment and Lifting Tackle shall be controlled by means of the “Lifting Equipment Control Book/File”.
- The “Lifting Equipment Control Book/File” shall contain the following information and sections:
–Name of the Custodian of Lifting Equipment for the respective area or section.
–Name of the Mine/Department/Section the Custodian is responsible for.
–The Lifting Equipment Register and Control Sheet containing a list of all lifting equipment under the Custodian’s control. (e.g. The sheet supplied at Annex C shall be completed separately, for each type or group of lifting equipment.)
–The Inspections/Examination as performed by a competent person or LMI.
–All the Test Certificates of the Equipment in the Lifting Equipment Register, including discarded or scrapped equipment.
–A copy of each person Authorized to use Lifting Equipment may be added for reference purposes.
- The Lifting Equipment Register and Control Sheet shall contain all the information as indicated at Annex C.
- The Lifting Equipment Control Book/File, shall be continuously maintained over time. (e.g. It should be effective over a number of years, thus to be carried over from one Custodian to the next!).
- Only the Lifting Equipment Register and Control Sheet shall be renewed annually, to accommodate the quarterly schedule for the new year. Previous control sheet shall be kept for at least 5 years.
- For reference purposes the Safe Working Load must be available for inspection, on all lifting equipment.
- Where applicable, the Safe Working Load shall be clearly and noticeably displayed, on such equipment.
- Only equipment with correct lifting capacity shall be used in lifting operations.
Responsibilities
Authorized users of Lifting Equipment
- It shall be the responsibility of every Authorized user of Lifting Equipment to ensure that,
–He or she is in possession of the necessary checklists, to check the lifting equipment under his/her direct control.
–To ensure that all equipment and tackle are used and stored in a safe manner.
–That any equipment or tackle that is found to be defective, damaged, deformed or just suspect, are taken out of commission immediately and given to the appointed Custodian of that section.
–That pre-use visual inspections are performed consistently and effectively, as per their training received.
Inspections, load testing and colour coding
- No lifting equipment, machinery or lifting tackle shall be used at Barberton Mines, unless it has been checked/inspected and/or load tested to fully comply with the specifications and controls of this Standard Operating Procedure.
- Lifting equipment/machinery and tackle that does not currently comply with regards to the purchasing of equipment or the specified SANS standard, shall be listed and prepared to be inspected by the responsible engineer, who shall then make the final decision on whether the said items shall be discarded/destroyed or to be redeployed at the mine, until the end of its life span. All other specifications of this SOP shall still apply to this equipment.
- All inspections/examinations and load testing on lifting equipment and lifting tackle shall be performed by a LMI.
Colour coding of specified equipment:
- Colour coding shall only be applicable to the equipment listed below:
–Chain Blocks (Electrical, Pneumatic & Manual Operated)
–Lever Hoists, Tirfors and Lifting Blocks
–Fibre Slings, Wire Rope Slings and Chain Slings
–Hooks, Eye Bolts and Shackles
–Lifting Clamps
–Safety Harnesses
Where colour coding is applicable, the following shall apply:
- All applicable equipment shall be inspected/examined and where applicable, load tested quarterly.
- The Load testing of equipment shall be performed as per OEM specified intervals, provided that all types of Chain Blocks, Lever Hoists and Tirfors shall be load tested every three (3) months.
- To eliminate confusion between integrated departments, possibly making use of different colour coding systems, all colour coding of applicable equipment shall correspond to the quarterly intervals as mentioned below:
–BLUE – January to March
–ORANGE – April to June
–GREEN – July to September
–YELLOW – October to December
- Colour coding shall be done by means of a tag which corresponds to the applicable period, as mentioned above.
- Shackles shall be colour coded by means of the tag being attached to the shackle pin eye only.
- All listed equipment shall generally be inspected quarterly and at the beginning of such period, but any item inspected, tested or purchased at a later stage, but still within the current period, shall also be tagged as per the applicable colour coding interval. It is thus recommended that Custodians of Lifting Equipment shall also strive to have additional stock of critical items, in order to replace defective equipment, thus still complying to this standard.
- Any equipment that is found to be defective, the color coded tag shall be removed from the equipment and the equipment immediately returned to the Custodian. The Custodian arrange for such equipment to be inspection by a LMI, before it can be used again.
- Subsequent to the above, any of the listed equipment that is not colour coded as per the applicable periods, or not colour coded at all, shall be regarded as unsafe and shall not be used.
Pre-use visual inspections by authorized users:
- It shall be the duty of each authorized user of lifting equipment to perform a pre-use “Visual Inspection” before any such equipment may be utilized. The inspection form to be used at Barberton Mines, is attached at Annex D. Please note that for practical purposes, this form may be summarized into a booklet, to be used on-site, by the authorized person.
- It shall not be necessary to perform the visual inspection on all equipment on a daily basis, but rather only when the said equipment are being used.
- Equipment that already utilizes a pre-use checklist, being mandated from other BML standards, shall not make use of the form at Annex D, provided that such pre-use checklist is adequate to comply with the relevant OEM standards. Such equipment is not limited to, but does include the following:
–Mobile Cranes, Forklifts, Mobi-Lifts, Telescopic Handlers and Scissor Lifts.
–The pre-use checklists for the equipment mentioned above, are imposed by COP6B & SOP75 on SPMM’s.
Safe operating procedures:
- It shall be the responsibility of each trained and authorized user of Lifting Equipment to adhere to all safety measures, and safe working principles as per the relevant training received. In addition to this the following shall also apply where applicable.
- Hazards and risks associated with lifting
–Before any lifting equipment is operated, the risk assessment for lifting heavy equipment must be thoroughly worked through with all persons who will be involved in the lifting operation.
–Any hazard or risk not identified in the risk assessment for lifting heavy equipment must be added to the risk assessment and all persons involved in the lifting operation must sign the risk assessment.
- Hazards and risks associated with lifting abnormal loads
–When an abnormal load is to be lifted, the Rigger in charge shall ensure that all maintenance and specifications of the equipment and accessories to be used are verified and that a task-specific risk assessment is adequately completed, prior to performing the task.
–The said risk assessment shall be discussed and signed by all employees involved in the task.
- Rigging attachments
–Shackles used in lifting operations must comply with the type and size for the load to be lifted.
–Only approved slings and shackles shall be used.
–Every sling that is used for lifting purposes must have an identification tag which shall be clearly visible.
- Damaged Equipment
–Damaged equipment shall not be used. Not even in an emergency.
–Damaged equipment that cannot be repaired shall be destroyed.
- Rigging attachments
–Shackles used in lifting operations must comply with the type and size for the load to be lifted.
–Only approved slings and shackles shall be used.
–Every sling that is used for lifting purposes must have an identification tag which shall be clearly visible.
- Damaged Equipment
–Damaged equipment shall not be used. Not even in an emergency.
–Damaged equipment that cannot be repaired shall be destroyed.
- Lifting
–All lifting equipment must have the maximum allowable load displayed on the lifting equipment
–The person in charge of the lifting operation must ensure that the mass of the load does not exceed the maximum permissible load for that specific lifting equipment, slings, shackles and attachments.
–The Person in charge of the lifting operations must ensure that no person inadvertently walks close to or under the load being lifted. This can be done by making use of Guards, Notices and Barricades
–The rigger or person in charge of the lifting operations must personally ensure that the load and all attachments are properly secured before lifting commences.
–This maximum permissible load may not be exceeded.
- Pre-use Visual Inspection
–No lifting may be done unless the lifting equipment, slings and attachments have been inspected and found safe for use.
–No defective lifting equipment may be used.
- Rigging in Underground Sections
–Rigging from the hanging wall shall always be done from at least 3 roof bolts, which shall be adequately positioned.
- Pre-use Visual Inspection
–No lifting may be done unless the lifting equipment, slings and attachments have been inspected and found safe for use.
–No defective lifting equipment may be used.
- Rigging in Underground Sections
–Rigging from the hanging wall shall always be done from at least 3 roof bolts, which shall be adequately positioned.
Maintenance:
- Maintenance and Minor Repairs on Lifting Equipment by an Authorized or Competent Person.
- All Authorized Persons making use of lifting equipment, shall ensure that all such equipment used by him/her are properly cleaned, lubricated (where applicable) and stored in an adequate dry place (when not in use).
- Authorized persons shall ONLY be allowed to perform minor repairs on lifting equipment, as specified in their respective training programs. Such minor repairs could include the renewal of safety latches on hooks and the repair and re-attachment of damaged or broken hand chains on Chain Blocks and Lever Hoists.
- Artisans shall also be allowed to perform minor repairs on lifting equipment, as specified above.
- No other repairs shall be performed by Authorized users or Artisans.
- Riggers and Trained Rigger Assistants shall be allowed to perform repairs on Lifting Equipment as per their training and experience.