Tag: #craneoperators

OSHA, National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, NCCCO Foundation form alliance to protect crane operators

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today signed an agreement with the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators and the NCCCO Foundation to protect workers who operate cranes better.

The two-year agreement will provide certified crane operators with training and resources to reduce and prevent exposure to the four construction workplace issues that contribute to the majority of hazards in the industry: falls, caught-in or between objects or machinery, struck-by objects or equipment, and electrocution.

“Workers who operate or work near cranes can face serious and potentially life-threatening hazards if they are not properly trained or protected,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “Our alliance with these industry leaders focuses on training workers and working with employers to make safety and health a core value by implementing best industry practices to ensure workers’ safety.”

Alliance participants will use data and review trends and incident information to develop safety alerts for employers, crane operators and others working around cranes. They will also address safety issues near a crane’s load, provide updates on OSHA’s load-handling regulation and enforcement, including certification and evaluation requirements.

Participants will also assist employers and operators in complying with OSHA regulations and develop relationships between the CCO’s test sites and OSHA’s field offices to provide training opportunities for crane certificants and OSHA personnel.

The CCO was established in 1995 to develop effective performance standards for safe load-handling equipment operation to assist all segments of general industry and construction. The NCCCO Foundation is a charitable organization formed by the commission in 2018 to conduct research, advocate for personnel safety and certification, and help youth, military personnel and underserved communities access scholarships and grants for education, training and certification.

Through its Alliance Program, OSHA works with organizations such as trade and professional associations, labor unions, educational institutions, community and faith-based groups, and government agencies to share information about OSHA’s initiatives and compliance assistance resources with workers and employers, and educate workers and employers about their rights and responsibilities.

McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.

Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com

Original article published by OSHA

Operating cranes safely

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by Safety+Health

OSHA recently released a reminder of the importance of crane safety.

“The most common crane hazards leading to serious injuries and fatalities include crane tip-overs, being struck by a crane, electrocutions, being caught in between a crane and other equipment or objects, falls from the equipment, and unqualified operators,” the agency says.

Do you operate a crane on your jobsite? Here are some tips on safe use from OSHA:

  • Don’t operate a damaged crane or one you suspect may malfunction.
  • Don’t attempt to lengthen wire rope or repair damaged wire rope.
  • Don’t use the wire rope or any part of the crane, hoist, or the load block and hook as a ground for welding.
  • Never allow a welding electrode to touch the wire rope.
  • Refrain from removing or obscuring warning labels on the crane or hoist.
  • Never walk under a suspended load or allow anyone else to.
  • Ensure no work is performed on a suspended load that requires a worker to be positioned under it.
  • Always wear personal protective equipment such as gloves, a hard hat, hearing protection, foot protection and eye protection.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Tower Crane Safety

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
First published by Safety+Health an NSC publication

crane-safety.jpg

Photo: CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training

New toolbox talk from CPWR

Silver Spring, MD — Safe use of tower cranes – typically used to construct skyscrapers and other large structures – is the subject of a recently published toolbox talk from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training.

Available in English and Spanish, the toolbox talk includes a short story and discussion questions, safety tips, and a way to communicate how organizations can “stay safe today.”

CPWR reminds employers that any worker involved in a lift must be licensed/certified and trained, if appropriate. A qualified person needs to inspect the crane, and wind speed should be monitored. No one should stand under a crane while it’s being assembled or disassembled, and no one should stand under a suspended load at any time.

“If they are not properly inspected, maintained or operated, [tower cranes] can create serious hazards on construction sites,” CPWR says. “Fatalities and injuries can occur from the crane collapsing, electrocutions, or being struck by a load or part of the crane.”

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

New hazard alert from Washington L&I: tower cranes

Posted on by Sarah

Tumwater, WA —A new hazard alert from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries outlines the roles, responsibilities and procedures of erecting and dismantling tower cranes.

Published in June, the alert is intended for tower crane owners, as well as contractors and their employees who use, erect and dismantle tower cranes. The two-page publication goes over planning and communication, as well as who can serve as an assembly/disassembly director – defined in the alert as “one who is competent and a qualified person, or a competent person assisted by one or more qualified people.”

According to OSHA standard 1926.32(m), a “qualified” person is “one who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated his ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the project.”