UK: The Construction Plant-hire Association has released a consolidated guidance document intended to provide clear and consistent requirements for all types of crane operating near live railway environments.
The Requirements for Lifting Equipment Adjacent to Railways Controlled by Network Rail document has been jointly produced by the Crane Interest Group and the Tower Crane Interest Group in collaboration with the infrastructure manager. It replaces previous guidance which was split between two separate publications covering mobile and tower cranes.
It aligns with Network Rail’s CIV0063 (Issue 2): Piling, Drilling, Crane, MEWP and SMPT Operations Adjacent to the Railway. The document is intended to ensure that both industry and the client authority work from the same technical baseline to eliminate duplication, clarify responsibilities and provide a seamless link between Network Rail’s internal procedures and CPA’s best practice advice for contractors.
CPA said ‘this collaboration marks a true milestone in industry partnership, demonstrating what can be achieved when regulators, infrastructure owners and industry groups work together towards shared goals of safety, efficiency and understanding’.
