Cranes & Rigging Material Handling

A crane is not just a karate move

In 2017, 389 fatalities came from incidents involving slips, trips, and falls. Of those fatalities, 27 were attributed to employees who work with material and personnel handling machinery. The 4 main types of crane accidents came from contact with power lines, overturns, falls, and mechanical failure. Investigations of these accidents repeated address the need for proper training, maintenance, and operation of the equipment.

If you work with cranes & rigging devices in material handling, developing a proper safety plan should be your first step toward creating a safe working environment. Below is a list of the most frequently cited sections of the CFR pertaining to Cranes & Material Handling.  Good news, SafetyPlans.com covers them all!

• [1926.251(a), 1926.251(b)(6)] – Rigging Equipment and Hardware Inspections
• [1926.1408] – Power Line Safety
• [1926.1412] – Maintenance
• [1926.1412] – Crane Inspections
• [1926.1417] – Operation
• [1926.1423] – Fall Protection
• [1926.1427] – Operator Qualification and Certification
• [1926.1432] – Critical Lift
  

Do the Cranes & Rigging requirements apply to me?

If you work in the material handling industry…Absolutely.  Under OSHA’s General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act) employers are responsible for protecting their employees from dangerous working environments.

More from OSHA's website:

Cranes & Rigging Material Handling (29 CFR 1926) are requirements that prescribes safeguards to protect workers against hazards related to cranes and rigging material handling. It has provisions for engineering, work practice controls, hazard communication, training, and recordkeeping. The requirements apply to employers of workers who work with Cranes & Rigging Material Handling.