OSHA Guide – Cranes and Derricks in Construction

Section 1434 – Equipment Modifications

This section applies to modifications that affect the capacity or safe operation of the equipment. Its provisions safeguard against unsafe equipment modifications and provide that the modifications are reflected in the equipment’s instructions and specifications so that the modified equipment can be used safely.

Manufacturer Review and Approval

The equipment’s manufacturer is uniquely qualified to evaluate any proposed modifications to the equipment. If the manufacturer is available and is willing to evaluate the proposed modifications, any modifications or additions that affect the capacity or safe operation of the equipment are only permitted where:

  • The manufacturer approves the modifications/additions in writing, and
  • The load charts, procedures, instruction manuals, and instruction plates/tags/decals are modified as necessary to accord with the modification/addition

Manufacturer Review Unavailable

In the event the manufacturer is unavailable, is unwilling to review the proposed modification/addition or to reject it in writing, fails to initiate the review or acknowledge the request within 30 days, or fails to complete the review within 120 days, the modification/addition may be made if a registered professional engineer who is a qualified person with respect to the equipment involved:

  • Approves the modification/addition and specifies the equipment configurations to which that approval applies, and
  • Modifies load charts, procedures, instruction manuals, and instruction plates/tags/decals as necessary to accord with the modification/addition

Under this option as well as that involving manufacturer approval, the original safety factor of the equipment may not be reduced.