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4.0 Design & Safety Requirements
4.1 The design of all cranes and hoists constructed after 1971 must comply with the requirements of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American National Standards Institute’s (ASME/ANSI)
B30.2.0-1967 standards for crane construction; and the Crane Manufacturer’s Association of America
standards CMAA-70-2010 and CMAA-74-2010.
4.2 The rated load of the crane must be plainly marked on each side of the crane, and if the crane has
more than one hoisting unit, each hoist shall have its rated load marked on it or its load block, which
must be clearly visible from the floor.
4.3 Only designated/authorized personnel who have been properly trained may operate cranes, hoists
and slings.
4.4 Clearance from obstructions:
4.4.1 A minimum clearance of 3 inches overhead and 2 inches laterally must be provided and
maintained between the crane and any obstruction.
4.4.2 Where passageways, foot walks, or walkways exist, their placement must not present a
hazard to employees when cranes are in use.
4.4.2.1 Foot walks shall be of rigid construction and designed to sustain a distributed load of
at least 50 pounds per square foot and shall be slip resistant.
4.4.2.2 Elevated walkways must provide adequate fall protection through the installation of
appropriate guardrail systems.
4.5 Cranes with parallel runways must always maintain clear path of travel for the crane.
4.6 Trolley stops and/or bumpers should be provided to limit the travel of the trolley along the runway and
be capable of sufficiently stopping the trolley.
4.7 Guards shall be in place for all moving parts where there is potential for hazardous contact or wearing
could occur.
4.8 Crane electronic controllers should be equipped to shut the crane to the “off” position as a fail-safe.
4.9 Hooks used as part of crane operation must be equipped with a safety latch to prevent loads from
bouncing off the hook.
5.0 Crane Operation Requirements
5.1 Pre-operational test – At the start of each work shift (on a day when the crane will be used), operators
should complete the following steps to ensure the crane is operating properly.
5.1.1 Test the upper limit switch – raise the unloaded hook block until the limit switch trips.
5.1.2 Visually inspect the hook, load lines, trolley, and bridge as much as possible from the operator
station (typically this is at floor level)
5.1.3 If provided, test the lower limit switch.