Crane Lift Planning

When is a crane lift plan needed? The short answer is “every time.” Workplace safety regulations require employers to identify and avoid hazards that may put their employees in harm’s way. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes workplace safety regulations that employers must follow. This includes crane lift plans for construction, renovation, and certain manufacturing activities. For example, when constructing a building using structural steel, Subpart R of the OSHA standard says that “All hoisting operations in steel erection shall be pre-planned…with the development of a site-specific erection plan”. Planning a lift helps the building owner, crane operator, and supporting personnel such as riggers and signal persons, complete lifting activities without an incident. Although cranes are big pieces of equipment, they are susceptible to failure from very simple, yet preventable causes. These can include tipping due to overload, damage due to striking a building, or even electrocution due to contacting overhead power lines. OSHA regulations and crane manufacturers specify some high-risk situations that require specialized planning. In these instances, a professional, registered engineer may have to review the lift plan calculations and approve the plan. Situations considered high-risk “critical picks” include: • Using more than one crane to pick a load • Picking and carrying the load (moving the crane with the load suspended) • Lifting personnel in a “man” basket • Using a crane on-water on a barge • Picking loads that exceed 75% of the crane’s rated capacity and • Moving loads near power lines or over occupied building spaces