Heavy Transport & Complex Installation HSE Advisory

What this support is

Moving and installing a load of several hundred tonnes is planned and carried out by specialists: the heavy transport contractor, the equipment manufacturer, temporary works designers and the principal contractor. Featherstone Safety does not replace any of them. We provide an independent health and safety presence during the operation, a review of the safety documentation beforehand, and a daily written record of what was observed and raised.

This page covers the transport and installation operation itself. For independent HSE advisory across a wider engineering or infrastructure project, see infrastructure and engineering health and safety consultancy.

The operation, phase by phase

SPMT movement

Self-propelled modular transporters move the load at walking pace under the control of a dedicated operator, with the transport team guiding the move. The health and safety questions are about the space around the load: whether the route and ground have been assessed by the people responsible, how exclusion zones are set and kept, where pedestrians and other plant are, how the operator and spotters communicate, and what happens if the move has to stop. These are what an observer watches.

Major equipment installation

Positioning the load over its plinth or foundation brings the teams closest together. Clearances are small, people work near the load at low level, and decisions about alignment are made in real time. Clear roles, a single point of control and agreed communication are what keep this phase orderly.

Jacking, stooling and skidding

Jacking raises the load in stages onto temporary packing or stools so that transport equipment can be removed or skid tracks installed. The load is then skidded across and lowered. The arrangements must remain stable at every stage, hydraulic systems hold stored energy, and hands and feet are close to heavy, moving steel. Hold points, packing discipline and confirmation of each step before the next begins are the controls that matter. The design of these arrangements belongs to the specialist contractor and any temporary works designer.

Review of safety documentation

Before mobilisation we review the documents that govern the operation, for example transport and route plans, lifting and jacking plans, method statements, temporary works arrangements and their sign-off status, the site traffic plan and emergency arrangements. We check that they exist, that they are consistent with each other and with the site, and that responsibilities are clear.

The output is a short set of practical written comments. It is not an engineering check or an approval. Approval stays with the competent people responsible for each document.

Questions buyers ask

How is health and safety managed across multiple contractors during heavy equipment installation?

Through clear control of the work area, coordinated documents and shared communication. One party should have overall control of each phase, with handovers made explicit. Each contractor’s RAMS should reflect the others where activities interact, and other site work should be paused or separated during critical moves. Everyone affected should be briefed, not only the team doing the move, and any change on the day should be agreed and communicated through a single route. Under CDM 2015, the principal contractor plans and coordinates the construction phase, and an independent adviser can check how well that coordination is working in practice.

Which regulations apply to heavy transport and installation operations?

On a construction site, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 set the framework for planning and coordinating the work. LOLER applies to lifting operations and lifting equipment, requiring them to be planned by a competent person and appropriately supervised. PUWER applies to work equipment more generally. Temporary works are commonly managed using the procedures in BS 5975. Movement of abnormal loads on public roads has its own notification rules, handled by the haulier.

Can you act as the appointed person or lift supervisor?

No. Those roles require specific competence in lifting operations and carry responsibility for planning and directing the lift. Featherstone Safety observes, reviews and advises. It does not plan, direct or supervise lifting, jacking or transport operations.

When should we involve an independent adviser?

As early as possible, ideally before the RAMS and plans are finalised, so the pre-mobilisation review can influence them. Availability depends on existing commitments, so it helps to make contact while the operation is still being planned.