New OSHA Regulation for Sign Companies with Cranes

On July 28, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it is issuing a new rule addressing the use of cranes and derricks in construction. The federal government’s first new, crane-safety rule in nearly 40 years will affect sign companies that use many types of mobile cranes (such as boom-truck cranes) in their operations. The new rule (29 CFR Part 1926 Cranes and Derricks in Construction; Proposed Rule – 73:59713-59954) takes effect November 8, 2010.
The new rule requires:
1. All operators of cranes with a maximum load capacity that exceeds a ton must be certified to operate crane equipment by an accredited crane-operator testing organization.
2. The employer must provide the certification at no cost to operators whom they employ.
3. Different certification levels will be offered based on equipment capacity and type.
4. The certification issued under the rule is valid for five years.

There is a four-year, phase- in period for operator certification; all operators must be certified by November 8, 2014. If an employee that operates any cranes under this rule is not compliant by this date, OSHA can cite and fine the employer.
The new OSHA rule was under development and debate for almost a decade, the International Sign Assn. (ISA) reports. From computers to hydraulics, crane technology has changed since 1971, while OSHA s crane rule hadn’t accommodated the changes. The agency s existing regulation reportedly relies heavily on a late 1960s vintage of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) B-30.5 standard for crawler cranes.
During the public review process, ISA provided requested the sign industry be exempt from the new provisions based on the type and size of the cranes used in the industry and their typical loads. OSHA rejected ISA’s request, as well as similar requests by other industries.

ISA is in the process of updating its crane-safety training course to address the new requirements in the rule. The training course will prepare crane operators for the certification exam that will soon be required. In order to participate in any of these training programs or for more information, contact Tracey Cook at tracey.cook@signs.org.