Even experienced teams encounter lifting incidents, not due to incompetence, but because routine can mask risk. This article explores how Section 1 of LEEA’s COPSULE, along with Australian safety standards, provides a reliable framework for embedding safe lifting practices.
When routine becomes risky
Two fatalities and multiple near-misses in Australia prove that even “routine” lifts carry hidden hazards:
Port Botany, NSW (2021): During yacht salvage, a sling was incorrectly attached to the mast. The mast failed, killing a worker. There was no lift plan, no licensed operator, and no oversight. The company was fined over AUD 1 million, and the director faced personal prosecution.
Lithgow Mine, NSW (2017): A synthetic sling choked over a flange failed mid-lift, with the load striking an elevated work platform. Two workers narrowly avoided injury. The SWMS lacked edge protection and failed to consider safer sling alternatives.
Both cases share a theme: safe lifting is more than compliance – it’s embedded behaviour.
Section 1 of COPSULE: The safety blueprint
LEEA’s Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Lifting Equipment (COPSULE) outlines foundational practices for lifting safety. Section 1 mandates:
• Competent leadership and planning
• Load stability and balance throughout the lift
• Defined roles, rehearsed communication, and emergency procedures
• Stop-work authority for all personnel
The goal? Ensure a lifted load behaves as if it were already safely on the ground – stable, predictable, and under control.
Australia’s Framework: Legal backing for best practice
Safe Work Australia’s Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace outlines a four-step process:
1. Identify hazards (e.g., load shape, sling contact, foot traffic).
2. Assess risks (likelihood x consequence).
3. Control risks (equipment choice, communication, exclusion zones).
4. Review and revise (especially after a near miss or lift variation).
In both Lithgow and Port Botany, hazard identification was flawed or non-existent. A thorough lift plan, compliant with both COPSULE and Work Health and Safety legislation, could have mitigated these failures.
Slinging with Accuracy
Australian Standards (AS 4991, AS 2550) and COPSULE reinforce accurate sling use:
• Select the right sling for the load’s weight, shape, and edge conditions.
• Avoid choking soft slings around rigid or sharp surfaces.
• Inspect slings before use – abrasion, UV exposure, and chemical degradation reduce strength.
• Use only certified, tagged slings and hardware.
WorkSafe Victoria issued multiple alerts between 2019 and 2021 about slings failing below working load limit. These were often the result of misuse rather than material faults.
Embedding a Safety Culture on the Ground
Rules are only effective when turned into habits. Lifting safety must be embedded in daily operations.
Visual SOPs: Post clear, visual lift checklists where work is carried out – near cranes, in rigging bays, and on equipment.
Toolbox talks: Use real cases like Lithgow or Port Botany as learning points. Ask: What went wrong? What would we do differently?
Lift rehearsals: Before critical lifts, conduct dry runs. Clarify signals, simulate faults, and rehearse team response.
Near-miss reviews: Encourage reporting and open discussions. A no-blame approach to near-misses improves system-wide awareness.
Empowered stop authority: Make it clear that any team member –regardless of role – can call “Stop” the moment something seems wrong.
One Western Australia port reduced near-misses by 87 per cent after introducing a Lift Integrity Checklist – signed off before every lift. Structure replaced assumption.
A Safer Lift: Step-by-step
The following step-by-step outline consolidates many of the above principles into each phase of a typical lifting operation:
Pre-Lift
• Conduct a full assessment using COPSULE guidance.
• Identify hazards, define swing paths, and sketch sling configurations.
• Confirm load balance and rigging angles.
Hook-Up
• Visually inspect slings, shackles, and hooks.
• Use padding for edges.
• Brief all team members on roles, signals, and emergency actions.
Lift
• Begin with a jog test to check sling balance and behaviour.
• Use positive verbal or visual signals.
• Pause the lift at the first sign of instability, miscommunication, or interference.
Post-Lift
• Reinspect all gear.
• Log any wear, damage, or deviations.
• If anything unexpected occurred, conduct a team review within 24 hours.
Why Rigorous Discipline Matters
Familiar lifts can create a false sense of security. In fact, both incidents described (Port Botany and Lithgow) involved operations that had reportedly been done many times before without incident – leading crews to underestimate the risks. It was precisely this routine familiarity that bred the oversights: skipping risk assessments, using an improper sling “just this once,” or assuming someone else was watching for trouble. A seasoned operator or rigger might know the right practices, but checklists and standard procedures ensure those practices are actually applied every time, even on a tiring day or a rushed job.
Moreover, safety must be measurable and visible. Regulators and industry authorities consistently cite poor lift planning or breakdowns in communication as major contributors in crane and lifting accidents. In the aftermath of serious incidents, investigations often find that either no lift plan was made or the plan was ignored, and that signals or lines of authority were unclear at the critical moment. These are preventable failings. By enforcing planning, documentation, and communication protocols as strictly as we enforce load limits, companies create accountability for safety. It also sends a message to every worker: safety in lifting is not just a personal concern, but an operational prerequisite that is tracked, audited, and enforced.
Turning guidance into practice
A lift doesn’t fail because the plan was wrong. It fails when there was no plan, or the plan wasn’t followed.
By blending technical accuracy (in risk assessments, sling selection, and communications) with a disciplined, empowered safety culture, lifting teams can keep routine jobs from turning into tragedies. Every missed signal or unchecked sling is an accident invitation – but every diligent pre-check and open safety conversation is a step toward an incident-free lift.
Key References
• SafeWork NSW – Incident and prosecution details for the Port Botany yacht mast fatality (AWB Contractors), including legal outcomes for the company and directoraustraliagovnews.comworkplacelaw.com.au.
• NSW Resources Regulator – Safety Alert SA17-04: Synthetic fibre sling fails (Lithgow Mine incident), describing the sling failure mechanism and investigation findingsresources.nsw.gov.auresources.nsw.gov.au.
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace, which outlines the required hazard identification, risk assessment, control implementation, and review process for operating plant (including cranes)worksafe.qld.gov.au.
• LEEA COPSULE – Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Lifting Equipment, Section 1 (Edition 9.1, free via LEEA) – fundamental principles for safe lifting operations and load stabilityleeaint.comleea.com.au.
• WorkSafe Victoria – Safety Alerts on soft sling failures (2012 & 2021), warning that soft slings can fail below WLL due to misuse (sharp edges, damage, etc.), and recommending sling selection, protection, and inspection practicesworksafe.vic.gov.auworksafe.vic.gov.au.
• WorkSafe WA Stevedoring Code – Managing Risks in Stevedoring code of practice, highlighting the critical importance of reliable communication during crane operations to prevent dropped loads and collisionsworksafe.wa.gov.au.