indiana.eduCranes AND Hoists
Regular and periodic movement of large and/or heavy loads is essential to numerous university operations. In an effort to prevent accidents involving cranes and hoists, these guidelines shall be followed:
- The safe design capacity of a crane, or other hoisting equipment, must not be exceeded.
- All cranes and hoisting equipment must be in safe working condition and be inspected by a competent person before use, and during use to make sure it is in safe working condition. Proper guards must be in place to exposed gears belts, couplings and fans.
- All operators must be familiar and trained to operate the equipment they are assigned to operate. Documentation of the operators training must be available upon request.
- Equipment shall be inspected by a competent person before each use and during use, and all deficiencies corrected before further use. A documented annual inspection log must be kept with the crane at all times. Boom cable installation documents must be readily available as well.
- No persons shall ever be under a load while it is being lifted.
- To avoid tipping, outriggers must be fully extended and remain firmly on the ground. Cribbing is necessary when the ground cannot support outriggers. Boom angle indicators and load charts and a standard hand signal chart must be visibly posted in the crane.
- While moving a crane, the “headache” ball must be retracted to avoid swinging.
- Minimum clearance between power lines and any part of the crane shall be at least 10 feet. For power lines rated over 50 kV, additional clearance is required.
- Overhead cranes shall have stops at the limit of travel of the trolley. Bridge and trolley bumpers or equivalent automatic devices shall be provided. Bridge trucks shall have tail sweeps.
- A preventive maintenance program based on the crane manufacturer’s recommendations shall be established for all overhead and gantry cranes.
- Any temporary or permanent structure, including cranes, that exceed an overall height of 200 feet above ground level or that fall under the notification requirements shall be marked and/or lighted, in accordance with the guidelines of the FAA publication Advisory Circular AC 70/7460-1K.
Services
- Training
- Consultation inspections
Publications and Resources
- OSHA Standards for General Industry (29 CFR 1910 Subpart N and S)
- OSHA Construction Industry Regulations (29 CFR 1926 Subpart K, N, and V)
- The American Society of Mechanical Engineers/ASME
- B30.2 - 2005 Overhead and Gantry Cranes (Top Running Bridge, Single or Multiple Girder, Top Running Trolley Hoist)
- B30.16 - 2007 Overhead Hoists (Underhung)
- B30.17 - 2006 Overhead and Gantry Cranes (Top Running Bridge, Single Girder, Underhung Hoist)
- Canadian Standards Association/CSA
- B167-08 Overhead travelling cranes - Design, inspection, testing, maintenance, and safe operation
- Crane Manufacturers Association of America
CMAA Specification 78 - Standards and Guidelines for Professional Services Performed on Overhead Traveling Cranes and Associated Hoisting Equipment - Material Handling Industry of America
- IU Crane and Hoist Program Policy DRAFT – Coming Soon
- Crane Inspection & Maintenance Checklist – Coming Soon
- DOL/MSHA Accident Prevention Program; Hand Signals for Lifting Equipment
- OSHA Alliance Cooperative Program, Material Handling Industry of America: Technical Documents, Safety Fact Sheets, and Safety Tips Sheets
See especially Fact Sheets 1 & 2 as well as Safety Tips Sheets 1-4.
In addition to the resources linked above, state and local codes as well as manufacturer’s operation manuals should be consulted whenever cranes or hoists are deployed.
SERVICES
- Training
PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES
- OSHA's Crane and Hoist Safety
- Crane and Hoist Regulations - 1910.179
- Powered Platforms, Manlifts, and Vehicle-Mounted Work
Platforms Regulations - 1910.66-68 (starts at 1910.66,
advance by clicking the link at the bottom)