The other night I was driving down a street and came to a large construction area where they were building a new bridge across the road.  As I looked up I saw 2 large generators suspended from the idle crane, swinging in the breeze.  This is a common practice to protect generators from being stolen.  NOT SAFE.

Recently there has been a number of crane incidents and deaths.  This has lead OSHA to propose new crane standards.  Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, said “This draft rule will both protect construction employees and help prevent crane accidents by updating existing protections and requiring crane operators to be trained in the use of construction cranes.”  In March The Compliance Resource Center published an article about which includes an 8 minute crane safety video from OSHA.

(more…)

There has been 2 recent, serious incidents and deaths involving cranes.  OSHA compliance is for cranes and derricks is found at 29 CFR part 1926.550.  Here is a link to an ABC news video describing recent crane incidents including the “The Big Blue” crane incident in Milwaukee.

The Crane Certification Association of America in Vancourver, WA purpose  is to promote crane safety, improve the certification profession and address the subject of crane safety in governmental forums.

In fulfilling its purposes, the Association shall have the following objectives:

• To develop and/or promote educational information for increasing the knowledge and capabilities of the membership.
• To develop and/or disseminate information and materials that will carry out the purposes of the Association and serve the public.
• To provide and/or support forums for the interchange and acquisition of professional knowledge among its members.
• To foster liaison with governmental agencies that implement such other programs and projects that are consisted with the purpose of the Association.
• To conduct its affairs in a manner that will reflect the standards, purposes and objectives of the Association.
• Provide testing for practicing crane surveyors.
• Provide a professional designation to all members who successfully pass the Certified Crane Surveyors (CCS) test.

Another association which promotes safety is the CMAA Crane Manufacturers Association of America.  The CMAA is part of of the OSHA Alliance Program.  

Here is a link to an 8 minute video about crane safety provided by OSHA and The Department of Labor.