Free Verification of Competency (Truck-Mounted Crane or Franna) Template

Purpose of the Free Verification of Competency (Truck-Mounted Crane or Franna) Template

Operating a truck-mounted crane, including pick-and-carry models commonly known as Frannas, is a high-risk activity. This free Verification of Competency (Truck-Mounted Crane or Franna) Template provides a structured framework for assessing the skills and safety knowledge of operators.

It is designed to help a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) meet their primary duty of care under Australian WHS law. While an operator may hold a High Risk Work Licence (HRWL) for the relevant crane class, a licence only confirms they met the standard at a single point in time.

A VOC is crucial for verifying ongoing competency in your specific work environment, using your equipment, and under your site's unique operational conditions. Integrating regular competency checks into your broader WHS management systems demonstrates a proactive approach to managing plant-related risks.

How to Use the Free Verification of Competency (Truck-Mounted Crane or Franna) Template

Begin by downloading the template in your preferred format—DOCX for easy editing or PDF. The document is divided into sections covering key criteria, from pre-start checks and risk assessment to safe lifting and shutdown procedures.

The assessor should use this checklist to guide their evaluation, combining theoretical questions with direct observation of the operator performing tasks.

Note: This is a template, not a finished document. We have designed it to be a starting point. You must adapt the criteria to reflect the specific make and model of the crane used on your site, the types of loads handled, the ground conditions, and your organisation's safe work procedures. This process of customisation is essential for any plant assessment, whether using this resource or our Verification of Competency for a Water Cart.

When to Use It

Verifying competency should be an ongoing process, not a one-off event. This VOC template should be used at various points in an operator's employment lifecycle to ensure skills remain current and aligned with site requirements. Key triggers for conducting a VOC include:

• As part of pre-employment screening for new hires.
• Before an operator uses a new make or model of truck-mounted crane for the first time.
• Following a safety incident or near-miss involving crane operations.
• If a supervisor observes or is notified of unsafe or inefficient work practices.
• As part of a scheduled refresher program (e.g., annually or every two years).

These periodic assessments can form part of a scheduled WHS compliance auditing program, providing evidence that safety standards are being consistently upheld across the workforce.

Who Should Use It

This template is designed for use by individuals responsible for workplace safety and operator supervision. This typically includes WHS Managers, Site Supervisors, and Operations Managers.

The person conducting the assessment (the assessor) must be competent themselves. This means they must possess extensive knowledge, training, and recent, practical experience in operating the specific type of truck-mounted crane or Franna being assessed.

They must be able to make a confident judgement on the operator's skills and identify any gaps in their knowledge or behaviour. If your organisation lacks this internal expertise, engaging external WHS consulting professionals is a recommended and defensible path.

Ensuring competency extends to all high-risk plant on site. The principles in this document can be applied to other mobile equipment, and specific tools like our Verification of Competency for a truck-mounted cherry picker provide a tailored starting point for different machinery.

By maintaining a library of customised VOCs, you create a consistent and robust system for managing operator risk. Explore our complete free WHS resources library for more templates and checklists to support your safety management system.