Serious lifting incidents rarely come down to a single mistake. More often, they are the result of small decisions, misjudgements, and overlooked controls that compound over time.
Anglo American’s recent decision to publicly release a detailed safety animation following a crane rollover at its Grosvenor Mine in Queensland is a powerful example of leadership through transparency. By openly sharing the findings of a preventable high-potential incident, Anglo has reinforced a message the industry knows well—but must constantly revisit: strong lifting outcomes depend on planning, classification, supervision, and disciplined execution.
At Aspis CG, we believe these lessons must be turned into practical, repeatable systems in the field. That’s exactly where our partnership with Temporary Worx Limited delivers value.
What the Incident Reinforced
The December 2024 incident involved a 40-tonne Franna crane operating at more than 250% of its rated capacity while relocating a crawler track. As the crane articulated around a corner, load swing and terrain factors combined to create a pendulum effect, resulting in a rollover. A spotter narrowly avoided serious injury.
The investigation identified familiar—but critical—breakdowns:
Safety alarms overridden
A high-risk lift incorrectly classified as “routine”
Inadequate consideration of terrain and changing conditions
Gaps in supervision and change management
As Anglo American rightly highlighted, this was not one poor decision, but a chain of failures—each one an opportunity to intervene earlier.
Where Aspis CG and Temporary Worx Make the Difference
Aspis CG works with asset owners, operators, and contractors to strengthen lifting governance, while Temporary Worx Limited brings industry-leading experience in lifting management, planning, and execution.
Together, we support safer lifting operations by focusing on the areas where incidents most often originate.
1. Lift Planning and Classification
Temporary Worx specialists bring deep operational experience to ensure lifts are correctly classified from the outset—routine, non-routine, or critical—based on load, radius, terrain, environment, and consequence. Aspis CG supports this with governance frameworks that ensure classifications trigger the right level of approval, documentation, and oversight.
2. Change Management in the Field
One of the key lessons from the Grosvenor incident was failure to reassess risk when conditions changed between jobs. Our combined approach embeds formal change-management triggers, ensuring any variation—ground conditions, crane configuration, or lift path—forces a pause, reassessment, and re-authorisation before work continues.
3. Competency, Supervision, and Accountability
Aspis CG helps clients define clear supervisory and leadership accountabilities for high-risk lifts, while Temporary Worx provides experienced lifting supervisors and advisors who understand what “good” looks like in real operations—not just on paper.
4. Use of Technology and Data
The introduction of real-time alerts and dynamic safety mapping by Anglo American reinforces the importance of using data to support decision-making. Aspis CG works with clients to integrate technology, procedures, and human factors so alarms, indicators, and systems are understood, trusted, and never casually overridden.
5. Building a Stronger Safety Culture
Both organisations share the same philosophy: safety is built before the lift begins. Through pre-lift conversations, critical control verification, and visible leadership, we help teams move away from shortcuts and toward disciplined, repeatable practices.
From Awareness to Action
Anglo American’s message is clear:
Check your load data, lift classification, ground conditions, and exclusion zones—every job, every time.
Aspis CG and Temporary Worx Limited help organisations do exactly that—not just through procedures, but through practical support, experienced people, and systems that work in real environments.
The lessons from this incident don’t belong to one site or one company. They belong to the entire industry. Our role is to help turn those lessons into safer lifting operations—before the next lift begins.
If you’d like to understand how Aspis CG and Temporary Worx Limited can support your lifting operations, governance, or workforce capability, we’re ready to have that conversation.