The Safe Work Australia crane licence review could see potentially damaging and easily avoidable outcomes for those operating vehicle loading cranes.

The review asks if a dogging licence prerequisite should apply to the vehicle loading crane licence class.The ATA’s August 2023 submission to the review argues that a dogging prerequisite would be unsuitable for vehicle loading crane (VLC) operators because–

• VLCs are typically operated by truck drivers to unload product on the footpath or worksite beside the truck and doesn’t leave the operator’s sight. The ATA is not aware of any safety incidents involving VLCs and dogging.
• A dogging prerequisite would increase cost and training time for drivers. It is simply unnecessary for the tasks undertaken by a truck driver operating this equipment and would represent a significant burden for affected businesses.