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Delegation of Appointed Person's Responsibilites
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Posted By Paul Newson
Hi all. Can anyone offer assistance in this matter.
I am a Safety Adviser for the Principal Contractor on a major engineering construction site with 24/7 construction operations, which include lifting. Following a site audit I raised the question regarding delegation of AP's responsibilities, as the main contractor's AP is only on site during the day-shift. Can he delegate his responsibilities to a General Foreman or rigging team that are working the night-shift? If he can, what should be the level of handover and instruction, (written, verbal instruction, etc.), and does he have to do this in person? Should there be a higher grade rigging team member appointed to carry out his duties? This has caused some head scratching among the safety team and the AP, and we are still without a definitive answer!
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
In principle there is no reason why there could not be a suitable deputy nominated for the hours an AP is not personally present on site. There is no specific requirement for personal and direct supervision by the AP which would mean the AP must be present during all lifting works. After all once you are in the position of having multiple lifts ongoing, including the likes of Telehandlers, then a 24 hour site will need some ongoing plan. This Plan for the Lifting Operations is for me the key document and it would need to cover such as Handover to Deputy procedures and the limitations on the powers of the deputies.
The role is primarily to co-ordinate and plan the works not to personally supervise the lift. This latter is the role described under reg. 8(1)b in LOLER. If you roll up these roles together then you do start to hit a problem however and you need a formal AP for each shift.
Bob
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Posted By Paul Newson
Thanks Bob. The problem in this case, (and as it transpires other instances), is that there has been no deputy for the AP, appointed to carry out the night-shift operations. The lift in question was being directed by the General Foreman who was asked informally, (as a favour) to conduct the lift. At the time of the audit he was advising two experienced riggers on the slinging of items, based on historical activities. He is not a qualified or experienced in any lifting disciplines. While the Permit to work was in place, the lifting plan/risk assessment was on the GF's desk and had not been viewed by either of the riggers or the crane driver. Can/should the AP delegate authority to such a person? Common sense would suggest not. Hand on heart, how would my company as PC, or the main contractor fair in court if the lift had failed and person/s were injured or killed? Not very well I fear!
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Posted By COLIN BLACKMAN
The Appointed person can delegate their duties but not their responsibilities and so it is vital that they ensure whoever is supervising in their abscence is competent to do so.
A crane co-ordinator/lifting supervisor would be the ideal choice but whoever is chosen must ensure that all of the crane team are fully conversant with the risk assessment and method statement/lifting plan.
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Colin
I view the roles of Crane co-ordinator and Appointed Person as equivalent usages. You are correct though that an experienced lift foreman could deputise on an occassional basis providing the limits and sphere of action are tightly defined.
Paul
You are right to be conceerned at the lack of formalised handover procedures. Until they are correct there needs to be an embargo on nightime lifting. One has to question the competence of the current Appointed Person if such arrangements are not made.
Bob
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Posted By The toecap
I'm sure Alex Mac is the expert here. I would take copies of all their competencies. I wou;d then put all this in a file. Along with the crane certificates, lift plan, lift tackle register. etc and get them all sat down and get everybody involved in the lift to sign.
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Posted By alex mccreadie
Paul
Colin, Bob and the Toecap have all answered your question.
A trained Competent Lift Supervisor can be made responsible for the lifts.
This can be done by him signing up to the MS along with the rest of the Lift Team.
The only need for Verbal Instruction from the AP would be if there were any Complex Lifts like 2 crane Tandem Lifting.
He should always have lines of communication to the AP even out of hours.
My only worry in this case is the ability of the AP if he cannot answer these questions.
Sadly the Lifting Industry went through a money making spell where APs were being trained in Hotel Conference rooms 16 at a time.(Wot no Crane)
Thankfully standards have been raised.
Ta Alex
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Posted By Paul Newson
Thanks for your help chaps, it's much appreciated.
I will be back on site Monday and will begin to look at the systems we have in place with a view to overhauling were necessary.
Thanks again!
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