Introduction

The use of cranes on construction sites to lift heavy equipment, building materials,
protective systems, erect steel, and others is inherently dangerous. All parties who are
responsible for the use of cranes while working at the construction site are expected to comply
with the standard pertains to their work. The responsibility for compliance with the standard in
its entirety falls upon the individual crane contractor in so much as it is dictated by the standard.
The crane operator shall be familiar with and shall follow manufacturer operating procedures
in order to safely operate the crane. In addition, the crane shall be operated in accordance with
all local, state, and federal guidelines. Cranes shall also be operated within the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines. Proper permitting and notifications, if applicable,
are the responsibility of the crane contractor. Prior to operation, the crane must have all safety
devices and operational aids installed and functioning properly as defined in the standard.

In order to make sure accidents and failure related to the crane operation do not
happened on sites all employers and the employees must play their own role and
responsibilities. They must follow the requirements designed to ensure that procedures are in
place to protect the health and safety of person involve during the construction. For example,
the role as an employer to make sure the safety of him or her employees are if workers are
present on a site where cranes and derricks are used, employers are responsible for ensuring
that these workers are not exposed to any crane-related hazards. So even if an organization
doesn’t use cranes themselves, they need to know the standards and train their employees
accordingly if they might be affected by another on-site contractor. Next, Employers must use
a qualified rigger for assembly and disassembly work, hooking, unhooking and guiding a load.
Riggers are also needed for jobs that require workers to be in the fall zone to handle the load
because in such situations, it is vital that the load is rigged by a qualified rigger. Then,
contractor also need to review procedures before work begins, unless they understand the
procedures and have used them before for this equipment type and configuration. They also
need to check that crew members understand their tasks and ensure that crew members know
and understand workplace hazards, and are aware of which hazardous positions or locations to
avoid. The path of each load must be planned to prevent swinging loads from passing over
workers. Prior to assembling the crane, the contractor must determine if any part of the
equipment, load line, or load (including rigging and lifting accessories) can come closer than
20 feet to a power line.
 As an employee crane operation shall only be conducted by properly licensed operators.
Crane operators must provide the following current documentation to verify that they are
properly trained and licensed in the operation of the crane such as National Certified Crane
Operators License, State of New Jersey Crane Operator’s License and Medical Certificate. The
crane operator shall have available at all times, in the cab or the operator’s station of the crane,
the operator’s manual, maintenance manual, load charts, and current annual inspection. The
crane operator needs to cease crane operations whenever deficiencies are identified in an
inspection, or when wind speeds or adverse weather conditions could affect the safe operation
of the crane. The crane operator must obey a stop (or emergency stop) signal no matter who
gives it. They also have the authority to stop operation whenever there is a concern as to safety.
The operator can refuse to handle loads until a qualified person has determined that safety has
been assured. At no time are workers permitted to stand beneath suspended or swinging loads.
The procedures are to ensure that employees understand crane and derrick safety training,
operation, and maintenance practices. These requirements are designed to ensure that
procedures are in place to protect the health and safety of all employees.

Objectives

1. To discuss the role of employers (contractor) and employees (crane operators) during
crane operation at construction site.
2. To determine accidents and failure that happened on sites related to crane operation
during the construction.
3. To discuss the important of the courses that need to be attend by the crane operator to
operate the crane.
Crane Accidents and Failure

With employees working from heights, using heavy machinery, and being exposed to
toxic materials, it should be no surprise that construction work is dangerous. One of biggest
dangers construction workers face is being injured or killed in a crane accident. Workers can
suffer long-term injuries that can take a huge financial toll on their lives from lost wages and
expensive medical treatments. The causes of accidents and failure related to crane operation at
construction sites are:

 Cranes buckling or collapsing. Cranes have weight limits to ensure they do not tip
over. Cranes also use counterweight and out-rigging systems to counterbalance the
weight. If the weight limits are exceeded, the crane can tip over or the boom could
collapse.

 Improper crane assembly. A major reason booms collapse is improper assembly of

the crane. In addition, if the crane does not have the proper wood or metal blocking
supports to stabilize the load the crane is carrying, the load could move and cause the
crane to collapse.

 Improper employee training. Crane workers must be properly trained in the use of
cranes and complete OSHA courses on the proper operation of cranes. Employers also
need to ensure that workers are warned of crane dangers and maintain a safe distance
between the crane operation and work performed by other workers.

 Mechanical failures. Cranes need to be maintained regularly to prevent accidents

caused by mechanical failures. Crane components should be kept oiled, and any
problems should be repaired promptly.

 Contact with electrical lines. Electrocution from overhead power lines is a common
cause of accidents. The crane operator and workers in the basket must be aware of
where live wires are. In addition, the power to electrical lines should be shut off before
work begins near live wires.

 Inspections. Employers rushing to get a construction project completed may encourage

quick, sloppy inspections of their cranes. However, thorough inspections are critical to
prevent crane accidents. Inspectors must ensure the crane is really safe before clearing
it to be used.