Safe Hands Lifting Policy

Hand and finger injuries remain one of the most frequent and severe incident types during lifting and rigging activities. They typically occur when hands are exposed to pinch points, crushing zones, settling loads, swinging loads or uncontrolled movement during hoisting, guiding, landing and disconnecting.

That is why Cranes for You developed this Safe Hands Lifting Policy and includes it in the Knowledge Centre. The policy provides a clear and practical framework to reduce hand injuries by ensuring hands stay out of danger zones wherever possible, while still recognising that certain lifting phases may require controlled hand contact under strict conditions.

Summary of the Policy

The Safe Hands Lifting Policy defines a structured approach to preventing hand and finger injuries during lifting operations. Key elements include:

• Clear purpose and safety objective
  The policy is designed to prevent serious hand and finger injuries by controlling when and how hands may be used during lifting operations.
• Safe Hands is not “hands-free by default”
  The policy recognises that hands cannot always be eliminated. However, hand contact must be treated as an exception, not the standard method.
• Operational definition with strict conditions
  Hands may only be used when authorised by Risk Assessment, when the underside of the load is below waist height, and when crushing, trapping or entanglement hazards are eliminated.
• Defined danger zone concept
  A danger zone is any area where hands may be exposed to crushing, trapping, impact, drop hazards or stored energy release.
• Five fundamental principles
  The policy establishes non-negotiable rules, including:
  • never placing hands under a suspended load
  • never touching a load above waist height
  • never placing hands between a moving load and fixed object
  • never using hands to arrest uncontrolled movement
  • requiring Risk Assessment and Lift Plan justification for hand contact
• Mandatory risk assessment and lift plan integration
  If hand contact is authorised, the Risk Assessment and Lift Plan must explicitly define when hands may be used, by whom, under what conditions and with which tools.
• Use of taglines and safe-hands tools
  Taglines and push/pull tools are required wherever practical to maintain distance and control load orientation without direct hand contact.
• Phase-based rules for rigging and lifting
  The policy defines clear safe-hands requirements for each phase: rigging, initial hoisting, guidance, landing and disconnecting.
• Stop-work authority and supervision requirements
  Every worker has the authority and obligation to stop work if unsafe hand exposure occurs, controls fail, or conditions change. Supervisors are responsible for enforcement.

Practical Relevance for Lifting Operations

Implementing a Safe Hands Lifting Policy provides direct operational value:

• Significantly reduces hand and finger injury risk during lifting operations
• Creates consistent lifting discipline across teams and contractors
• Supports stronger lift planning and risk-based decision making
• Prevents unsafe habitual behaviour such as steadying loads by hand
• Strengthens safety culture by formalising stop-work authority
• Improves compliance with recognised lifting best practices
• Ensures safer load landing and disconnecting procedures through controlled sequencing

This policy is applicable across all lifting environments, including construction, industrial maintenance, heavy lifting, offshore operations, yards and workshops.

Official Source

This Safe Hands Lifting Policy is an official Cranes for You document and forms a mandatory part of the Cranes for You lifting and hoisting framework.

It aligns with recognised international best practice, including IMCA guidance on hand safety during lifting and hoisting operations.

Related Knowledge Articles

• Safe Lifting: Why Every Lift Requires a Lift Plan
• Hoisting and Rigging Safety Manual by Infrastructure Health & Safety Association
• IOGP – Lifting & Hoisting Safety Recommended Practice
• Guidebook for Lifting Supervisors

Ready to Improve Safety and Efficiency?

Hand injuries are preventable when lifting operations are properly planned and controlled.
Download the Cranes for You Safe Hands Lifting Policy from this page and integrate it into your lift plans, risk assessments and lifting supervision routines to reduce incidents and improve execution discipline.