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OSHA Issues Compliance Directive for Cranes & Derricks Rule In mid-October, OSHA issued a long-awaited compliance directive for the Cranes and Derricks in Construction regulation, which went into effect in 2010. The directive assists OSHA Compliance Officers during inspections of employers operating cranes in construction activities. The information also helps employers understand how OSHA will interpret certain aspects of the regulation. The Directive, which became effective Oct. 17, 2014, comes on the heels of an announcement from the agency that it has officially extended the deadline for crane operators to be certified until Nov. 10, 2017. Crane operator certification requirements were originally supposed to be in place by November of this year. On this subject, the compliance directive indicates that “until supplemental rulemakings have been completed, an operator’s possession of a certification/license should be considered only as evidence, such as operating experience and other certificates, that an operator may be competent to safely operate the crane.” A few other items of interest from the directive provide additional insight to OSHA inspection criteria and its interpretation exclusions, definitions, and scenarios. A 19-item abbreviated inspection checklist addresses things such as ground conditions, presence of overhead power lines, signalperson qualifications and documentation, crane operator training and qualifications, use of qualified riggers, and use of assembly/disassembly (A/D) director. A chart explains equipment exclusions and applicable standards when not covered by Subpart CC, with specific descriptions for digger derricks, forklifts, articulating boom cranes, and other equipment. For example, articulating boom cranes are not covered by Subpart CC when used for material delivery, unless the material being handled by the crane is a structural steel member or a component of a systems-engineered metal building. Significant explanation is dedicated to A/D procedures, supervision and instructions. The compliance directive makes a distinction between equipment setup, such as extending the outriggers, and assembly/disassembly activities. Among the guidance provided on equipment operations near power lines is an explanation of the height of an “elevated warning line,” the temporary enforcement policy for the use of insulating links and proximity alarms, interpretation of a work zone area, and definition of a dedicated spotter. A chart explains whether a qualified or competent person must conduct inspections, and whether documentation is required. A Chart describes when fall protection equipment must be used by workers while on equipment. Guidance is provided for determining the size of the fall zone and how this differs with being directly under the load, and minimizing exposure of employees to hoisted loads to the extent that it is consistent with public safety in urban areas. Read the full Compliance Directive for Cranes and Derricks in Construction here.
OSHA Issues Compliance Directive for Cranes & Derricks Rule