Contact with a live overhead conductor can cause fatal injuries. For this reason, working near overhead power lines (OHPLs) is one of the most heavily regulated activities in UK workplaces.
In many cases, actual contact is not even necessary to be dangerous, as even a close approach can result in a flashover that proves equally deadly.
For businesses that need to lift loads in environments where OHPLs are present, the question of whether cranes can be used nearby is one that demands a careful answer.
Under strict controls, using cranes near power lines is possible. However, in most circumstances, the smarter approach is to avoid the situation entirely by installing a fixed lifting system that operates well away from any overhead line risk.
While not intended as a substitute for an independent risk assessment, here is a guide on using cranes near power lines from the Metreel team.
What UK Regulations Say
The primary guidance document is HSE GS6, Avoiding Danger from Overhead Power Lines. It sets out a hierarchy of control measures that anyone planning to work near OHPLs should follow in this order:
HSE’s hierarchy for managing overhead power lines (OHPLs) is: Avoidance, Diversion, Isolation. If the danger cannot be eliminated, the final step is controlled access.
Avoidance
Can the work be done somewhere that does not require operating near overhead lines at all?
Diversion
Can the line be rerouted?
Isolation
If the work cannot be routed, can the line be made dead for the duration of the work?
Controlled Access
Only where none of those options is viable should you move to controlled access, which involves establishing a safety zone extending at least 6 metres horizontally from the nearest wire, erecting barriers and goal posts and appointing a responsible person to supervise all plant movements.
For crane operators, another essential step is fitting physical restraints to prevent the crane from reaching beyond the safe clearance distance.
That last requirement is significant. Any crane operating in proximity to OHPLs must be physically modified so that its jib, hook or load cannot breach the safe clearance limit. Cranes with telescopic or fly jibs require additional restraining devices to prevent any change in jib length or angle. The safe clearance distance itself is set by the Distribution Network Operator (DNO), not by the crane operator or site manager.
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 underpin all of this. Working near a live conductor is only legally permissible where:
- It is genuinely unreasonable for the line to be made dead
- It is reasonable for work to continue while it remains live
- Suitable precautions are in place.
All three conditions must be met.
Why Mobile Cranes Present The Greatest Risk
The cranes most frequently involved in OHPL incidents are mobile cranes. This includes lorry-mounted units such as HIABs, as well as large telescopic mobile cranes brought to the site for construction or infrastructure work.
The characteristics that make these machines useful are the same ones that make them dangerous near power lines. Namely, these cranes are tall, they are mobile, their jibs can extend and rotate rapidly and they are often operated on sites where the layout changes day to day.
Physical restraints can be fitted to mobile cranes, but they add complexity, require verification before each lift and can be bypassed or tampered with. On busy sites where overhead line routes are not always clearly marked, the margin for error is narrow.
A Permanent Alternative: Fixed And Portable Overhead Lifting
For businesses carrying out regular lifting operations in a yard, workshop or covered outdoor area, a fixed overhead lifting system addresses the OHPL hazard at source.
Rather than managing the risk each time a mobile crane arrives, the lifting capability is installed within a defined envelope that never encroaches on the overhead line safety zone.
Metreel supplies a range of overhead lifting solutions suited to exactly this kind of application:
Overhead Bridge Cranes
Overhead bridge cranes and workstation cranes run on fixed tracks mounted to the building structure or to a freestanding floor-mounted framework. The crane operates within a predetermined span and height. This means there is no jib that can swing or extend toward an overhead conductor. For facilities handling loads of up to 2,000kg in a controlled indoor or enclosed environment, these systems remove the OHPL risk entirely.
Fixed Jib Cranes
Fixed jib cranes offer a compact alternative where a full bridge crane is not required. Floor-mounted and wall-mounted options are available, each with a defined maximum reach. Once installed, a jib crane does not move beyond its fixed arc, which makes it straightforward to keep it away from any overhead line safety zone.
Portable Gantry Cranes
For outdoor applications where a permanent installation is not practical, portable aluminium gantry cranes offer a lightweight and repositionable solution. Unlike a mobile crane, a gantry can be assembled in a predetermined safe location, moved only when the area below is clear of overhead line risk and broken down and stored when not in use. Metreel’s AluLift range handles loads from 500kg to 2,000kg with spans of up to six metres.
Reducing Reliance On Mobile Crane Hire
Beyond the safety case, there is a practical cost argument. Businesses that currently hire mobile cranes for routine lifting tasks in areas where OHPLs are present face recurring costs: hire fees, fuel, delivery, the time of a responsible person to supervise each lift and the overhead of completing a risk assessment and obtaining safe clearance distances from the DNO every time.
A fixed or portable overhead lifting system represents a one-off capital investment that removes that overhead from every subsequent lift. For businesses handling consistent load weights in a defined area, the return on that investment is straightforward to calculate.
Specifying The Right System
The correct system depends on the load weight, the span required, the available headroom, whether the environment is indoor or outdoor and whether the installation needs to be permanent or temporary.
Metreel works with businesses across the UK to specify and install overhead lifting solutions that match the operational requirements. This includes sites where proximity to overhead power lines has previously made conventional crane use difficult.
To discuss your lifting requirements, contact the Metreel team on 0115 932 7010 or get in touch via our contact form.