Tradie Forms: complete the SafeWork NSW Mobile Crane Safety for PCBUs checklist on site, check every answer, then download the official PDF layout for the job file.
A mobile crane can arrive on a site with a tight program, a crew waiting and a load ready to move. That is exactly when a paper checklist gets rushed, left in the ute or filled in from memory later.
The NSW Mobile Crane Safety Checklist for PCBUs gives principal contractors and site supervisors one place to record the pre-start, planning and site set-up checks before the lift. It follows the SafeWork NSW Mobile Crane Safety for PCBUs checklist and maps the completed details onto its official PDF layout.
This guide is for the person coordinating the site side of the lift. It is not a substitute for the crane operator's checks, the crane company's procedures, the lift plan, a SWMS, or current SafeWork NSW requirements. Use the official guidance for the job and make sure the finished PDF reflects what was actually checked on site. Browse related NSW building forms, including the NSW SWMS on-site guide when high risk construction work needs a method statement.
What is the checklist for?
SafeWork NSW says its checklist can help principal contractors and site supervisors manage the risks of mobile crane activities on construction sites. The checklist focuses on three practical moments:
- crane pre-start checks and maintenance records
- pre-job planning with the crane crew
- site set-up and lifting equipment checks
The questions cover the records and conditions that are easy to assume are sorted until someone asks for them. Registration where applicable, logbooks, maintenance, the operator's manual, the load chart, crane condition, site consultation, the lift path, standing, services, powerlines, wind, exclusion zones and lifting gear all need attention before the work starts.
SafeWork NSW lists mobile-crane risks including falling loads, crane tip or roll-overs, and contact with people, structures, scaffolds or powerlines. A Yes answer is useful only when the person completing the checklist has actually checked the detail behind it. If something is missing or unclear, stop and resolve the issue through the right people and process before treating the checklist as complete.
Who should complete it?
The official checklist is aimed at principal contractors and site supervisors. On a real job, the form may be completed by the PCBU, a site supervisor or another person coordinating the mobile-crane activity for the site.
The person entering the details should be able to confirm what is happening at that site. That usually means they have spoken with the crane company and relevant crew, checked the site conditions and collected the relevant documents. It does not mean one person takes over everyone else's duties.
SafeWork NSW's guidance on hiring or using a mobile crane describes responsibilities for PCBUs, mobile crane suppliers and operators. A PCBU should have relevant documentation available on site, while the supplier and crew have their own responsibilities for crane information, operation and daily checks. Keep the checklist as part of that shared site record, not as a replacement for it.
Get the job information together first
The quickest way to complete this checklist properly is to collect the right information before opening the form. Do that while there is still time to follow up a missing document or change the plan.
Bring together the site address and PCBU details, the crane company contact, crane registration details where applicable, logbook and maintenance information, load chart, operator's manual, crew licences and induction records, SWMS, lift planning information, exclusion-zone plan and lifting-equipment details.
You may also need information about ground conditions, underground services, nearby structures, overhead powerlines and weather. The exact records depend on the lift and site. If the work changes, check that the information still matches the job in front of you. If you still need a SWMS for high risk construction work, see when a SWMS is required in NSW.
Work through the crane pre-start section
Start with the crane itself and its records. The form asks whether the crane is registered with SafeWork where it is over 10 tonne capacity, whether the logbook is available and up to date, whether maintenance and major-service inspections are recorded, and whether the operator has the manual and load chart.
It also asks whether a pre-start has been completed, whether the crane has a compliance plate and whether it appears serviceable. These are not questions to answer from an invoice or a previous job. Look at the records and crane that are on site for this lift.
If the crane has a compliance plate, enter its serial number in the form. Tradie Forms prints that serial number directly beside the compliance-plate question in the finished PDF. It gives the job file a clear link to the plate that was checked.
Use the comments field for useful specifics.
If there is a problem, record the issue and follow the site's process for dealing with it. Do not use a comment to make an unresolved No answer look acceptable.
How do you plan the lift with the right people?
The pre-job planning section is where the site and crane crew need to line up. The official checklist asks about crew induction, consultation around job planning, load-path hazards, a crane-company site assessment, the SWMS, qualified people, crane suitability for the radius and load, and communication of the safe system of work.
This is the point to talk through access, delivery timing, other trades, pedestrians, public areas, traffic and nearby work. Check whether the lift path has changed since the original plan. A new scaffold, a parked delivery truck, a different set-down zone or a changed load can alter the controls you need.
SafeWork NSW guidance says crane operators and crew should plan the lift together, complete their daily inspection and logbook, inspect the area and monitor ground conditions. The site checklist complements that conversation by recording the PCBU or site-supervisor side of planning.
Keep the answer honest. If a site assessment has not happened or the SWMS is not available, select No and use the comments field to state what needs to occur. The right next step may be to pause the lift, speak with the crane company or update the site controls. Check the applicable requirements for the job before proceeding. Related site-pack context sits in the NSW WHS site pack guide.
Check the set-up area before the lift
The site set-up section turns the planning into a check of the actual work area. It covers suitable crane standing, overhead powerline controls, underground services, any required engineering or geotechnical advice, wind conditions, exclusion zones and the suitability and inspection status of lifting equipment.
Walk the area instead of relying only on an earlier plan. Ground can become soft after rain. A work area can be blocked by another trade. New services, temporary structures and changed access routes can all affect the set-up.
Powerlines and underground services deserve a clear conversation with the right people before the crane is positioned. SafeWork NSW provides dedicated guidance for mobile cranes. If the crane will operate near powerlines, do not rely on a generic note. Check the current requirements and controls for that site.
An exclusion zone needs to work in practice. Consider how people, vehicles, deliveries and other trades will be kept clear while the lift is happening. Check the lifting gear for the load being moved and confirm it has been inspected as required. If conditions change during the job, reassess rather than relying on the earlier tick.
A simple on-site completion rhythm
Use this order when the crane is scheduled to arrive:
- Confirm the PCBU, site address, crane owner or company, date, time and person completing the checklist
- Check crane records, logbook, maintenance evidence, operator's manual, load chart, pre-start and compliance plate
- Speak with the crane crew about induction, site assessment, lift planning, SWMS, qualified people and the load path
- Walk the set-up area for standing, services, powerlines, wind, exclusion zones and lifting equipment
- Record any No answers and the action needed in the relevant comments section
- Review every answer with the people coordinating the lift
- Preview the official PDF layout, then download it to the job record
This is a better rhythm than chasing details once the operator is in the cab and the load is waiting. It also makes the record easier to understand later if the office, builder, client or another supervisor needs to review what was checked.
Keep the completed PDF with the job
The checklist is most useful when it stays with the paperwork that supports the lift. Keep the finished PDF with the lift plan, SWMS, crane-company documents, job records, photos and any records of changed controls.
Name it so the job can be found later. Include the site, date and checklist type in your normal job-file naming pattern. If the lift is part of a longer project, keep it with the relevant activity rather than in a separate downloads folder.
Tradie Forms helps you enter the checklist one section at a time, reuse relevant details where available, catch missing required entries before download, preview the official PDF layout and download the completed record. It does not decide whether the checks are adequate or whether the work can proceed. The people responsible for the site and lift still need to check the job and follow current official guidance.
Common mistakes to avoid
Completing it from the office
Some details can be started before the crane arrives, but the final answers need to match the actual crane, crew and set-up area. Review it on site before download.
Treating a No answer as admin only
The comments box is for a clear record, not a workaround. Describe the gap and make sure the right action is taken through the site's safety process.
Forgetting the compliance-plate serial number
When the compliance plate is present, enter the serial number while you are standing at the crane. It is harder to chase later and it helps identify what was checked.
Saving the PDF without the supporting records
The checklist tells only part of the story. Store it beside the lift plan, SWMS, crane documents and notes that support the work. If the SWMS itself is the weak link, see common SWMS mistakes.
Next steps
Open the NSW Mobile Crane Safety Checklist for PCBUs when you have the site and crane information ready. You can also browse NSW building forms for the rest of the job paperwork, or start a NSW SWMS when high risk construction work needs a method statement.
Official references
For current safety requirements, use SafeWork NSW's mobile cranes guidance, the Mobile Crane Safety for PCBUs checklist, its guidance on roles and responsibilities when hiring or using a mobile crane, and the prepare safe work method statement page for SWMS duties that often sit beside the lift.
