Required crane safety devices

The equipment must have all of the devices listed in 1926.1415(a) unless an express exception applies. These required devices include a crane level indicator, boom stops (except for derricks and hydraulic booms), jib stops (if a jib is attached, except for derricks), locks for equipment with foot-pedal brakes, integral holding devices/check valves for hydraulic outrigger/stabilizer jacks, rail clamps and rail stops for equipment on rails (except portal cranes), and a horn that is built-in or immediately available to the operator (See 1926.1415(a)).

• Each listed item is mandatory unless the specific exception in the subsection applies (for example, derricks or portal cranes in certain cases).
• Operations must comply with the separate operational requirements in 1926.1415(b).

A crane must have a crane level indicator that is either built into the equipment or is available on the equipment. If a built-in crane level indicator is not working properly it must be tagged-out or removed, and if a removable crane level indicator is not working properly it must be removed. The crane level indicator requirement does not apply to portal cranes, derricks, floating cranes/derricks, and land cranes/derricks on barges, pontoons, vessels, or other means of flotation (1926.1415(a)(1) and its subparts).

• "Tagged-out" indicates the built-in device is identified as not serviceable and removed from use until repaired.
• If the indicator is removed or tagged-out, the operational rule in 1926.1415(b) still applies: equipment must not be operated unless the required devices are in proper working order.
• Portal cranes, derricks, and cranes on flotation are exempt from the crane level indicator requirement per the listed exception.

Boom stops are required on equipment covered by this subpart except for derricks and hydraulic booms. In other words, if the equipment is not a derrick and does not have a hydraulic boom, it must have a boom stop (1926.1415(a)(2).

• The purpose of the boom stop is to limit boom travel to prevent over-travel that could cause instability or component damage.
• If a boom stop is missing or not working, do not operate the equipment until it is repaired (see 1926.1415(b)).

Jib stops are required when a jib is attached to the equipment, except that derricks are excluded from this requirement. So, if your crane has a jib and it is not a derrick, it must have jib stops (1926.1415(a)(3).

• Jib stops limit jib motion to prevent unintended travel or collapse.
• As with other required devices, a nonfunctional jib stop means the equipment should not be operated until corrected under 1926.1415(b).

Equipment that uses foot pedal brakes must have locks on those brakes. In short: if your equipment has foot-pedal-actuated brakes, those brakes must be lockable (1926.1415(a)(4).

• The locks prevent unintended movement while the equipment is parked, being serviced, or during other operations where braking must be maintained.
• If the brake locks are missing or not working, do not begin operations until they are fixed per 1926.1415(b).

Hydraulic outrigger jacks and hydraulic stabilizer jacks must have an integral holding device or a check valve. In other words, each hydraulic outrigger or stabilizer jack must include a means to hold load position and prevent collapse if hydraulic pressure is lost (1926.1415(a)(5).

• The integral holding device/check valve protects against sudden lowering or collapse due to loss of hydraulic pressure.
• If the holding device or check valve is not present or not functioning, the equipment must not be operated until it is corrected (1926.1415(b)).

Equipment on rails must be equipped with rail clamps and rail stops, except that portal cranes are exempt from this requirement. So rail-mounted cranes (other than portal cranes) must have both rail clamps and stops to secure and limit movement (1926.1415(a)(6).

• Rail clamps secure the equipment to the rail to prevent unintended travel; rail stops halt travel at designated limits.
• Portal cranes are specifically excluded from this requirement per the text.
• If rail clamps or stops are missing or fail, operations must not proceed until they are repaired (1926.1415(b)).

The equipment must have a horn that is either built into the equipment or is on the equipment and immediately available to the operator. If a built-in horn is not working properly it must be tagged-out or removed, and if a removable horn is not working properly it must be removed (1926.1415(a)(7) and subparts).

• "Immediately available to the operator" means the operator can access and use the horn while operating the equipment.
• As with other required devices, the operational rule in 1926.1415(b) applies if the horn is not functioning: operations must not continue unless the device is made serviceable or removed/tagged as allowed.
• Tagging-out a built-in horn identifies it as out of service until repaired; removable horns that fail must be removed entirely.

No — operations must not begin unless all the devices listed in 1926.1415 are in proper working order. If a device stops working during operations the operator must safely stop operations, and equipment must be taken out of service until the device is again working properly; alternative measures are not permitted (1926.1415(b)).

• This is a strict requirement: you cannot use substitute procedures in place of the required device.
• If a device fails while working, the operator’s immediate obligation is to safely stop operations and take the equipment out of service until repaired.
• See also 1926.1417 (Operation) for related operational requirements referenced in 1926.1415(b).

Tagging out a built-in crane level indicator does not automatically permit continued operation without meeting the operational requirement that devices be in proper working order. While 1926.1415(a)(1)(ii) allows a nonworking built-in level indicator to be tagged-out or removed, 1926.1415(b) states operations must not begin unless the devices listed are in proper working order and equipment must be taken out of service if any listed device is not working properly. Together, these provisions mean tagging-out identifies the device as out of service, but equipment should not be operated unless the overall requirements of 1926.1415(b) are satisfied (1926.1415(a)(1)(ii) and 1926.1415(b)).

• Practically, tagging-out signals the device is removed from use and must be repaired before the piece of equipment returns to service, unless a compliant alternative that meets the standard is available (but 1926.1415(b) prohibits alternative measures that substitute for a required device).
• For operational detail related to safe stopping and out-of-service procedures see 1926.1417 (Operation).

If a removable horn is not working properly, it must be removed from the equipment; a removable horn cannot simply be left in place when it is defective (1926.1415(a)(7)(ii)).

• After removal, the equipment must still meet the operational requirement in 1926.1415(b) before being placed or kept in service.
• If no functioning horn is available to the operator, do not operate the equipment until this required device is provided and working.

Portal cranes, derricks, floating cranes/derricks, and land cranes/derricks on barges, pontoons, vessels, or other means of flotation are exempt from the crane level indicator requirement. In short: those four categories are specifically excluded from 1926.1415(a)(1)'s crane level indicator rule (1926.1415(a)(1)(iii).

• Even when exempt from the crane level indicator requirement, these machines must still comply with any other applicable safety and operational requirements in the standards, including 1926.1415(b).

Yes — portal cranes are exempt from the crane level indicator requirement under 1926.1415(a)(1)(iii) and they are also excluded from the rail clamps and rail stops requirement in 1926.1415(a)(6). In other words, portal cranes are specifically excepted from both the crane level indicator and the rail clamps/rail stops provisions (1926.1415(a)(1)(iii) and 1926.1415(a)(6).

• Despite these exceptions, portal cranes must still meet all other applicable crane safety and operational requirements in the standards, including the operational prohibition against using equipment when required devices are not working (1926.1415(b)).

If a required device stops working during operations, the operator must safely stop operations, and the equipment must be taken out of service until the device is again working properly. Operations may not resume until the device is restored to proper working order; alternative measures are not permitted (1926.1415(b)).

• The operator’s first obligation is to safely stop the lift and place the equipment in a secure condition rather than attempting to continue using the equipment without the required safety device.
• See 1926.1417 (Operation) for additional operational guidance referenced by 1926.1415(b).

No — 1926.1415(b) explicitly states that alternative measures are not permitted to be used in place of the devices listed in the section. Operations must not begin unless all listed devices are in proper working order, and if a device is not working the equipment must be taken out of service until it is repaired (1926.1415(b)).

• This prohibition means you cannot substitute ad hoc controls or procedural workarounds for required hardware devices.
• If you believe a different device or design change is necessary, it must meet the standard’s requirements and be approved/implemented before operations resume.

No — if a built-in horn is not working properly, 1926.1415(a)(7)(ii) requires that it be tagged-out or removed, and 1926.1415(b) requires that operations not begin unless all listed devices are in proper working order. A removable horn that is defective must be removed. You cannot rely on ad hoc substitutes or continue operations where a required device is not working unless the overall requirements of 1926.1415(b) are met (1926.1415(a)(7)(ii) and 1926.1415(b)).

• If a removable handheld horn is present and in proper working order and meets the requirement that a horn be immediately available to the operator, that device may satisfy the horn requirement; but equipment must still comply with the rule that nothing substitutes for a listed device unless the standard allows it.
• When in doubt about substitution or alternate configurations, follow 1926.1415(b) and consult applicable operational rules in 1926.1417.

You can read the full list of required safety devices and the operational prohibition in 1926.1415, and for related operational rules see 1926.1417 (Operation). These two sections together state the device requirements and explain that operations must not begin or continue when the listed devices are not in proper working order.

• Use 1926.1415(a) to review each specific device requirement and 1926.1415(b) for the "proper operation required" rule.
• Refer to 1926.1417 for operational detail and safe-practice requirements referenced by 1926.1415.