OSHA
2 hours
Learning Objectives
- •Explain how OSHA 1926 Subpart CC applies to cranes used in construction
- •Describe OSHA requirements for power line clearance and ground conditions
- •Identify operator and employer duties under the OSHA crane standard
- •Distinguish the roles of OSHA standards and Massachusetts hoisting regulations
Topics Covered
- •OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC — Cranes & Derricks in Construction
- •Power line safety: assessing the work zone and maintaining minimum approach distances
- •Ground conditions: firm, drained, graded support adequate for the crane and load
- •Assembly/disassembly and setup carried out per manufacturer instructions
- •Operator competency and the employer's duty to ensure it
- •Inspection requirements: shift, monthly, and annual inspections
- •Prohibition on hoisting personnel except under the standard's specific conditions
- •How OSHA federal standards work alongside MGL Chapter 146 and 230 CMR 6.00
- •OSHA general duty: employers must provide a workplace free of recognized hazards
Resources
Self-Check Questions
Question 1: OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC primarily governs:
- A. Forklifts used only inside warehouses
- B. Cranes and derricks used in construction work(correct)
- C. Passenger elevators
- D. Truck registration requirements
Show Explanation
Explanation:
Subpart CC is the federal standard for cranes and derricks in construction. When an articulating crane is used in construction work, its operation falls under Subpart CC in addition to Massachusetts requirements.
Question 2: Under the OSHA crane standard, before setting up a crane the ground conditions must be:
- A. Any surface, since stabilizers compensate for everything
- B. Firm, drained, and graded sufficiently to support the crane and load, with supporting materials as needed(correct)
- C. Freshly paved asphalt only
- D. Inspected only after the lift is complete
Show Explanation
Explanation:
The standard requires ground conditions adequate to support the crane and the planned loads. Soft, sloped, or poorly drained ground must be addressed with cribbing, mats, or relocation before setup.
Question 3: How do OSHA standards relate to Massachusetts hoisting regulations for a 1E operator?
- A. OSHA replaces all Massachusetts requirements
- B. They apply together — the operator must follow OSHA standards and MGL Chapter 146 / 230 CMR 6.00(correct)
- C. Massachusetts rules apply only on weekends
- D. OSHA standards do not apply to truck-mounted cranes
Show Explanation
Explanation:
Federal OSHA standards and Massachusetts statute and regulation apply together. The operator must satisfy both — meeting one does not excuse violating the other.
Question 4: Under OSHA Subpart CC, who has the duty to ensure a crane operator is competent for the equipment they run?
- A. The operator alone, with no employer involvement
- B. The employer(correct)
- C. The crane manufacturer
- D. The load being lifted
Show Explanation
Explanation:
The employer has a duty to ensure operators are competent and properly qualified for the equipment. This parallels MGL §66, which also places responsibility on the employer.
Question 5: OSHA Subpart CC generally prohibits hoisting personnel with a crane except when:
- A. The crew is in a hurry
- B. Specific conditions in the standard are met and conventional means would be more hazardous or infeasible(correct)
- C. The load is light
- D. It is never prohibited
Show Explanation
Explanation:
Hoisting personnel is allowed only under the narrow conditions the standard sets, and generally only when other access methods would be more hazardous or are infeasible. It is not a routine practice.
Question 6: OSHA requires crane inspections on which schedule?
- A. Only once when the crane is purchased
- B. Shift (each work shift), monthly, and annual inspections(correct)
- C. Annual only
- D. Only after a reportable accident
Show Explanation
Explanation:
The standard layers inspections: an inspection each shift, a more detailed monthly inspection, and a comprehensive annual inspection, each by appropriately qualified persons.
Question 7: A crane is set up where the boom could swing within the minimum approach distance of an energized power line. Under OSHA, the employer must:
- A. Do nothing if the operator is experienced
- B. Take measures such as de-energizing the line, maintaining clearance, or using other Subpart CC encroachment-prevention options(correct)
- C. Simply warn workers to be careful
- D. Speed up the work to limit exposure time
Show Explanation
Explanation:
Power line encroachment must be actively prevented — by de-energizing and grounding the line, keeping the required clearance, or using the other specific options in Subpart CC. Verbal warnings alone are not compliance.