CPA publishes industry guidance on cantilevered crane loading platforms

The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has published an industry guidance document on the safe use of temporary cantilevered crane-loaded platforms, written by its member Conquip and badged by its two crane interest groups.

The CPA said its Crane Interest Group (CIG) and Tower Crane Interest Group (TCIG) had supported, badged and published the document, which is aimed at people planning the use and management of the equipment on site.

According to the CPA, the publication contains guidance, advice and recommendations covering selection, site preparation, training, installation, operation, inspection and de-rigging. It can be downloaded free of charge from the association's publications page, as with all its crane publications.

Why the guidance was written

The CPA said cantilevered platforms had become commonplace on major construction projects, but that industry guidance had generally been limited to what a manufacturer or supplier provided. The association said the document is intended to help increase understanding of the safe use of the platforms.

The association described the platforms as one solution to the need, on high-rise buildings, to move goods and materials to and from the levels where they are required. It said use of the equipment requires specialist knowledge that can only be gained from experienced operatives and approved training.

The regulatory background

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets out duty holders' obligations under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). HSE says all lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner. HSE defines lifting equipment as work equipment for lifting and lowering loads.

HSE says the plan for any lifting operation must address the foreseeable risks involved in the work, and that for complex lifting operations a written plan should be developed by a person with significant and specific competencies. Supervision, it says, should be proportionate to the risk. Lifting equipment must also be thoroughly examined in a number of situations, including before first use.

HSE's Approved Code of Practice L113 sets out what duty holders should do to comply with LOLER. The code is in its second edition, published in December 2014 with amendments in 2018, and is aimed at those who work with any lifting equipment provided at work, their employers and representatives, and the competent persons who examine lifting equipment.

The author

Conquip Engineering Group Limited is registered at Companies House under number 04791365, with its registered office in Alton, Hampshire. Its registered nature of business is the manufacture of lifting and handling equipment.

According to its investor Caledonia Private Capital, Conquip was founded in 2003, has nine regional locations and employs about 250 people. Caledonia said the business's customer exposure is predominantly to the infrastructure and utilities sectors, alongside housebuilding and the built environment. Caledonia's investment in Conquip completed on 4 August 2026.

The CPA's announcement did not give a document reference number, page count or publication date for the guidance, and carried no named spokesperson. The document is available now from the CPA publications page.