OSHA statistics don’t lie. Since January there have already
been eight fatalities involving Overhead Cranes. One study referenced in OSHA
literature indicated that approximately eleven percent of all overhead crane
accidents are the result of mechanical errors. Mechanical error in overhead
crane accidents is often the result of negligence on behalf of crane-related
professionals, including employers and safety professionals. Overhead Crane
accidents can be caused by a lack of adequate preventative maintenance, inspections,
and lack of operator training and/or experience.
ASME B30.2-3.1.2 Crane Operating Training, states that
training should include those items that applies to the crane at the employer’s
workplace and type of load that will be handled (i.e., raw materials, bulk
materials or fragile materials), and the operator’s responsibilities involving
the movement of the load.
Sources for training should include:
- Information outlined in the manual provided with the equipment.
- Information available through trade associations.
- Government training resources.
- Courses and programs from manufacturers of cranes, crane consultants, trade schools, continuing education schools, employers, and manufacturers of crane component parts.
- Requirements and recommendations found in National Consensus Standards (ASME).
Responsibilities of the employer/management are:
- Identify, document and assign responsibilities of the overhead crane operator and other persons involved in the movement of the load.
- Provide training to persons who will operate an overhead crane.
- Provide written and practical examinations that verify the person has acquired the knowledge and skill to operate the particular overhead crane(s) that will be operated by the person. The examinations shall be defined by the owner/user and in accordance with any local, state, and federal provisions that may apply.
- Issue a certificate or formal record that verifies that the person has been trained and passed the examination.
