Crane and Rigging Hot Line announced a series of Risk Management Webinars beginning August 1, 2013. In the first webinar titled Minimizing Liability Allocation after Major Crane Accidents, Kevin Cunningham, president of the construction division of the Houston International Insurance Group (HIIG), will discuss how OSHA’s powerful new enforcement tools will impact liability allocations in […]
Once a load is picked up, you need to have a place to put it back down. Cribbing in one form or another often is that place. Properly assembled cribbing constructed of a suitable material can provide a stable base for any object. If the cribbing is improperly assembled and/or made from inferior materials, it […]
Once a load is picked up, you need to have a place to put it back down. Cribbing in one form or another often is that place. Properly assembled cribbing constructed of a suitable material can provide a stable base for any object. If the cribbing is improperly assembled and/or made from inferior materials, it […]
When outriggers were first introduced, they were used when the capacities for lifting on rubber were exceeded. With the advances in technology, design, and multiple outrigger configurations lifting on outriggers is the norm and lifting on rubber is the exception today. Lifting on outriggers increases the crane's leverage - allowing us to lift heavier loads […]
Ground collapse often has a catastrophic outcome. A crane tips when the outrigger sinks, the load is dropped and the crane causes damage when it tips. When a crane’s outrigger punctures underground utilities, it damages underground water and sewage lines and can cause a gas line explosion. The site designated Lift Director should identify and mark known […]
Recently a 300-foot crane collapsed, toppling onto a building under construction in Long Island City, Queens, trapping three workers under debris and injuring seven. The crane smashed onto plywood and concrete, and wreckage could be seen stretching for hundreds of feet. Buildings Department Commissioner Robert Limandri said it appears the crane operator attempted to lift […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has said it will propose to extend the compliance date for the crane operator certification requirement by three years. The agency said that it will propose to extend the compliance date so that the qualification and certification requirements do not take effect during potential rulemaking, or cause disruption to […]
A recent decision of the Sixth Circuit of Appeals in All Erection & Crane Rental Corp. (2012 WL 6028627, Dec. 5, 2012) upheld a citation alleging that an employer failed to barricade a crane's swing radius. Despite no injury and OSHA's failure to actually observe an employee in the hazardous area, the Sixth Circuit concluded […]
Before a trained operator starts working, the aerial work platform (AWP) has already been selected to provide him or her temporary access to work at height. The operator’s safety and efficiency depends on the quality of that decision. Selecting AWPs for your next project requires more planning than renting a car for your next trip. […]
OSHA recently released a listing of 50 FAQs (frequently asked questions) concerning the new 1926.1400 construction safety standards. Go to the following link, http://www.osha.gov/cranes-derricks/faq.html for answers to all 50 questions. Selected excerpts “An operator may operate a particular piece of equipment if the operator is certified for that type and capacity or higher-capacity equipment of that […]
