CPCS Appointed Person A61 · LOLER 1998 · ISO 10567
Excavator Lift Plans, UK
Quote-on-application excavator lift plans prepared by a CPCS Appointed Person with 35+ years of construction experience. LOLER 1998 and ISO 10567 compliant plans for 180° and 360° machines, trusted by Tier 1 UK contractors.
Why excavator lifting needs its own plan
Excavators are now the default lifting machine on most UK construction sites — they are already there for muck-shifting, the operator can pick a load straight from the dig, and they fit into spaces a mobile crane never could. That convenience is why they account for a large share of recent UK lifting incidents.
An excavator is a digging machine being used for a job it wasn't primarily designed for. Hydraulic capacity, tipping geometry, slew speed and the operator's line of sight all behave differently from a mobile crane, and the rules in BS 7121-1 and ISO 10567 reflect that. The HSE and the Strategic Forum Plant Safety Group have flagged the same recurring hazards in incident data:
Rapid hydraulic movement
Boom, dipper and slew can all move quickly enough to swing a suspended load into people or structures.
Coupled boom/dipper control
Keeping a load vertical during placement requires the operator to coordinate two cylinders simultaneously.
Overridable RCI
Unlike crane safe-load indicators, the rated capacity warning on most excavators can be muted by the operator.
Steeply variable capacity
Lift capacity changes dramatically with radius, lift point height and over-front vs over-side orientation.
Track-bearing pressure
Tracks distribute load very differently from outriggers — soft ground or near-edge work needs careful checking.
Quick-hitch and attachment risk
Hitches reduce lifting capacity and, if used incorrectly, are a known cause of dropped buckets and loads.
A proper excavator lift plan addresses each of these risks in writing — load weight, radius, capacity check, ground bearing, exclusion zones, slinger/signaller arrangements and a documented method everyone has been briefed on. For a longer walk-through of how a plan is built, see our guide on excavator lift plans and the broader what is a lift plan article.
What's included in your excavator lift plan
Every excavator lift plan we issue is a complete pack — risk assessment, method statement, calculations and drawing in one place. It is briefed to your team, signed off by an Appointed Person and ready to drop into your CDM file.
Site assessment
- Ground bearing capacity evaluation against tracked-machine pressure
- Overhead obstruction identification (lines, structures, scaffolds)
- Underground services check — drains, utilities, voids, tanks
- Access, egress and tracking-route planning
- Exclusion-zone determination and barrier strategy
Equipment verification
- Excavator make, model and configuration cross-checked against load chart
- Lifting attachment certification check (hook, eye, hitch)
- Rated Capacity Indicator (RCI) verification — required over 1 tonne
- Current thorough examination certificate covering lifting duties
- Lifting accessories specification (chains, slings, shackles, WLLs)
Lift calculations
- Load weight including rigging and any attached fittings
- Centre-of-gravity identification and slinging method
- Lifting radius at pick and at place (worst-case)
- Lift point height calculations (over-front and over-side)
- Ground bearing pressure assessment vs allowable
- Capacity verification against the manufacturer load chart, with deductions
Documentation pack
- Lift plan drawing (AutoCAD plan and elevation, exclusion zones marked)
- Risk assessment with site-specific control measures
- Method statement with sequence of operations
- Lifting accessories schedule with WLL evidence
- Pre-lift checklist and toolbox-talk record
- Briefing template ready for your slinger/banksman/operator sign-off
How it works — and how fast
Quote-on-application, no sign-up, no hidden fees. Send the brief and we'll come back to you the same working day.
You send the brief
Site location, machine make/model, load details, proposed lift positions, any known constraints. A few photos and a GA usually do it.
We quote
Fixed-fee quote returned within 4 working hours, with a clear scope and a confirmed delivery date.
Plan produced
Drawings, calculations, RA/MS and accessories schedule prepared by a CPCS Appointed Person. One revision included.
Briefing & sign-off
Plan issued in PDF + editable formats. We support your team through briefing and any reviewer queries.
Urgent or same-day work is accommodated where possible — call 07803 808093 and we'll tell you straight whether it can be done.
Excavator types we cover
From a 1.5-tonne mini in a back garden to an 80-tonne tracked machine on a Tier 1 infrastructure job — if it's rated to lift, we'll plan the lift.
360° tracked excavators
The typical workhorse — full slew, tracks deployed, lifting from the bucket pin or lift eye on the dipper.
- • Over-front and over-side lifting envelopes
- • Pick-and-carry operations with capacity reductions
- • Boom and dipper arm length variants
- • Counterweight and track-width configurations
180° wheeled excavators
Wheeled machines bring extra variables — every plan accounts for stability mode and stabiliser arrangement.
- • Stabiliser deployment configurations (front/rear/all-round)
- • Pad bearing pressure on the as-found ground
- • Stability during slew on rubber tyres
- • Working envelope vs travel envelope
Excavators with quick hitches
Quick hitches change capacity and add a recognised dropped-attachment risk — they must be specifically planned for.
- • Hitch certification and weight deduction
- • Lifting eye integrity and rated capacity
- • Manual vs semi-automatic vs fully-automatic
- • Daily check and pre-lift verification
ISO 10567 & BS 7121-1: the standards we work to
All our excavator lift plans comply with ISO 10567:2013 (Earth-moving machinery — Lift capacity — Hydraulic excavators) and BS 7121-1 (Code of practice for safe use of cranes — General). Together these define how rated capacity is calculated and how a lift must be planned, supervised and reviewed.
Rated lift capacity
Under ISO 10567, the maximum load an excavator can safely lift at a given radius and height is the lower of:
- 75% of static tipping load
- 87% of full hydraulic capacity
Whichever is the smaller — that is the figure that goes on the load chart.
Reading the load chart
Manufacturer charts only mean what they say if you read them with the right deductions. We account for:
- • Boom length and dipper (arm) configuration
- • Counterweight fitted on the day
- • Track or stabiliser width (extended vs retracted)
- • Over-front vs over-side orientation
- • Quick hitch, lifting eye, and rigging weight
Result: accurate capacity assessments — not conservative guesswork that artificially limits the operation, and not optimistic shortcuts that put people at risk.
When do you need an excavator lift plan?
Under LOLER 1998 Regulation 8, every lifting operation must be properly planned by a competent person. For excavator lifting, a written lift plan is needed when any of the following apply:
Even where a routine generic RAMS would do, having a documented lift plan demonstrates due diligence under LOLER and gives the lifting team something concrete to brief against. For more detail, see when do you need a lift plan.
Already got a plan? We'll check it.
Independent Appointed Person review of subcontractor excavator lift plans — load-chart interpretation, ground bearing, slinging arrangement, exclusion zones and method. We tell you exactly what is missing and what needs amending before anyone goes near a load.
Why contractors send their excavator lifts to us
Specialist, not generalist
Lift planning is the whole business — not a sideline of a generalist H&S consultancy. Our Appointed Person has produced and signed off thousands of plans.
CPCS Appointed Person (A61)
Plans are prepared by a current CPCS A61 cardholder, meeting the BS 7121-1 competence requirement for planning lifting operations.
Tier 1 contractor approved
Trusted on live projects by leading UK contractors including Wates, Caddick and GMI — our plans are written to pass main-contractor scrutiny first time.
NEBOSH Diploma · CertIOSH · MIIRSM · TIFSM
Construction-specific NEBOSH National Diploma, CertIOSH (Certified IOSH member), MIIRSM and TIFSM — the planning is grounded in proper risk assessment, not just box-ticking.
Fixed-fee, fast turnaround
Quote in 4 working hours, plan in 24–48. No hourly drift, no surprise add-ons. One revision included as standard.
Software-enhanced accuracy
AutoCAD for the lift drawing, LICCON and 3D Lift Plan for capacity modelling — output that looks the part and stands up to review.
Excavator lift plan FAQs
Can any excavator be used for lifting?
Only excavators designed and equipped for lifting should be used. The machine needs a certified lifting point (hook on the bucket pin, or quick-hitch with lifting eye), a Rated Capacity Indicator (RCI) where capacity exceeds 1 tonne, a current thorough examination certificate that explicitly covers lifting duties, and a manufacturer's lifting capacity chart for the configuration on site.
What's the difference between digging capacity and lifting capacity?
Digging capacity is bucket breakout force in the curl direction — useful for telling you how hard the machine can dig. Lifting capacity is the maximum suspended load the machine can safely handle at a given radius and lift point height, derived from ISO 10567 (75% tipping load or 87% hydraulic, whichever is lower). They are completely different measurements; you cannot use one to derive the other.
Do I need a lift plan for every excavator lift?
LOLER 1998 requires every lifting operation to be properly planned by a competent person. For routine, low-risk lifts a generic RAMS may be enough. As soon as additional hazards exist — overhead services, exclusion of other operatives, complex or oddly-shaped loads, tandem lifts, exposed edges, or anything specified by your principal contractor — a specific written lift plan is needed.
How fast can you produce an excavator lift plan?
For a typical single-machine lift we issue a quote within 4 working hours of receiving your enquiry, and deliver the finished plan within 24–48 working hours. Urgent and same-day work is accommodated where possible — please call to confirm.
Do you visit site, or can the plan be done remotely?
Most excavator lift plans are produced remotely from the GA, photos, machine specs and load details you provide. Site visits are arranged when the lift is high-risk, in a complex environment, or specifically requested by the principal contractor. We'll tell you up-front which one your job needs.
How long is an excavator lift plan valid?
A lift plan covers the specific lift or series of lifts it was prepared for, so long as the conditions on site stay the same. If the machine, attachments, load, location or ground conditions change materially — even just a swap from a 30-tonner to a 35-tonner — the plan must be reviewed and updated by a competent person before the lift goes ahead.
Can I use the same lift plan on different sites?
No. Each lift plan is site-specific. Ground conditions, obstructions, exclusion zones and access will differ between sites, so the plan must be reassessed for the new location. Generic templates do not satisfy LOLER Regulation 8.
Will the plan be accepted by my principal contractor?
Yes — our plans are written to the standard expected by Tier 1 main contractors including Wates, Caddick and GMI, and routinely pass first-time review. If a specific reviewer does come back with comments, we handle the back-and-forth as part of the fixed fee.
What is ISO 10567 and why does it matter?
ISO 10567:2013 (Earth-moving machinery — Lift capacity — Hydraulic excavators) defines how rated lift capacity is calculated and presented on manufacturer load charts. Reading those charts correctly — and applying the right deductions for hitches, slings and out-of-level conditions — is fundamental to a safe excavator lift.
Do you cover the whole of the UK?
Yes. We work with contractors right across the UK from our base in Warrington, Cheshire. Remote desk-based plans can be issued anywhere in the country; site visits and follow-up briefings are arranged when needed.
Get a quote for your excavator lift plan
07803 8080933 fields, 30 seconds. We reply within 24 hours.
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Learn moreSend the brief, get the plan
Quote-on-application — fixed fee, no hourly drift. We'll come back to you the same working day.
What we need from you:
- • Site location and a GA / sketch layout
- • Excavator make, model, and configuration on site
- • Load details — weight, dimensions, lift points
- • Proposed pick and place positions
- • Any known hazards (services, edges, overhead lines)
- • Required date for the lift