What Do I Need to Know About Crane Operator Training?

There are two key factors you will find when accidents occur in a facility. Either it is caused by complacency or ignorance. There is only one way to reduce this thinking of employees. That is to make safety a value shared by all in the company. Safety must be a culture created by the management of the company. It needs to be believed in by all. If everyone does not buy into then it will not become a culture. When you have a culture of safety committed personnel, ignorance and complacency are no longer factors. The only way to create this culture is to make safety your number one priority above all else including productivity and profitability. If employees believe that the company they work for cares more about their well being than the profit of the company then they will take pride in that and not only will they work safer, they will also watch out for others to ensure the safety for those that work around them .

One key ingredient in creating a safety oriented culture is by providing ongoing safety training. Refreshing employees on safety steps they can take in the facility to make their work day safer will help keep safety in the forefront if their minds daily. Ongoing safety training would include daily and weekly safety talks, monthly safety meetings, and annual training on major safety issues. One major safety issue in your facility is your cranes. Out of all the regulations required by OSHA and ANSI the one that get missed the most would have to be qualifying crane operators. Many companies know to inspect their cranes but they fail to think about the people who are actually operating them. Many will even put an operator on a crane that doesn’t even have any experience operating one. A company will invest in inspections and repairs but will then fail to take that next step to ensure their employees are fully trained in operating the equipment. Not only is this against various codes, and regulations set forth by governing bodies, it is also a great liability.


Barclays California Code of Regulations Section 5006 qualifies an operator by stating, “Only employees authorized by the employer and trained, or known to be qualified, in the safe operation of cranes or hoisting apparatus shall be permitted to operate such equipment.” It is also written in the regulations, “Trainees may be authorized to operate cranes or hoisting apparatus provided they are under the supervision of a qualified operator.”

ASME B.30.2 regulations are what OSHA will reference for crane operator training requirements. ASME requires that cranes be operated by ONLY designated persons, trainees under the direct supervision of a designated person, maintenance and test personnel, when it is necessary in the performance of their duties, and inspectors. Now to be considered qualified by ASME, they required that the crane operator SHALL be required by the employer to pass a practical operating examination. Qualifications shall be limited to the specific type of equipment for which the operator is being examined.

There are many things to consider when providing crane operator training for your employees. For one you need to ensure that it is adequate for the type of equipment you have in your facility. You don’t want to provide a basic 15 minute video on crane safety and a test for a facility that has several bridge cranes. The higher the capacity and more complex the operation the longer you should expect the class to be. Minimally, there are FIVE items you want to discuss and test on in the training class that you’re going to be providing for your employees.

1. Daily Crane and Hoist Inspections

This is the most important part of the class. This rarely gets done in most facilities and typically is because the operators not knowing it is their responsibility. There is actually a lot that goes into a daily check and the larger the crane the more intense the daily check will be. A daily check is vital for safe operations in your facility. This also helps the operator have a better understanding of the equipment they are operating. If it is checked on a daily basis than something that is not ordinarily there will be more easily noticed by the operator and will be picked up potentially preventing an accident.

2. Components of a Crane

An operator will be unable to do an appropriate daily inspection if they do not even know the correct terminology of the crane components. The daily inspection checklist has several crane components listed. Without knowing the correct terminology it could lead to an incorrect inspection results and a crane that could be potentially unsafe. If your operators do know the correct terminology they will be able to not only write it up properly but they will be able to inform the crane vendor of any issues that they are having with the crane that won’t be misinterpreted by the vendor. This will allow a more precise diagnosis and lowering your investment by spending less on time spent troubleshooting.

3. Safe Operation of a Crane

Do your operators know how to stop a load swing if it was to occur in your facility? Do they know what to do if they have a runaway crane? Do all your employees know where the main crane disconnect is located in your facility? These are all important questions and if your training does not incorporate any of these items in your training then you do not have the appropriate training program.

4. Hands On crane operation of a crane in the facility

This part is where they take what they learnt in the class and incorporate into some hands on that the crane operators can try out and get confident while you have a professional crane operator instructor in your facility. If you go back to the OSHA and ASME regulations you will see that the regulations require you to pass a “practical operating exam”. This test will suffice for this part of the regulation.

5. Basic Rigging

The number one reason for a crane accident that is caused by operator error is poor rigging. Anything you do with a crane will require some form of rigging. Your operators MUST know the proper way to rig the load. Regardless if you’re using slings, shackles, spreader bars, or other rigging attachments there is still a proper way to use them. A basic rigging instruction will help them be more efficient and safe operators.

In 2011 the Konecranes Training Institute conducted a study that analyzed crane accidents and the fatalities from those accidents. The information from this study was taken from 10 years of public OSHA Inspection Reports. The findings were very alarming if you are a crane operator. This study found that 58% of people injured or killed were crane operators. 37% of crane incidents a person were crushed by a load. This was the result of load drops, or load swings. You can see how serious these findings are. If there is a crane accident, there is a great chance the crane operator will be hurt or killed. This study analyzed that 70% of these accidents were preventable with proper operator safety training.

In closing, it is the crane operators’ responsibility to ensure that they are operating the crane safely; however it is the employer’s responsibility to train their employees with the knowledge to operate the cranes in a safe and efficient manner. When you’re incorporating crane operator training into your safety program, ensure that you have the appropriate material for your employees. Look into a training program that will discuss your equipment, and all five important items to discuss during training.

Mechanical Load Brake Operation and Inspection

There are many misconceptions of mechanical load brakes on lifting equipment. I have heard from many customers that they think the load brake is designed to hold the load during normal hoisting operation. This is not completely correct. I have also been told from customers that load brakes are required to be inspected on an annual inspection. This too is incorrect. There are two basic reasons hoist have load brakes. The mechanical load brake has to control the speeds when lowering the load, and has to be able to hold the load when the motor is not running. The load brake operates very similar to a nut and bolt. Let me introduce you to load brakes and give you a brief description of how the load brake works and see if I can help you understand the load brake functionality and inspection frequency for them.

During the hoisting mode the load brake is unlocked and freewheeling. The purpose of a “load brake in a hoist application is to keep the suspended load from falling without power to the hoist and independent of the motor brake.” When the load is being lowered the clutch locks stopping the load brake system from rotating. As soon as the motor stops driving the load, or the load travels faster than the motor then pressure will be applied to the friction disc. If the electric motor brake fails the load brake will completely lock to hold the load. You will also be able to lower the load to the ground. This is done by the self-adjusting clutch. The brake will tighten slowing the load, and the load brake loosens if it is going too slow. This is a rapid succession that keeps the load controlled. If you hear a clicking sound when the load is being raised, this is the pawl hitting the ratchet teeth. You should not be hearing this noise if the load brake is adjusted properly.

Let me explain my statement when I said that it is not completely true that the load brake is designed to hold the load during normal hoisting operation. The load brake actually works together with the hoisting brake. The Weston style load brake (pawl & ratchet) holds approximately 25 to 30% of the load being picked up. The holding brake does the bulk of the work. This is why it is vital to have your holding brake inspected frequently so the load brake does not end up doing all the work causing it to wear faster.

The other misconception is that the load brake requires an annual inspection. This is incorrect. All load brakes are self-adjusting and minimum maintenance is required. There is however cases the load brake require an inspection. If you hear clicking sounds coming from your load brake then an adjustment is required and can be done externally with the adjustment nut. However if it has been several years since the gear case has been opened and inspected than it is a good idea to open the gear case to inspect the brake linings and other components. Lubrication to the load brake is also highly important. Every time pressure is applied to the load brake the heat is dissipated by the lubricant. If not enough lubrication is in the gear case than the brake will over heat destroying the brake liners. In some cases forced cooling is required for heavy loads. The lubrication should either be changed out annually or lab tested. The viscosity of the lubricant is vital to control the operating temperature of the gear case. Old or dirty oil will change the original viscosity of the oil. Like anything oil too has a shelf life even if it is clean. If the viscosity or oil level is too high or too low it can cause overheating, excessive power consumption, and foaming. It is recommended to inspect the gear case and load brake every 4 years or per your OEM. Each OEM will have a different recommendation so check with your owner’s manual for inspection frequency. It is recommended as well to test the load brake annually at 25% of the load capacity. Not following your OEM recommendations could result to premature wear of your load brake.

I hope this small amount of information has been helpful to you. The inspection process although not annually is very important in safety of your crane and in extending the life of it. It may be a costly investment but it is vital in preserving the life of your crane and the safety of those that work under it.

How Much Can I Pick Up With My Crane?

As a certified crane operator instructor I have given many classes and I am always asked questions that become repetitive. I think those are the questions that need to be shared the most. Like, What is wrong with side pulling?, or Why do I have to inspect my crane so often? These are important questions and definitely should not go unanswered. There is one question that I get more than any other. I get this question in my training classes, I got it when I was a crane technician, and I get it as a consultant to my customers. How much can I pick up with my crane? Every time I am asked this I answer it the same way, You can lift whatever the lowest capacity rating you have on your crane system. Once I state this, I always get the counter question of, I thought there is a safety factor built into my crane? Well, yes there is but that don’t mean your crane was designed for lifting your rated capacity plus the safety factor percentage. In this post I will try to explain what the correct answer is, and then I will do my best to explain to you this safety factor.

The regulations set forth by OSHA clearly says that you are not to pick up more than the rated capacity of the crane. OSHA 1910.179 N states that The crane shall not be loaded beyond its rated load except for test purposes as provided in paragraph (k) of this section. Not only can you not exceed the rated capacity of the crane, but you also have to factor in the lowest rated capacity of the device your using to lift with. If you have a below the hook device you have to subtract the weight of the device from the rated capacity of the crane. Then if the rated capacity of the device is smaller than the rated capacity of the bridge or hoist then you cannot exceed the capacity of the device.

You should never pick more than the rated capacity unless it is for a load test which will be conducted at or near 125% of the rated load. So many factors go into the design of a crane that you would have to look at the safety factor of all your components. You would have to look at the wire rope, the motors, bearings, sheaves, drums, wheels, rails, hoisting speeds, and beam and steel sizes.

Now when you try to figure out what is your cranes safety factor, you have to be careful as to whether your crane manufacturer built the crane based on CMAA standards or FEM standards. So it is important to know what the difference is between the two standards. CMAA is the Crane Manufacturers Association of America and FEM is Federal European De La Manutention. This is the standards for design and manufacturing internationally of overhead traveling cranes. FEM specifications are written based on the input from the World’s largest crane companies. Then of the CMAA specifications are written based on the input from the largest American crane companies. FEM will separate each main part of the crane (hoist, trolley, and bridge). However CMAA groups them together as one structure and machinery. I think the problem you can have with this is that with FEM you can get an under and over designing of certain components because it does not always take into account the entire crane system as CMAA does. CMAA safety factor for the wire rope is 5:1 for standard cranes, and 8:1 for molted metal cranes. However, FEM safety factor for the wire rope of 3.6:1 and up to 9:1 depending on the crane group the crane is classified in. There are 6 classes of cranes for FEM and for CMAA. These different classifications were designed to allow for the most economical crane to be specified.

FEM         1Bm    1Am    2m    3m    4m    5m
CMAA      A        B         C      D      E      F
These classifications are based on the usage of the crane. They are similar to each other but different enough that it can put your cranes in different classifications.

FEM    Life in Hours
1Bm     0-1,600hrs
1Am    1,600-3,200hrs
2m       3,200-6,300hrs
3m       6,300-12,500hrs
4m       12,500-25,000hrs
5m       25,000-50,000hrs


CMAA   Life in Hours
A             0-1,250hrs
B             1,250-2,500hrs
C             2,500-5,000hrs
D             5,000-10,000hrs
E             10,000-20,000hrs
F             20,000-40,000hrs



Typically with the FEM standards you are getting a heavier duty hoist than with the CMAA standards. FEM also factors their calculations using the long ton while CMAA goes by the short ton. The difference is 220lbs per ton. This does not seem like a lot but when you are comparing a heavier capacity hoist it is a drastic difference. For example if your crane is a 30 ton hoist, CMAA standards will build the crane for 30 tons. Likewise that same hoist by FEM standards will be built for an additional 6,138lbs.

You also have to consider the deflection of your bridge beam when factoring in what your crane can pick up. When a load test is conducted on your crane deflections are measured. CMAA has an allowable deflection of live load tolerance. However FEM has no such rule. If we go by CMAA standards the standard allowable deflection is .1125% of the span of the bridge. A good rule to go by that I always used as a technician to find an acceptable tolerance is, Jib cranes tolerance is the span/150 or 450 depending upon the span. A single girder crane has an allowable tolerance of the span/603 and double girder cranes have a tolerance of the span/888. These tolerances are based on 100% of the rated capacity.

In the end the crane operator is the one who is responsible for the lift. It is the operator’s responsibility to know what the capacity of the crane and any lifting devices. If the operator has any doubts to the safety of the lift then they should not lift the load. Anytime that the lift is going to be at near capacity it is a good practice to test the brakes. The operator tests the brakes by raising the load only a few inches off of the ground and applying the brakes. There should be no drift in the hoist motion when the operator is not raising or lowering the load. This is an excellent safety measurement and should be used.

Many factors are taken into account when considering the safety factor for your crane. There are so many different parameters that get you to your true safety factor that you would have to re-engineer the entire crane to figure out what it truly is. Once true stress is calculated at its maximum on all load bearing components and the usage of the crane is calculated then the true safety factor can be calculated. The standards are guidelines to help with the design of the crane. However, they also give limits and requirements for most vital crane components. Although cranes may be built according to CMAA standards, all electric hoists are designed and rated according to FEM standards. These standards are in place to make the operator and those working around the crane safe. Be safe and never exceed the capacity of the crane. Ensure your crane operator has been properly trained and your equipment is being inspected as well as maintained with a through preventive maintenance program.

New OSHA Standards on Slings

New OSHA standards have improved the regulations for slings. This new revision to the regulations requires that all slings regardless of the material require permanently affixed identification tags. This revision is part of the Standards Improvement Project Phase III. This project is to improve and streamline OSHA Standards. There are so many standards out there that the rules are so confusing, or duplicate what has already been said somewhere else and even written a different way causing much inconsistency. Many regulations are even outdated and should not apply in today’s world. This improvement project will help employers to understand the regulations better. Through better understanding employers will work safer, and be in compliance. After reading the revised regulations I think they did an excellent job at rewording much of the regulations but they did a poor job at duplicating the same message in every section. Every sections still tells you that you have to have a capacity label on anything. I would think it would be easier to read if they had a section for all lifting equipment that stated what is required for all devices regardless of what they are made of. This would save a lot of time reading the same thing over and over again every time you come to a different section.


There are several new changes to sling capacity labels and shackle markings that took effect on July 8th 2011. Previously many slings had a load capacity chart if it was a synthetic sling, or if it was a wire rope sling it had no rated capacity at all.

The new major changes are as follows….

• Remove load capacity tables for slings that were in the previous OSHA standards


• Sling Markings- Employers now must use only slings with permanently affixed identification markings that show the maximum load capacity for each sling


• Shackle Markings- Required to have rated capacity label on shackle






Much of the original regulations have stayed the same but they have also been reworded so it is easier to understand. I have the entire set of regulations that have been revised. I separated them based on what the regulations were about and compiled them together for easier reading.






• Employers must not load a sling in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed by the sling manufacturer on the identification markings permanently affixed to the sling.


• Employers must not use slings without affixed and legible identification markings.

Alloy chain slings also have their own specific regulations…



• Employers must permanently remove an alloy steel-chain slings from service if it is heated above 1000 degrees F. When exposed to service temperatures in excess of 600 degrees F, employers must reduce the maximum working-load limits permitted by the chain manufacturer in accordance with the chain or sling manufacturer’s recommendations.


• Effect of wear. If the chain size at any point of the link is less than that stated in Table N–184–1, the employer must remove the chain from service.


• Employers must ensure that chain and chain slings:


• Have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load for the type(s) of hitch(es) used, the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one;


• Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and


• Not be used without affixed and legible identification markings.


• Employers must note interlink wear, not accompanied by stretch in excess of 5 percent, and remove the chain from service when maximum allowable wear at any point of link, as indicated in Table G–2 in § 1915.118, has been reached.

Wire rope slings have the most significant change in the entire revisal. Prior to this wire rope slings did not require a capacity label. Here are the revised regulations for wire rope slings.



• Wire-rope slings—(1) Sling use. Employers must use only wire-rope slings that have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer, and that indicate the recommended safe working load for the type(s) of hitch(es) used, the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one.


• Employers must ensure that wire rope and wire-rope slings:


• Have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load for the type(s) of hitch(es) used, the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one;


• Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and


• Not be used without affixed and legible identification markings.


• When U-bolt wire rope clips are used to form eyes, employers must use Table G–1 in § 1915.118 to determine the number and spacing of clips.


• Employers must apply the U-bolt so that the ‘‘U’’ section is in contact with the dead end of the rope.

You never see natural or synthetic fiber-rope slings used today in the crane industry. There still are regulations for them since you may see them used in manual lift with shackle blocks.



• Natural and synthetic fiber-rope slings— Sling use. Employers must use natural and synthetic fiber-rope slings that have permanently affixed and legible identification markings stating the rated capacity for the type(s) of hitch(es) used and the angle upon which it is based, type of fiber material, and the number of legs if more than one.

§ 1915.112 Ropes, chains, and slings.



• Manila rope and manila-rope slings. Employers must ensure that manila rope and manila-rope slings: Have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as


prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working

load for the type(s) of hitch(es) used, the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one; Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and Not be used without affixed and legible identification markings as required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

Shackles and hooks get overlooked more than any other lifting device or rigging attachment. Shackles and hooks still have strict regulations in place to keep workers safe and prevent any accidents. Below is the rewording of the up to date regulations 1915.13 Shackles and Hooks.



• Shackles. Employers must ensure that shackles:


• Have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load;


• Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and


• Not be used without affixed and legible identification markings.





The last updates the regulations received were for the general rigging equipment for material handling. This is for any piece of rigging to ensure that all below the hook devices and any material handling equipment not covered in the previous regulations will be covered here in this last set of regulations. The regulation below is the 1926.251 rigging equipment for material handling.



• Employers must ensure that rigging equipment:


• Has permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load;


• Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and


• Not be used without affixed, legible identification markings.


• Employers must not use alloy steel-chain slings with loads in excess of the rated capacities (i.e., working load limits) indicated on the sling by permanently affixed and legible identification markings prescribed by the manufacturer.

• Employers must not use improved plow-steel wire rope and wire-rope slings with loads in excess of the rated capacities (i.e., working load limits) indicated on the sling by permanently affixed and legible identification markings prescribed by the manufacturer.


• Wire rope slings shall have permanently affixed, legible identification markings stating size, rated capacity for the type(s) of hitch(es) used and the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one.


• Employers must not use natural and synthetic-fiber rope slings with loads in excess of the rated capacities (i.e., working load limits) indicated on the sling by permanently affixed and legible identification markings prescribed by the manufacturer.


• Employers must use natural- and synthetic-fiber rope slings that have permanently affixed and legible identification markings that state the rated capacity for the type(s) of hitch(es) used and the angle upon which it is based, type of fiber material, and the number of legs if more than one.


• Employers must not use shackle with loads in excess of the rated capacities (i.e., working load limits) indicated on the shackle by permanently affixed and legible identification markings prescribed by the manufacturer.



Below the hook devices are the most overlooked part of any inspection on a crane, especially when they are not stored on the crane itself. What you have read are all of the new regulations and the revised wording of the OSHA regulations on slings. It is very important to understand what codes your equipment fall under. If you are unsure contact your service provider and they will go over with you any regulations that you would like clarification on.



It is vital to stay up to date with the changes that occur every year. Keeping up to date is very hard and can be time consuming especially when you have other task that are not crane related. This is why it is beneficial for any company to have a inspection outsourced to professionals who inspect cranes and below the hook devices on a daily basis. When looking for a crane company to service your cranes, pick one that has an extensive training program for their technicians and inspectors so that you can be assured that your getting an accurate inspection that will include covering any new codes that have come out for the new year.

Harculo Crane Accident

I have been meaning to post a blog about this accident for some time now. However, I don't like to just post a video without some type of information to set up what you are about to watch. I have spent numerous hours online trying to find information regarding this accident. Perhaps because it was in the Netherlands, it has made it so hard to find information on this. This is the perfect accident to perform a case study on so I wish more information was readily available. I have seen this video in training within my company on several occasions for all the right reasons. It was a catastrophic failure that could have been avoided.



This accident happened on October 17th of 2003 at the Harculo Power Plant Netherlands. The Harculo Power Plant is a natural gas plant in Zwolle, Netherlands. It has an output of 349MW. It is important to know that the plant was mothballed in 2001 and then brought back into production in 2002. This is a good indicator as to the condition of the cranes during this overhaul that was taking place at the time of the failure.


I have read several different blogs on this accident. Many say that it was a wire rope failure. Some say operator error, or even the crane manufacturer. The more I look at this though the less I think it was a wire rope failure. It looks more like a load brake failure to me. If it was a wire rope I think it would have dropped quicker than it did, and you would have seen the frayed ends on top of the rotor when it fell to the ground. This crane was hoisting and moving a 70 ton gas turbine rotor that was worth 8.5 million dollars. The failure almost killed two workers. They were so close to the drop that it must have been pretty traumatic for them. This is a great video for training purposes to show why you should not be standing under a load during operation.


It you get anything out of this video, I hope you get how important load brake inspections are. Load brakes cannot be inspected during a routine quarterly or annual inspection. This is an inspection in and of itself. Especially on larger cranes like this one it will take a couple guys and will take the entire day to go through the dis assembly and inspection process. Check with your hoist manual to see when the frequency of gear box inspections should take place on your equipment. Now.. check out this video and tell me what you think....

An Interview With A Crane Inspector

When I go to a customer’s site I never look at myself as a salesman. I look at it more that I am a consultant to my customer. I try to show them the appropriate steps that they need to take to be compliant, safe, and proactive in with their crane maintenance. I try to see what their needs are and try to find the perfect fit for them. I never try to sell them something that they don’t need, nor do I push anything unless I have established a relationship with that customer, and it is a safety issue.


One issue I have faced as a salesman a few times is the fact that I am not always taken as serious as if I was an inspector or technician. Coming in as a salesman especially with someone that I have not developed a relationship with and try to convince them of what they need is not always the easiest thing to do. You get those looks like you’re just a sales guy trying to sell them something. Sometimes I feel like I could get more across to a customer when I was a technician.

At my work I am fortunate to have a lot of talent out in the field that I can rely on when I have questions regarding cranes, and various regulations on them. We have a very knowledgeable work force that is out their working on our customers cranes every single day. The training program we have in place is unsurpassed by any competitor. We have our own crane institute that is designed for all careers at our company from technician, to inspector, or manager to salesman. Barry Conway is one of those guys that I rely a lot. I know if a customer asks me something that I am not sure of, Barry is the first person that I call. I know he will either know the answer or at least know where to find the answer. He is a valuable asset to our organization and that is why I wanted to do my first interview with him. I know what my answers are to the following questions but I thought the answers were so much more valuable coming from someone who is on the cranes everyday and sees the programs that customers have implemented daily. So lets see what he has to say….

How Long have you been a crane inspector?
I have been an approved and licensed Cal OSHA crane inspector for 21 years and have worked in the crane industry for 26 years.

What do you like about your job?:

I enjoy the places I go, most are very interesting and I have met some very knowledgeable and interesting people along the way.


What is the biggest issue that you find that your customers are unaware of?:

A lot of my customers are unaware of the regulation from Cal OSHA regarding their equipment, the record keeping, the training of the operators, having a maintenance program in place. A lot of the break downs are due to improper operation by the employees. Proper training can reduce or even eliminate them.

What crane discrepancy do you find the most and why do you think that is?:

With new customers I find a lack of record keeping and a lack of proper maintenance of their equipment.. These are both OSHA requirements.

Is there any suggestions that you make to your customers on a regular basis?:

Yes, to start a maintenance program on their small units. There seems to be a misconception that maintenance and record keeping does not need to be performed on units of 6,000 lbs or less. That is not true.

Are there any regulation that you would like to implement or suggest to CAL-OSHA?:

I would like to see more stringent requirements for certifiers implemented. There are a lot of safety devices on cranes. An inspector needs to have a through understanding of how a crane operates and all of the safety devices that are incorporated in them. Some seem to not understand fully about them.

Any additional comments that you would like to make?

A good maintenance program, proper operator training can go a long way in reducing overall expenses and down time. Keeping spare parts on their shelf can reduce down time and reduce other cost by eliminating additional travel time. Brakes, wire ropes, even spare motors and VFD Drives, especially if the unit is a critical crane.



In closing I want to thank Barry for taking the time to answer my questions. It still amazes me that there is such a lack of record keeping with crane equipment. Close to 90% of all crane accidents are fatal. With statistics like that you don’t want to become part of those statistics. The only way to improve your chances is to take care of your equipment, record keeping, and training. It is our job to help companies’ fine tune their record keeping and keep on a strict maintenance schedule. Contact me today and I can help you with your crane needs.

Load Testing Reinstalled Equipment in the State of California.

Recently I had a customer who wanted to have load testing done on his monorails. His monorails were three ton capacity. Now, Load testing in the State of California is required on initial installations and every four years for equipment over three tons. However they often move the hoist to different locations and on different monorails throughout the facility. The question that arose was if we had to load test them every time a hoist gets re-installed on a different monorail.

In a letter from 1994 written by CAL-OSHA they state that if the hoist is not an integral part of the machine, then the monorail does not have to be load tested or certified. Then they go ahead and define a monorail as “a crane whose hoisting mechanism is suspended from, and is an integral part of, one or more trolleys mounted on a single track.” So what the heck does integral mean anyway? OSHA commented to us that this is a confusing part for people trying to interpret what the regulations mean, and I can definitely see why. CAL-OSHA does not explain what they are referring to with the word, “integral”. Even under the definitions it is not listed. What he told us was that if it is not defined in Title 8 then it should be referenced from a dictionary. He went on and referenced Webster’s Dictionary and stated that the term integral as, essential to completeness, 2. Composed of integral parts, 3. Lacking nothing essential. So what I gather from this is that all hoists are integral to any monorail.

The following is an excerpt from the email sent to us from CALOSHA. , A hoisting unit is integral to all monorail cranes. Without a hoisting unit, a monorail crane is not complete and cannot perform its intended function. Section 5022 requires that a proof load test be performed on a monorail crane every four years. It is silent when it comes to reinstalling the hoisting equipment on the monorail crane. ASME B30.11 requires an operational test on reinstalled equipment. It also says that a load test should be performed on reinstalled equipment as determined by a qualified person. The problem is that our code in 4884 requires that such cranes be designed, installed, and constructed to the ASME requirements. Cranes need to be inspected, tested and maintained per Title 8. Since Title 8 is silent on the issue of reinstalled equipment, my opinion is that a load test should be performed based on your recommendation. What does the manufacturer recommend?

So, in the end it is up to the manufacturer’s or crane servicing company’s recommendation. Now he did state that he suggest a load test be performed every four years per Title 8 5022, and a load test on reinstalled equipment be performed as determined by a qualified person as per ASME B30.11. However I don’t really get it. They put all these regs in place and state all these regulations that are required to be followed on all equipment over three tons. Then when asked about it they pretty much say below three tons it should be done as well but it is up to the discretion of a qualified person. I thought that these regulations were in place to keep people from using their own discretion? If my customer comes to me with these questions, I would recommend quarterly inspections on all their equipment but only load testing above 3 ton capacities unless it is a class C or D crane then I would recommend every four years as well. Anything below three ton it really depends on the severity of use of the crane or hoist. If it is used a lot then it really needs to be treated as a piece of equipment that has a capacity over three tons. I’ll leave you with this, do you really think 6,000 lbs is going to hurt any worse than 8,000 lbs?