OSHA Oklahoma Crane Inspection Regulations

OSHA Oklahoma crane inspection rules come under federal authority.cranes image by FJ Medrano from Fotolia.com

According to the Center for Construction Research and Training, 126 injuries and 58 fatalities occurred because of crane-related accidents in 2008. The OSHA Oklahoma crane inspection regulations intend to minimize these incidents by ensuring that crane contractors assemble, operate, and inspect cranes in accordance with the latest safety practices, as determined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA has a Region VI office in Dallas, Texas, that deals with the operation and inspection of cranes in Oklahoma.

Significance

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has the primary responsibility of enforcing regulations related to crane safety standards. OSHA has identified the hazards that make up the main sources of accidents involving cranes. Construction sites that employ the use of cranes must undergo inspections related to electrocution, collapses, objects striking the crane, and the crane tipping over. In addition, inspectors must evaluate possible conditions that may cause cranes or accessories to catch in or between machinery.

OSHA requires employers to follow the crane manufacturer's guidelines and limitations pertaining to the operations. Whenever the employer does not have access to the manufacturer's instructions, a qualified engineer with expertise in crane operations must inspect the crane to assess the attributes of the equipment and document and record the information. These conditions also apply to crane accessories.

Part 1926.550(a)(6) of the OSHA regulations states that cranes must undergo an annual inspection . The rules call for a qualified person, governmental or private agency, approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, to conduct the evaluation. The employer has the obligation to keep records of dates and results of all crane inspections.

Whenever a contractor moves to a new location, sets up in a previous spot, the operator must perform a "trial lift" using the estimated weight. The operator has the discretion to determine if a route change necessitates conducting a trial lift. The operator must perform the trial lift before placing any workers on the crane; however, rules allow materials and tools during the testing. The operator must ascertain if the systems, controls, and safety mechanisms work properly and without interference. The test also determines if the operator can reach specific work locations based on predetermined configurations and within the 50 percent limit according to the crane's rated capacity.

Immediately after completing the trial lift, the qualified person must conduct a visual inspection of the crane, the support, or the ground. This inspection reveals if any defect occurs because of the testing, or if the testing had a negative effect on any section of the structure.

After making repairs and changes to the crane, and before allowing any personnel on the crane, the crane has to undergo proof testing using 125 percent of the crane's platform capacity rating. The evaluation requires holding a load, evenly distributed across the platform, in a suspended state, for five minutes. Afterward, a qualified individual must conduct an inspection of the platforms and rigging. If the inspection reveals defects, the company must make corrections and conduct another test and inspection.