CICA PRESIDENT’S REPORT
FAREWELL TO AN INDUSTRY LEGEND With the passing of John Gillespie, the Australian Crane Industry lost a true leader and legend. The Crane Industry Council of Australia recognises the amount of time and energy John invested in our industry to make it a better and safer work place for everyone. I AM SURE BY NOW WE ARE ALL AWARE that we have lost a true legend and CICA Life Member in John Gillespie. John, was a friend and mentor to many of us with the farthest reaching and diverse global network in the Australian crane industry. His contribution to CICA is unparalleled with 35 years on the board, 16 of those years as President, all as he grew and nurtured his family crane business, Gillespie Cranes, for over 50 years. From all of us, we wish the Gillespie family the absolute very best and extend our deepest sympathies. Rest in peace John, and again, thank you for paving a bright and ongoing future for CICA. The impacts of COVID-19 have been extensive and profound. As I write, there are varying degrees to which our members have felt the impact of the COVID virus and lockdowns. At times this winter, we have witnessed up to 15 million Australians under lockdown restrictions simultaneously. These disruptions have had a profound impact to crane businesses and the broader construction sector, some of which will take time to resonate through the industry. To protect and progress your industry organisation, The CICA Board are in the early stages of developing the next three-year Strategic Plan for CICA. The uncertainty of COVID has made this process a little more challenging than in the past, however the process will produce a clear and focused path for our association. Nevertheless, it is pleasing 16 / CAL September 2021
that we have been able to plan for the CICA Industry Days for October and November 2021. The theme Elevating Expectations reflects how the crane industry has been shaped by CICA’s last three-year strategy. ELEVATING COMPETENCE AND SAFETY We are elevating our expectations from within, pushing for better traineeships and apprenticeships at the beginning of the crane career journey. The learning journey doesn’t stop there, the uptake of tools like CrewSafe shows that our industry is serious about safety and that competence extends beyond a piece of paper. CrewSafe is the crane industry’s VOC and the audited video evidence is a safeguard for employers and site supervisors. CrewSafe is also a way for employees to broaden their skill set, and to be recognised for their abilities. Last month, the CICA Board inducted Anthony Grosser into the CICA Hall of Fame by presenting him with an Award at the CICA WA Annual Dinner. Anthony has made an enormous contribution to our industry and his leadership has paved the way for the introduction of a Certificate IV in Mobile Crane Operations in Western Australia. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Anthony, a well-deserving recipient of the Hall of Fame Award. On behalf of the entire CICA Board, I would like to thank Anthony for his tireless efforts and commitment to our industry.
CICA president Tom Smith.
ELEVATING CRANE LIFE Our equipment is expensive and every crane owner I know takes the task of crane maintenance seriously. CraneSafe is the audited crane inspection program and StartSafe, a valuable tool for conducting pre-starts. There is no “one-size-fits all” position in relation to safe crane maintenance, so for the last three years CICA has been lobbying for changes to timeframes for a major inspection. A crane that is used once a month should not be subject to the same ten-year time frame as a crane being used 10 hours a day, 52 weeks a year. The ‘tenyear’ figure is not evidence based, adds an unnecessary burden to small business operators and lulls operators of cranes subject to heavy use, into a false sense of security and potential complacency. It is for this reason, CICA is advocating for a combination of condition monitoring and manufacturer’s recommendations as the best approach to maintaining a crane. This common-sense approach not only lifts a burden from small business owners, but also encourages a greater level of cognizance and awareness of maintenance safety by all crane owners and operators. ISO 9927-1:2013, AS2550.5-2016 and AS2550.11-2016, all recommend an alternative condition monitoring approach to the existing default practice of conducting a major inspection at 10 years. www.cranesandlifting.com.au
