OSHA Office of Training & Education 1

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OSHA).mpg Cranes

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Major Causes of Crane Accidents
• Contact with power lines

• Overturns

• Falls

• Mechanical failures
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How Do Accidents Occur?
• Instability – unsecured load, load
capacity exceeded, or ground not level
or too soft
• Lack of communication - the point of
operation is a distance from the crane
operator or not in full view of the
operator
• Lack of training
• Inadequate maintenance or inspection
VIDEO

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CRANE SAFETY
 Planning Before Start-Up
• Level the crane and ensure support surface is firm and able to
support the load
• Contact power line owners and determine precautions. Know the
location and voltage of overhead power lines.
• Know the basic crane capacities, limitations, and job site restrictions,
such as the location of power lines, unstable soil, or high winds.
• Make other personnel aware of hoisting activities.
• Barricade areas within swing radius.
• Ensure proper maintenance and inspections.
• Determine safe areas to store materials and place machinery.

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CRANE SAFETY
• Only people
that have
trained are
permitted to
operate cranes

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CRANE SAFETY
• Barricades around
the swing area of a
revolving cab must
be used when
operating a crane
in areas where
pedestrians or
traffic pass close
by.

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CRANE SAFETY
• Never operate
cranes closer than
10 feet from power
lines. Voltages
greater than 50,000
volt require greater
distance.

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CRANE SAFETY
• Before lifting
carefully inspect
all rigging, slings,
hooks, etc.
• Report any
damage or defects
to your supervisor
right away.

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CRANE SAFETY
• When it is
necessary to
guide a
suspended,
use tag lines.

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CRANE SAFETY
• Don’t distract
the crane
operator. Only
one signalman
at a time.
VIDEOCLIP

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CRANE SAFETY
• Never ride the
load, ball or
hook.

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 Recommended Safe Work Practice: Affected Zone

D x 1.5

D
Be aware of existing
underground utilities
and backfill. Affected Zone (Depth x 1.5)
*Average Soil Only
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CRANE SAFETY
• Keep out from
under suspended
loads.
• Watch out for
materials that
could fall on you if
hit by the moving
load.

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CRANE SAFETY
• Make sure you
provide
yourself a way
out when
directing load
drops.

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 Competent Person
The competent person must
inspect all machinery and
equipment prior to each
use, and during use, to
make sure it is in safe
operating condition.

If it needs fixing, take it out

of service and don’t use it Broken
until it is fixed
Track

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 Load Capacity - Speed - Warnings

• Make sure the crane

operator can see the:
 Rated Load
Capacities
 Operating Speeds
 Special Hazard
Warning or
Instruction

Load Rating Chart

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 Power Lines

Stay clear
from power
lines at least
10 feet

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 Hand Signals

An illustration of
the signals must
be posted at the
job site

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 Guard Moving Parts

Unguarded
Chain Drive

Guard moving parts such as gears or belts

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 Swing Radius

Stay out of the swing radius of the crane –

Make sure there are barrier guards showing swing radius
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 Operator Visibility

Broken Window

Make sure broken windows or other obstructions

do not prevent the operator from seeing
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 Ladders

Ladder

Use ladders to get to the upper portion of the cab

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 Guardrails

Runways and steps need to have guardrails,

handholds and slip resistant surfaces
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Boom Angle Indicators

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 Supporting Surface

Cranes must be on a firm supporting

surface and level within 1 percent
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 Sheaves

The grooves must be smooth and free from surface

defects which could cause rope damage
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 Cranes shall cease operation when the
wind speed exceeds the safe operating
level recommended in the manufactures
specification

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 Worn Part

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 Tire Inspections

Conduct
regular
inspections
of tires for
excessive
wear or
damage

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TOWER CRANES

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 Types of Tower Cranes
1. Rail Mounted, supported on a carriage
running on a parallel set of rails.
2. Outrigger Mounted
3. On a fixed base, supported on a concrete
base.
4. Climbing type, supported by floors during
the construction of a multi-stored
building.
5. On crawler tracks.

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Slewing Tower & Non-Slewing Tower
• Slewing: the slewing ring is situated at the
bottom of the tower and the whole of the
tower and jib assembly slews relative to
the base of the crane.
• Non-Slewing: The slewing ring is situated
at or near the top of the tower and the jib
slews about the vertical axis of the tower
which itself remains stationary.
(should be tied to the to a fixed structure.)
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 Types of Jib
1. Horizontal Trolley Jib
2. Inclined trolley Jib
3. Luffing Jib
4. Fixed Radius Jib

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 Safety Measures - Site
• Away from high voltage power lines.
• Away from excavation sites.
• Prevailing Wind-speeds.
• Away from water accumulation – water leaking
under the foundation of the crane.
• Overlapping levels with other cranes. To avoid
collision some one (competent person) should
plan the sequence of crane movements.
•

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 Safety Measures - PPE
• Safety Harness
• Helmets
• Safety Shoes

• Fire Extinguishers
• Easily Accessible
• Trained

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 Crane Safety Equipment
• Automatic Safe Load Indicator
• Load Radius Indicator
• Motion Limiting Devices
• Overload Cut-out devices
• Level Indicator
• Anemometer
• Machinery Guarding
• Zoning Devices (two or more cranes –
limit the slew, the trolley motion, or the
travel motion
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 Crane Safety
• Lighting Protection (Earthing)
• Rail mounted tower cranes should be
fitted with an audible travel alarm.
• Ladders – Landing (Platform)
• Access to and along jibs and counter jibs
for inspection and servicing should be
made safe. (catwalks should be provided
with handrails)
• Clear vision from cab
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 Tower Cranes
• Visual Examination
• Overload Test (swl raised to sufficient height to
ensure that each tooth of the train of gears is
subjected to the load then lowered to 100 mm to
200 mm above the ground.
• SWL should then be increased by 25 % and this
load hoisted sufficiently to ensure that each
tooth of the train of gears is subjected to the
overload then lowered to 100 mm to 200 mm just
clear of the ground.
• For horizontal jib cranes with trolleys the trolley
should be set at the maximum radius for swl.
• Swl (100 mm to 200 mm) – 25 % of swl (100 mm
to 200 mm)
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 Continued
• Indicator test:
• The crane should never loaded beyond 100 %
of its swl.
• The radius at which the test load corresponds
to 110 % of the swl should be marked and the
test load should never be taken beyond this
point.

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