Lift supervision in the UK is about competence, not a specific plastic card. You don’t legally need CPCS A62 to supervise a lift, but you do need to be demonstrably competent for the lift in hand, and many principal contractors specify A62 (or an accepted equivalent) as their baseline. The lift must be planned by a competent Appointed Person (often A61), supervised by a competent lift supervisor, and carried out by competent slingers/signallers and operators. Where the job is higher risk, complex or off-standard, the expectation for formal proof of competence tightens, and site rules often drive card requirements.
TL;DR
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– The law demands competence; many sites insist on CPCS A62 or a recognised equivalent for lift supervisors.
– A61 plans the lift; A62 controls it on the day. One person shouldn’t try to wear both hats on live lifts.
– NPORS or robust in-house competence can be accepted if the client agrees and the evidence is sound.
– Telehandlers or excavators lifting on hooks still count as lifting operations needing a plan and competent supervision.
Four myths that blur lift supervision on UK sites
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Myth: You must hold CPCS A62 to supervise any lift.
Reality: There’s no legal requirement for a specific card, but there is a legal requirement for competence. Many clients specify A62 (or NPORS Crane/Lift Supervisor) in their rules, so check the project’s competence matrix and pre-qualification.
Myth: The Appointed Person’s plan does all the work, so the supervisor doesn’t need formal proof.
Reality: The plan sets the method; the supervisor makes it happen safely on the day. Without credible training and assessed experience, supervisors miss changes in wind, ground, lifting routes, or comms that the plan can’t fix in real time.
Myth: A good slinger/signaller can just “run it” without a supervisor.
Reality: On straightforward, repetitive lifts some contractors allow a competent slinger to supervise if the plan says so and risk stays low. That’s not the norm for most crane work; for anything outside “standard”, a dedicated lift supervisor is expected.
Myth: If it’s a telehandler or excavator with a lifting eye, it’s not a ‘proper’ lift.
Reality: If you’re suspending a load, it’s a lifting operation. You still need a plan (charts, radius, attachment, ground conditions), competent supervision, segregation, and proper communications.
What to do instead on UK sites
/> Treat lift supervision as a competence role backed by transparent evidence. For most main-contractor projects, the neatest route is CPCS A62 or NPORS Lift/Crane Supervisor, supported by recent site logbooks, toolbox talks and sign-offs. If your company uses an in-house route, make sure it’s documented and accepted by the client: training content, assessment, CPD, and audits should map clearly to the role’s duties. Pair the lift supervisor with an A61/NPORS Appointed Person who issues a lift plan that actually reflects the job, not a generic template. For telehandlers or excavators lifting off hooks, ensure those operators and the supervisor understand de-rated charts, load integrity and dynamic effects.
Ensure the supervisor is empowered to stop if conditions drift. That includes wind and visibility, conflicting trades, compromised exclusion zones, and plant or radio issues. Pre-start briefings must be short, specific and repeated when personnel change. Radios, hand signals, safe routes and exclusion zones should be agreed and tested, not assumed.
# Site scenario: tight logistics and rising wind
/> A weekend steel change-out is booked on a retail extension using a 70‑tonne mobile crane. Delivery slots are stacked, pedestrian access runs close to the hoarding, and a breeze is building. The Appointed Person issues a plan with set pick points, a one-way vehicle route and a defined exclusion zone signed off with the store. On the morning, the lift supervisor walks the route, checks the mats after overnight rain, tests radio comms and runs a two-minute briefing with the operator and slinger. Mid-shift, wind gusts start nudging the plan’s limit, a scaffold lift interferes with the swing path, and a courier van parks where the outrigger zone was taped. The supervisor pauses the lift, gets traffic marshals to clear the van, re-briefs the slinger to adjust the swing, confirms measured wind speed, and resumes only when the zone is restored.
# Supervisor’s on-the-day checklist
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– Confirm the lift plan is current for today’s conditions, crane/plant configuration and team.
– Walk the route: ground conditions, outrigger mats/plates, overhead services, exclusion boundaries and barriers.
– Verify pre-use checks are done for crane/telehandler/excavator and lifting accessories, with defective kit quarantined.
– Test communications: radios paired and charged, channel agreed, hand signals understood, back-up method set.
– Brief the team: roles, signals, load weights, sequence, safe routes, pinch points, no-go areas, stop signals.
– Monitor conditions: wind, visibility, site congestion, adjacent works, and update the plan or pause if drift occurs.
– Record the briefing and any changes; keep permits, plan, and LOLER certificates accessible at the lift.
# Common mistakes
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– Treating the lift plan as a box-tick document. If it isn’t specific to the plant, load path and today’s site layout, it won’t control the risk.
– Letting the slinger double as supervisor by default. On anything but simple, repetitive picks, it waters down control and communication.
– Ignoring radio discipline. Crosstalk, dead batteries and mixed channels are a common root cause of near-misses.
– Skipping re-briefs when personnel change. A swapped slinger or operator without a handover is a known failure point.
What to watch next
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– Client requirements vary. Expect more projects to standardise on CPCS A62 or NPORS equivalents for lift supervisors, particularly on live or congested sites.
– Competence drifts without practice. Keep logbooks, refresher training and shadowing in play, and expect to be challenged for evidence at site gate.
Two things decide it: what the law expects (competence) and what your client insists on (often a specific card). Build a credible route to both, and your lifts will run cleaner and safer.
FAQ
# Is CPCS A62 legally required to supervise a lift in the UK?
/> No specific card is mandated in law. The legal requirement is that lifting operations are properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people. Many contractors choose CPCS A62 as their benchmark, but will sometimes accept NPORS or robust in-house competence if agreed.
# How does A62 differ from the Appointed Person (A61)?
/> A61 plans the lift: method, calculations, crane selection, ground bearing and sequencing. A62 runs the lift on the day: team briefings, exclusion zones, communications and stopping the work if conditions change. On small sites a person might hold both cards, but it’s better practice to keep planning and execution roles distinct.
# Can a slinger/signaller supervise routine lifts without A62?
/> Some contractors allow a competent slinger to supervise straightforward, repetitive lifts if the plan states it and risk remains low. That relies on clear boundaries, good comms and a simple setup. As complexity rises, a dedicated lift supervisor with formal proof of competence is normally required.
# Do telehandler or excavator lifts need the same level of supervision?
/> Suspended loads from telehandlers or excavators are still lifting operations. They need a plan, competent supervision, charts and attachment checks, plus segregation and comms like any crane job. The exact level of formality depends on risk and client rules, but casual lifts off a hook are not acceptable.
# What do assessors and site managers usually look for as evidence of lift supervisor competence?
/> They look for a mix of training and live-site practice: a recognised card (CPCS/NPORS), recent logbook entries, toolbox talks you’ve delivered, and records of lifts you’ve supervised. They expect you to understand the lift plan, run effective briefings, control exclusion zones, and know when to pause or change the method. Common fail points include weak radio discipline, poor segregation and not adapting to weather or layout changes.
