You are operating a mobile crane and need to swing a 15-tonne structural steel beam across a construction site. The ground conditions are firm, but there are several overhead power lines at a height of 10 metres in the swing path. The boom length is set for a maximum radius of 25 metres. What is your primary concern when initiating the swing, assuming the load is properly rigged and within capacity?

Question: You are operating a mobile crane and need to swing a 15-tonne structural steel beam across a construction site. The ground conditions are firm, but there are several overhead power lines at a height of 10 metres in the swing path. The boom length is set for a maximum radius of 25 metres. What is your primary concern when initiating the swing, assuming the load is properly rigged and within capacity?

Answer options:

• Maintaining a constant swing speed to prevent dynamic loading.
• Ensuring proper outrigger setup for stability. ✅ Confirming adequate clearance from the overhead power lines.
• Monitoring the crane's moment indicator for overload conditions.

Correct answer: Confirming adequate clearance from the overhead power lines.

Explanation: While all options are important for safe crane operation, ensuring adequate clearance from overhead power lines is the most critical and immediate concern during a swing across a path with known electrical hazards. Contact with power lines can result in severe injury or death. Outrigger setup should be confirmed before any lift, and monitoring moment indicators is ongoing, but preventing electrocution takes precedence in this scenario.