Cranes and derricks requirements

Yes — cranes and derricks brought aboard vessels for longshoring must be certificated as required by part 1919. See the certification requirement in 1918.66(a)(1) and the general certificating rules in Part 1919.

The crane's weight must be posted on any crane hoisted aboard a vessel for temporary use so the weight is visible when the crane is aboard. See the posting requirement at 1918.66(a)(2).

• This helps determine stability, required ballast, and safe handling aboard ship.

The rating chart must be durable, visible to the operator, and cover the full range of manufacturer or design capacity ratings for all boom lengths, radii (outreach), and applicable jibs and outriggers. See the detailed chart requirement in 1918.66(a)(3).

• Include alternate ratings for optional equipment and any manufacturer precautions or warnings along with the chart.

No — you cannot exceed the manufacturer's or design rated loads, and you cannot increase designated working loads without manufacturer approval or an approved engineering analysis. See the limits at 1918.66(a)(4) and the change-of-rating rules at 1918.66(a)(5).

• If the manufacturer is unavailable, a registered professional engineer competent in cranes must perform and approve the analysis, and any required structural changes must be made.

When a crane’s rated load varies with boom radius, the crane must have a boom angle or radius indicator visible to the operator. See 1918.66(a)(6).

• This lets the operator determine allowed loads for the current outreach.

The cab, controls, and mechanisms must be arranged so the operator has a clear view of the load or the signalman; cab glass must be safety plate glass or equivalent and cranes with glass that impairs vision must not be used. See 1918.66(a)(7).

• Store clothing, tools, and equipment so they don’t block access, operation, or the operator’s view.

Operate cranes only with the specified type and amount of ballast or counterweights placed and secured per the manufacturer's or design specifications, and use outriggers exactly as specified with adequate blocking to prevent shifting or toppling. See 1918.66(a)(8) and 1918.66(a)(9).

• Floats attached to outriggers must be secure; wood or blocks must be defect-free and sized to prevent movement under load.

Engine exhaust must be discharged away from crane operating personnel, and electrical equipment must be placed or enclosed so live parts are not exposed to accidental contact. See 1918.66(a)(10) and 1918.66(a)(11).

• Proper placement and guarding reduce inhalation and electrocution hazards.

At least one portable approved or listed fire extinguisher of minimum 5-B:C rating (or equivalent) must be accessible in the crane cab, and extinguishers using carbon tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane are prohibited. See 1918.66(a)(12)(i) and 1918.66(a)(12)(ii).

• Keep the extinguisher accessible and maintained per manufacturer guidance.

You must leave at least three full turns of rope on ungrooved drums and two turns on grooved drums under all operating conditions, and wire rope must be secured to drums with clamps, U-bolts, shackles, or equivalent means. See 1918.66(a)(13).

Each independent hoisting unit must have at least one holding brake applied directly to the motor shaft or gear train and a separate controlled braking means to control lowering speeds; holding brakes must meet the torque percentages in [1918.66(a)(14)(iii)]. See 1918.66(a)(14).

• Holding brake torque: 125% of rated hoisting torque when paired with non-mechanical braking, 100% with mechanically controlled braking, or 100% when two holding brakes exist (1918.66(a)(14)(iii)(A)-(C)).
• All power control braking means must maintain safe lowering speeds (1918.66(a)(14)(iv)).

Operating controls must be clearly marked or a chart showing their function must be posted at the operator's position, and foot pedals must have a non-skid surface. See 1918.66(a)(15) and 1918.66(a)(17).

• Clear markings reduce operator error and improve safety.

Cranes with elevatable booms that lack operable automatic limiting devices must have boom stops if elevation can exceed the maximum design angles, and safe access (ladders, stairways, grab irons, etc.) must be provided to cabs, platforms, and superstructure areas employees must reach. See 1918.66(a)(16) and 1918.66(a)(18).

• Ensure fall and access hazards are addressed when providing those means.

A designated person must direct the operation and instruct personnel on positioning, rigging, and the movements to be made when two or more cranes hoist a load in unison. See 1918.66(b)(1).

• This helps coordinate load distribution, timing, and safety between crane teams.

Accessible areas within the swing radius of a revolving crane's body must be physically guarded during operations to prevent employees from being caught between the crane and fixed structures or between crane parts. See 1918.66(b)(2).

• Use barriers, gates, or marked exclusion zones to keep employees out of the swing radius.

Cranes must not be used in a way that creates side loading stresses on booms, and no crane or derrick with a visible or known defect affecting safe operation may be used. See 1918.66(b)(3)(i) and 1918.66(b)(3)(ii).

• If a defect is present, remove the crane from service until repaired by designated persons.

Before leaving a crane unattended, land suspended loads unless an equivalent safe storage position is provided, disengage clutches, shut off power supply, secure the crane against accidental travel, and lower or secure the boom against movement. See the full list at 1918.66(b)(4)(i)-(v).

• Following these steps prevents unintended movement and injuries when equipment is unattended.

An employee may be hoisted only on a platform that meets all listed requirements: enclosed by a railing or equivalent protection, fitted with toe boards if railings are open, a safety factor of four, marked with maximum load rating and platform weight, devices to prevent accidental opening of access doors, overhead protection if needed, and secured to the load line by means other than wedge-and-socket unless the bitter end is clamped close above the wedge. See the full platform criteria in 1918.66(c)(1).

• These requirements are designed to keep hoisted employees protected from falls and load failures.

Except in emergencies, hoisting mechanisms used for personnel must operate only in power up and power down with automatic brake application when not hoisting or lowering, and such cranes must have anti-two-blocking devices; variable-radius booms used for personnel must be constructed or secured to prevent accidental boom movement. See 1918.66(c)(2), 1918.66(c)(3), and 1918.66(c)(4).

• Anti-two-blocking prevents the hook block from striking the boom tip, which can cause line failure.

Platforms and devices must be inspected before each day's use and removed if defective; hoisted employees must remain in continuous sight and communication with the operator or signalman; operators must stay at the controls while employees are hoisted; and cranes must not travel while employees are hoisted except for emergencies or pre-approved tier-to-tier container transfers. See 1918.66(c)(5)-(8).

• These rules prevent accidental drops, lost communication, and uncontrolled movement while personnel are suspended.

A designated person must visually inspect each crane and derrick on each day of use for defects in functional operating components and report defects to the employer, and a record of each monthly inspection must be maintained for six months either on the crane or at the terminal. See 1918.66(d)(1) and 1918.66(d)(4).

• Repairs must be done only by designated persons.

Moving parts such as gears, chains and sprockets that present hazards must be securely guarded, and crane hooks must be latched or otherwise secured to prevent accidental load disengagement. See 1918.66(e)(1) and 1918.66(e)(2).

• For guidance on when latches are required on hooks, see OSHA’s Letter of Interpretation on safety latches: Safety latches on sling hooks (2006).

Every crane used to load or discharge cargo into or out of a vessel must have a load-indicating device or equivalent (unless specifically exempted) that gives the operator a direct indication of actual weight, provides an automatic weight-moment readout, or prevents overloads; the device must be accurate within +10% (−5% to +10%) of the true total load, be checkable before lifts or certified to remain operative, not be the limiting strength of the support system, and be conspicuously marked with units, capacity and instructions. See the full device requirements at 1918.66(f)(1) and marking/accuracy rules at 1918.66(f)(1)(ii)-(vi).

• Accuracy must hold over the range of operating variables reasonably anticipated (1918.66(f)(1)(iii)).
• If the device automatically ceases crane operation at rated limit and provides no readout, markings must describe the device and its operation (1918.66(f)(1)(vi)).

Load-indicating devices are not required for (A) trolley-equipped bridge cranes handling containers identified as empty or loaded under 1918.85(b), or when using a manufacturer-supplied lifting beam within crane rating; (B) cranes handling bulk commodities with clamshells or magnets; (C) cranes handling hoses for bulk liquid transfers; or (D) cranes used exclusively to handle units clearly marked with gross weight when the gross weight never exceeds 11,200 lbs and is less than the rated capacity at maximum outreach. See 1918.66(f)(1)(viii)(A)-(D).

• Always confirm the specific conditions in the exemption text before relying on it.

Operators must remain at the controls when employees are hoisted (1918.66(c)(7)), and OSHA has explicitly stated an operator who becomes incapacitated must not leave a suspended load or abandon the controls because doing so creates an unsafe condition. See OSHA’s Letter of Interpretation on crane operator medical condition scenarios: Crane operator medical condition scenario (2013).

You may install additional devices like strobes or modify equipment only after obtaining the manufacturer's prior written approval or written approval from a professional engineer experienced with the equipment who has consulted the manufacturer (if available); modifications that affect safe operation may also require operator retraining. See the modification approval requirement in 1917.43(b)(1) and guidance for strobe installations in OSHA's letter Strobe lights on industrial trucks (2004). Additionally, reach stackers are treated as powered industrial trucks for certification purposes under OSHA guidance: Reach stacker certification exemption (2017).

Whether a safety latch is required on a sling hook depends on the activity; OSHA requires that slings be securely attached to their loads and that hooks be latched or otherwise secured to prevent accidental disengagement in several maritime standards. See 1918.66(e)(2) and OSHA’s detailed guidance in Safety latches on sling hooks (2006).

• Use latch-equipped hooks unless the application makes their use impractical; industry consensus (ASME/ANSI) supports latches where feasible.

Repairs must be done only by designated persons, and any defects found during daily visual inspections must be reported to the employer and corrected by those designated persons before the crane is returned to service. See the inspection and repair rules at 1918.66(d)(1) and the repair limitation at 1918.66(d)(4).

The device must allow the operator to confirm it is operative before any lift; if it cannot be checked that way, the manufacturer must certify it will remain operative for a specified time, and the device must be checked for accuracy at every certification survey (1918.11) and at other times the manufacturer recommends. See the verification and certification requirements at 1918.66(f)(1)(iii) and the certification survey reference in 1918.11.

• Keep records of certifications and accuracy checks as required by applicable standards.

Load-indicating devices must indicate loads within 95% to 110% (−5% to +10%) of the actual true total load, and overall accuracy must be based on actual applied loads over the full operating radius — not just full-scale accuracy — to ensure correct readings at all radii. See the accuracy rules at 1918.66(f)(1)(ii) and the full-radius accuracy requirement at 1918.66(f)(1)(vi).

• OSHA’s note explains why basing accuracy on full scale only is unacceptable for variable-radius operations.

A crane is exempt from the load-indicating device requirement if it handles only cargo or equipment whose total actual gross weight is permanently marked on the unit(s) hoisted, the marked weight never exceeds 11,200 lbs, and the load is less than the crane's rated capacity at the maximum outreach. See the exemption at 1918.66(f)(1)(viii)(D).

• The marking must be permanent and clearly show the total gross weight of the unit.

Side loading is applying lateral stresses to a crane or derrick boom (for example, pulling or pushing loads off-center) and is prohibited because it can overstress and damage the boom, creating a risk of failure. See the prohibition in 1918.66(b)(3)(i).

• Never rig or move loads in ways that impose side loads on the boom; use appropriate rigging and load distribution methods instead.