OSHA Guide – Cranes and Derricks in Construction
MENU
- Introduction
- Employer Responsibilities
- Section 1400 – Scope
- Section 1401 – Definitions
- Section 1402 – Ground Conditions
- Sections 1403-1406 – Assembly and Disassembly
- Sections 1407-1411 – Power Lines
- Section 1412 – Inspections (with Section 1435(f)-Tower Crane Inspections) and Section 1436(p)-Derricks Inspections)
- Section 1413 – Wire Rope Inspection
- Section 1414 – Wire Rope – Selection and Installation Criteria
- Sections 1415 Safety Devices & 1416 Operational Aids
- Section 1417 – Operation
- Section 1418 – Authority to Stop Operation
- Section 1419-1422 – Signals
- Section 1423 – Fall Protection
- Section 1424 – Work Area Control
- Section 1425 – Keeping Clear of the Load
- Section 1426 – Free Fall and Controlled Load Lowering
- Section 1427 – Operator Qualification and Certification
- Section 1428 – Signal Person Qualifications
- Section 1429 – Qualifications of Maintenance & Repair Employees
- Section 1430 – Training
- Section 1431 – Hoisting Personnel
- Section 1432 – Multiple-Crane/Derrick Lifts
- Section 1433 – Design, Construction and Testing
- Section 1434 – Equipment Modifications
- Section 1435 – Tower Cranes
- Section 1436 – Derricks
- Section 1437 – Floating Cranes/Derricks and Land Cranes/Derricks on Barges
- Section 1438 – Overhead & Gantry Cranes
- Section 1439 – Dedicated Pile Drivers
- Section 1440 – Sideboom Cranes
- Section 1441 – Equipment with a Rated Hoisting/Lifting Capacity of 2,000 Pounds or Less
- Directory of States with Approved Occupational Safety and Health Programs
- Workers’ Rights
- OSHA Assistance, Services and Programs
- OSHA Regional Offices
- NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program
Section 1426 – Free Fall and Controlled Load Lowering
Free Fall Generally Prohibited
Some older cranes are designed with a “live boom,” where the rate of lowering the boom can only be controlled by a brake. Failure of the brake can lead to free fall of the boom and a risk of death or serious injury to workers near the crane. This standard prohibits the use of equipment with a live boom unless:
- The equipment was manufactured before October 31, 1984, or
- The equipment is a floating crane/derrick or a land crane/derrick on a vessel/flotation device
Free Fall Specifically Prohibited
Even in the two situations where the equipment may have a live boom, the equipment may not be used in the following circumstances:
- An employee is in the fall zone of the boom or load
- An employee is being hoisted
- The load or boom is directly over a power line, or over any part of the area extending the Table A of section 1408 clearance distance to each side of the power line; or any part of the area extending the Table A clearance distance to each side of the power line is within the radius of vertical travel of the boom or the load
- The load is over a shaft, except where there are no employees in the shaft
- The load is over a cofferdam, except where there are no employees in the fall zone of the boom or the load
- Lifting operations are taking place in a refinery or tank farm
Backup Protection
In the situations listed above where the use of equipment with a live boom is prohibited, the boom hoist must have a secondary mechanism or device designed to prevent the boom from falling in the event the primary system used to hold or regulate the boom hoist fails, as follows:
- Friction drums must have:
- A friction clutch and, in addition, a braking device, to allow for controlled boom lowering
- A secondary braking or locking device, which is manually or automatically engaged, to backup the primary brake while the boom is held (such as a secondary friction brake or a ratchet and pawl device)
- Hydraulic drums must have an integrally mounted holding device or internal static brake to prevent boom hoist movement in the event of hydraulic failure
- Neither clutches nor hydraulic motors may be considered brake or locking devices for purposes of this subpart
- Hydraulic boom cylinders must have an integrally mounted holding device
Preventing Uncontrolled Retraction
Hydraulic telescoping booms must have an integrally mounted holding device to prevent the boom from retracting in the event of hydraulic failure.
Load Line Free Fall Prohibited
In each of the following circumstances, controlled load lowering is required and free fall of the load line hoist is prohibited:
- An employee is directly under the load
- An employee is being hoisted
- The load is directly over a power line, or over any part of the area extending the Table A of 1926.1408 clearance distance to each side of the power line; or any part of the area extending the Table A of 1926.1408 clearance distance to each side of the power line is within the radius of vertical travel of the load
- The load is over a shaft
- The load is over a cofferdam, except where there are no employees in the fall zone of the load
