Welcome to 2020 – and Happy New Year, even though it is now February. And yes, I’m still getting used to adding the second ‘2’ to the date.
Even though most of you may have worked through much of the Christmas and New Year break, I do hope you had some time to relax and enjoy the company of family and friends. This will be short and sweet as, due to the ‘great Kiwi summer shut down’, many regulators and government agencies weren’t around to further any of the outstanding 2019 issues. Case in point is the Ministry of Business, Employment and Innovation’s (MBIE) discussion paper that sought feedback on how to improve protections for people working with plant, structures, heights and excavations. Titled Implementing the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015: Better Regulation – Plant, Structures and Heights, consultation closed in October 2019. CLICK HERE to read the full article. Seeking re-election for a Crane Association of New Zealand (CANZ) Council role at the upcoming 2020 Conference in Hamilton is Paul Berriman.
And he encourages everyone and anyone keen on seeing the industry raised to greater heights to do the same – or at least seek election, then re-election later. Why? Because he lives and breathes cranes; from being on the ground and operating the big machines, to assessing training. “I’ve always been around cranes, it’s my passion. And I joined the CANZ Council to give something back to an industry that’s given so much to me,” Paul says. Growing up and attending school in England, Paul landed a gig operating and maintaining a crane and piling rigs at Bachy Soletanche Group Limited. Since first cutting his teeth with the engineering contractor that’s been involved in many major private developments and public infrastructure projects, Paul has racked up a quarter of a century in the crane industry. CLICK HERE to read the full article. With nearly a half century worth of industry representation under its belt, the Crane Association of New Zealand seeks to cement itself as one of the country’s foremost industry bodies.
And there will be no better opportunity to raise the bar than during the Association’s upcoming conference in Hamilton. To be held at Claudelands Arena from July 22-24, the CANZ Conference 2020 will boast New Zealand’s largest collection of cranes. Furthermore, the event will serve as an opportunity for the public to get up close and personal with the colossal machines – an opportunity only afforded a handful of times. Following the successful 2019 event, CANZ is hoping this year’s calibre of exhibitions, displays and speakers will be an attractive offer for potential attendees. Playing the Association’s continuing strength, this year’s conference is themed – Let’s build change, let the sky be our limit! CLICK HERE to read the full article. The Crane Association of New Zealand’s Past President, Scott McLeod, discusses what many in the industry are conscious of but must be vigilant about any way in this month’s The Technical Corner.
Over the years, Scott McLeod has turned down work because of a particular job’s inherent risks – mainly, the proximity to power lines. But even more concerning was the willingness with which other companies took those contracts. “It’s important to stick to our industry’s guidelines,” the McLeod Cranes & Hiabs Managing Director says. “If we all stick to the same guidelines, we all are – as an industry – better off for it. For example, if we always work within our Approved Code of Practice for Cranes and tell our customers the same thing, then we’re all operating on a level playing field.” CLICK HERE to read the full article. Wow, where did the year go? With the last month of the year upon us – and hopefully a stunning summer – this will be my final column for 2019.
There isn’t much to comment on that I and others haven’t done so in past newsletters, but I’ll do my best to raise the bar (excuse the pun). The Council had a meeting last month where we discussed the Association’s and industry’s achievements, as well as the challenges that have arisen. While we haven’t made any more progress on those obstacles, we’re confident their journeys will come to end in the new year. However, with this in mind, another concern has piqued our interest – mainly, Sitesafe’s work with Construction Health & Safety NZ (CHASNZ) around the variations in requirements for people to gain access to sites and other construction work areas. CLICK HERE to read the full article. Karl Leonard is a bit of a gambler – not the Roulette Table kind but one who is willing to throw his lot in to try something new.
More often than not, his gambles pay off. The newest of two Crane Association of NZ Councillors, he trained as an automotive technician, landing himself a near decade-long career at North Shore Toyota. He threw it in for a four-year OE, travelling Europe and Eastern Europe before learning enough German to get by in Austria for three years – where he also met his now wife. Returning to the land of the long white cloud in 2009, his long-time family friend’s business was growing and expanding. So, he knocked on the new owner’s door and asked for “a crack at that parts manager role”. CLICK HERE to read the full article. Warren Rogers is a practical man – his role is often complicated, so communication between him and his team of 45 staff should be simple.
That way everyone achieves the same goal – to go home at the end of the day in the same condition as when they arrived. “We haven’t had a yelling or screaming match here in some years. “That’s due to our clear, open and honest communications. I think it’s important and it’s bloody simple; the job can be complicated enough so it’s important to keep that aspect of the job simple.” As the Operations and Customer Services Manager for Fletcher Construction and Manager of the mobile equipment for Winstone Aggregate, safety is a key component of Warren’s style. CLICK HERE to read the full article. A prominent member of the Crane Association of NZ is calling for the introduction of legislation to protect subcontractors financially when either end property owner, clients or contractors’ default on payments.
Albert Smith helps lead the Smithbridge Group that includes Universal Cranes, Auckland Cranes, Gold Coast Cranes and Smith Crane & Construction. He’s also the brother of long-serving MP, Hon Nick Smith. Now, Albert wants government to introduce a version of America’s Miller Act, and reintroduce the Liens Act that the Labour Government removed from the Statute Books in 1987. CLICK HERE to read the full article. Crane operators are encouraged to work with the nearest aerodrome when planning for upcoming projects in air spaces in support of safety requirements.
The Civil Aviation Rules require formal notification of any crane activity that: Extends more than 60m in height above ground level at its site; or Exceeds general tree height in the area by 18m and is located in an area of low level aviation activity Is located below the approach or take-off surfaces of an aerodrome or heliport More information regarding the requirement for notification and authorisation of crane activity can be found at the following link: Civil Aviation Rule Part 77 – Objects and Activities Affecting Navigable Airspace. Notification of a Proposal to Construct of Alter a Structure using cranes is done via submission of CAA form 24077/01A. CLICK HERE to read the full article. |
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