PAST ISSUES OF THE CONSTRUCTION SITE PERSONAL INJURY NEWSLETTER

 

CERTIFICATION OF CRANE OPERATORS

OSHA Administrator, Charles N. Jeffress, announced on February 26, 1999, that a voluntary agreement between OSHA and the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators had been entered into which provides that crane operators certified by the Commission will satisfy the requirements of OSHA’s Crane and Derrick Standard. Under the OSHA Standard for crane and derrick operators, all operators must be competent and trained in the operation of the specific equipment.

During OSHA compliance inspections or accident investigations, certification programs will be recognized as one way of establishing competency for crane operators. The use of certified crane operators on a project also would be an indication of the contractor’s commitment to implement an effective safety and health program. However, certification is not the be-all and the end-all of crane operations. During any inspection, OSHA compliance officers will independently verify the crane operator’s knowledge and familiarity with the type of crane in use through observation, questioning, and other investigation techniques.

Possession of a commission certification is not mandatory for crane operators and OSHA will not automatically issue citations if a crane operator is not certified. Certification alone does not establish compliance with OSHA Standards.

The OSHA Crane and Derrick Standard, 29 CFR 1910.180, requires employers to perform inspections on a frequent and periodic basis. The adequacy and frequency of inspections would depend upon the nature of the critical components of the crane and the degree of their exposure to wear, deterioration or malfunction. When workers conduct daily or monthly inspections it should include, at a minimum, an examination of the following:

• Worn components of control mechanisms;
• Contamination by lubricants or other foreign matters;
• Malfunctioning safety devices;
• Deterioration or leaks in air or hydraulic systems;
• Deformed or cracked crane hooks; and
• Malfunctioning electrical apparatus or signs of excessive deterioration, dirt and moisture.

Periodic inspections should include an examination for:

• Deformed, cracked or corroded members in a crane structure and boom;
• Loose bolts or rivets;
• Worn or cracked sheaves, drums or distorted pins, bearings, shafts, gears, rollers and locking devices;
• Worn brake and clutch system parts, linings, pawls and ratchets;
• Significant inaccuracies in load, boom angle and other indicators over their full range;
• Badly performing gasoline, diesel, electric or other power plants;
• Worn chain-drive sprockets, chain stretch and tires; and
• Malfunctioning travel steering, braking and locking devices.

Comment: Crane accidents can happen in a number of different ways, including the initial setup of the crane, the inadequacy of the cribbing, improper connections, failure to use tag lines, the striking of workers with the boom or counterweight, failure to protect the counterweight with barricades, striking the boom against electrical lines, two-block failures, as well as many other possible scenarios. Bill Conour has represented several workers or their families, for death and injury resulting from negligent operation of cranes at construction sites. If someone you know or a loved one has been killed or injured as a result of a crane accident at a construction site, there may be a claim for personal injuries and damages as a result of the death or injury.

Reference Source: BNA Safety Net, Vol. 2, No. 5, pg. 35