What’s worse than receiving a slap on the wrist from OSHA? A preventable accident or incident occurring on the jobsite, that's what. Don’t let your crew become a scary statistic! Providing your team with the proper training and certifications to get the job done safely, ensures that everyone leaves the jobsite in one piece.
Back in November 2020, Scott Ketcham, Director of OSHA’s Directorate of Construction, presented the top ten crane violations, cited by OSHA through mid-October 2020, at the NCCCO Foundation Industry Forum.
Here we look at the top violations and pair them with the appropriate ITI training solutions specifically designed to mitigate them.
Inspections: OSHA reported a total of 354 inspection violations, 197 of which were listed as being serious.
This violation can be easily mitigated through ensuring that required daily, periodic and annual inspections are being conducted completely and by knowledgeable, competent individuals, who have gone through a rigorous Crane Inspector training program.
ITI Training Solutions:
- Overhead Crane Inspector Fundamentals | 12 hours, online course (no certification)
- Certified Overhead Crane Inspector | 3 days, in-person course
- Overhead Crane Inspector | 14 hours, online course
- Mobile Crane Inspector | 5 days, in-person course
Signal Person Qualifications: OSHA issued 167 citations, 66 percent of which were serious, to employers who were not in compliance.
Signal persons must know and understand basic hand signals; be competent in the application of the type of signals used; have a basic understanding of the crane’s operation and limitations; and understand when it is appropriate to use hand, radio, or special signals.
ITI Training Solutions:
- Signalperson Certification Test Prep | 3 hours, online course (exams offered separately)
- NCCCO Signalperson Prep | 2 days, in-person course
- NCCCO Practical Exam for Signalperson | in-person exam
- NCCCO Written Exam for Signalperson | Offered at ITI Training Centers and Approved Computer-Based Testing Locations
- Qualified Signalperson Exams | 1 day, in-person exam
Power Line Safety: OSHA cited 150 violations through mid-October, 85 percent of these were deemed serious.
Certified operators are required to know how to determine if any part of the equipment, load line, or load (including rigging and lifting accessories), while operating up to the equipment's maximum working radius in the work zone, could get closer than the minimum approach distance of the power line permitted, and they must know how to take the appropriate precautions.
ITI Training Solution:
- NCCCO Mobile Crane Operator Certification Test Prep | 3 days, in-person
- NCCCO Mobile Crane Operator Certification Test Prep | 12 hours, online course
Keeping Clear of the Load: OSHA identified 142 violations during the reporting period, of which 85 percent were serious.
Only those essential to the operation are permitted in the fall zone (but not directly under the load). Lift directors, operators, riggers, and signal persons must know when people may or may not be in the fall zone.
ITI Training Solutions:
- Lift Planning Bootcamp | 1 day, in-person course
- Lift Director & Critical Lift Planning | 3 days, in-person course
- Basic Rigging & Inspection | 8 hours, online course (addresses crane awareness)
Operation: OSHA identified 123 violations under this category, of those, 66 percent were considered serious.
Proper training ensures that crane operators have the knowledge to perform their work as safely as possible. This includes not engaging in any practice or activity that diverts their attention while engaged in operating the equipment, such as the use of cellular phones (other than when used for signal communications).
ITI Training Solutions:
- Mobile Crane Operator - Initial | 5 days, in-person course
- Mobile Crane Operator - Qualified | 5 days, in-person course
- Overhead Crane Operator – Qualified | 1 day, in-person course
- Overhead Crane Operator | 4 hours, online course
Assembly/Disassembly: OSHA determined 82 percent of the 85 violations of this section of the rule were serious.
Assembly/disassembly must be directed by a person who meets the criteria for both a competent person and a qualified person, or by a competent person who is assisted by one or more qualified persons. This continues to be an area of responsibility that needs to be clearly assigned on the jobsite.
ITI Training Solution:
- Crane Assembly & Disassembly Director | 2 days, in-person course
Operator Qualification & Certification: In 84 instances, OSHA determined violations of this section of the rule, 73 percent of these were serious violations. Note: This category also included the highest number of willful violations.
OSHA requires that employers ensure that each operator is trained, certified/licensed, and evaluated in accordance with this section before operating any equipment covered under subpart CC. For a certification to satisfy the requirements of this section, the crane operator testing organization providing the certification must be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.
ITI Training Solutions:
- NCCCO Mobile Crane Operator – Lattice Boom Bundle | 5 days, in-person course
- NCCCO Mobile Crane Operator – Telescopic Fixed Cab Bundle | 5 days, in-person course
- NCCCO Overhead Crane Operator Bundle | 2 days, in-person course
- NCCCO Mobile Crane Operator – Telescopic Swing and Fixed Cab Bundle | 5 days, in person course
Hoisting Personnel: OSHA identified 86 percent of the 73 violations related to hoisting personnel as serious.
The use of equipment to hoist employees is prohibited except where the employer demonstrates that the erection, use, and dismantling of conventional means of reaching the work area, such as a personnel hoist, ladder, stairway, aerial lift, elevating work platform, or scaffold, would be more hazardous, or is not possible because of the project’s structural design or worksite conditions.
ITI Training Solution:
- Suspended Personnel Platform Trained User | 4 hours, online
- Lift Director & Critical Lift Planning | 3 days, in-person course
Wire Rope Inspection: OSHA found violations in 71 instances, 63 percent of those being serious.
OSHA requires a competent individual to inspect wire rope before or during a shift. Trained operators know the types and designations of wire rope and their application, replacement criteria and inspection procedures, and maintenance and lubrication, so they know how to categorize any deficiencies found during their shift inspections and take the appropriate action(s) to notify the controlling entity before commencing work.
ITI Training Solutions:
- Rigging Gear Inspector Level I & II | 3 days, in-person course
- Rigging Gear Inspector Level III | 3 days, in-person course
- Mobile Crane Inspector | 5 days, in-person course
- Overhead Crane Operator | 4 hours, online course
Training: OSHA found 86 percent of the 58 violations related to these requirements to be serious.
Rule 1926.1430 outlines 15 paragraphs on training requirements for those working in and around the cranes. Requirements include training operators on safe operation of the equipment the operator will be using, power line safety, signaling, emergency procedures and more.
ITI Training Solutions:
Let us know how we can serve you and we will be able to deliver a quote to you in short order. Our Crane & Rigging Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) can deliver any of our 35+ courses at your location.
Set up your next crane, rigging or lift planning course at your location!
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