OSHA Program Targets Crane Safety in South Central States

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Region VI office in Dallas announced it has established a Regional Emphasis Program (REP) covering employees in the construction industry who perform crane operations.

The program conducts safety inspections of workplaces in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and sites in New Mexico that are under federal OSHA jurisdiction.

“The REP will address various hazards associated with cranes, including but not limited to, being struck by objects, electrocution, crane tip-over, being caught in or between machinery, and falls. Past inspection evidence indicates these hazards are the leading causes of accidents where cranes are used in the construction industry,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Dean McDaniel.

The emphasis program is intended to supplement existing OSHA targeting programs, focusing additional resources as necessary to monitor jobsites, promote compliance, and promote awareness of safety and health hazards during construction activities involving cranes. OSHA will utilize a number of tools to address this issue, including enforcement, outreach, training, onsite consultation, partnerships, alliances and the agency’s Voluntary Protection Programs.

Under OSHA’s construction crane standard, 29 C.F.R. 1926.550, there is a general requirement for employers to inspect construction cranes prior to each use, during use and annually. OSHA also has specific standards that apply to different types of cranes. The OSHA standard requires that employers conduct tower crane inspections prescribed by the manufacturer.

Source: OSHA, www.osha.gov