Proposed Crane Rule Gets Mixed Reviews

摘要

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration will be taking a harder look at crane safety on jobsites while it also seeks public comments, due Dec. 8, on a long-awaited proposal to update its 40-year-old crane and derrick rules. Industry observers say OSHA has moved too slowly in the wake of many serious crane accidents this year. A crane and derricks advisory committee (CDAC) convened more than four years ago negotiated the draft regulation. Since then, OSHA has conducted cost analysis and preamble writing required by statute. Key requirements, published in the Federal Register on Oct. 9, include new safeguards for powerlines, ground conditions, erecting and dismantling, in- spections, signaling qualifications and crane-operator certification.