Huge Steps
If you’ve tuned into the news in the last two years, you have undoubtedly seen reports of crane accidents that have occurred across the country. There have been many injuries and in some cases fatalities due to the highly populated areas in which these events have taken place.
As a result, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has taken an active role in analyzing different aspects of crane setup, inspection, operation and operator qualifications, and has now proposed a rule change to current guidelines. OSHA is currently working diligently on this proposal and new rules could be implemented as early as late 2010.
The more than 1,000-page OSHA proposal for cranes and derricks includes a broad range of topics to ensure that all aspects of safety are been covered. Several of the topics covered in the OSHA proposal are not, in fact, changing at all; they are simply being reviewed to ensure that the subject matter is updated to meet the new safety demands of today’s equipment as well as operators.
Coming Changes
For cranes in particular, though, there are possible changes coming in regulations for things like minimal approach distance requirements, and in the proper blocking of outriggers. Other subjects, such as wind speed and weather, are still under discussion.
In OSHA’s new rule change proposal, the section on changes that apply to derricks includes clarifications to existing definitions to help identify different types of derricks. Also included are proposed changes to regulations that cover wind speeds, as well as which types of derricks can be used in certain applications. Other portions include revisions to previous rules to eliminate confusion in present laws that govern the industry.
OSHA has also reached out for industry input so it can effectively address every item in its proposed rule changes for cranes and derricks. Several of the sections in the proposal end with a request to help resolve questions that have already arisen. Giving users in various industries an active role in forming the new guidelines that will ultimately govern the way these equipment types will be used and operated will help attain a new and higher level of safety.
Setting The Bar
Aside from safety regulations, training, by far, has always played the largest role in the safe operation of cranes and derricks. This topic, which has long been discussed, has sparked many attempts to generalize knowledge among operators.
NCCCO (National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators) has set the bar in this regard through its certification and training process, which continues to grow in popularity among supervisors and operators. In particular, a newly introduced NCCCO program is quickly rising to the forefront of the crane certification arena and is now gaining more widespread acceptance in some states that did not previously have any certification requirements.
Long Overdue
The past two years have been an eye opening experience for any person who works in the construction field. But accidents remain a costly way of helping people realize that safety depends on knowledge based on effective guidelines.
The new OSHA proposal, which for some is long overdue, will undoubtedly bring about some of the most extensive changes to crane and derrick guidelines in recent years. Although this may not be able to completely prevent all incidents, it will vastly update old standards, and also make for a much safer workplace for both site workers and civilians alike.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility and it is evident that OSHA has seen room for improvement and has taken huge steps to improve and implement new rules that will correct what they feel is detrimental to worker safety.
About the Author: Terrell A. Davis of the Altec Inc. Sentry Safety Team is an expert in equipment operation, training and inspection. From 2002 through 2005, Davis served as a Journeyman Heavy Equipment Operator in the USAF. Since then he has earned certification as an NCCER Rigger and Crane Operator, holds an NCCCO Crane Certification for Large and Small Hydraulic, has completed a Practical Examiner Workshop for NCCCO and is a CIC Mobile Crane Inspector. Davis is also currently pursuing a degree in Occupational Safety and Health at Columbia Southern University.
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