For informational purposes only.Visit www.nccco.org and www.osha.gov for further informationwww.palfinger-northamerica.com

Niagara Falls, ON Canada

Crane Regulations - 2011 & Beyond United States

In Canada:PALFINGER Inc.P.O. Box 846Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6V6CanadaToll Free 800-567-1554

In USA:PALFINGER USA Inc.4151 West State Route 18Tiffin, OH 44883U.S.A.

OSH

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PALFINGER North America began in 1989 in Niagara Falls, Canada where a crane sales, service and manufacturing facility was established. Over the years, the North American product portfolio has been steadily expanded with products such as the truck-mounted forklift, and Epsilon forestry / recycling cranes. PALFINGER North America has become a market leader in the design and manufacturing of knuckle boom cranes, forestry / recycling cranes and truck-mounted forklifts.

New OSHA crane regulations are on the books. Are you prepared? PALFINGER can help.

Cerritos, CATiffin, OH Trenton, NJ

PALFINGER University was created to educate our product sales managers and dealer personnel to sell and service all PALFINGER products with efficiency and confidence through a dedicated training program of “Best Practices”.

What you need to know about:OSHA Rule 29 CFR 26 Suppart CC.

Frequently asked questions How can PALFINGER help?

Where can I find the complete Cranes and Derricks in Construction rule?OSHA regulations are published in the Federal Register and are free of charge. On the OSHA website, www.osha.gov, follow links for Regulations; Construction; Subpart CC. A general internet search for “Subpart CC Cranes and Derricks in Construction” will also lead to the rule.

Do all knuckleboom cranes need overload protection to be excluded from the rule?No. An overload protection system is only required for the delivery of sheet goods or building supply packaged materials onto a structure using a fork/cradle on the end of the boom. For a regular knuckleboom cranes offloading material from the truck to the ground, overload protection is not required to qualify for the exclusion.

Most of our crane work is not on construction sites. Is my crane exempt?Construction activity does not necessarily have to be on a construction site. Installing a septic tank in a homeowner’s backyard can for example be considered construction. A crane itself cannot be excluded, only certain uses of a crane. It is easily possible for a crane to fall under the rule one day and then be excluded the next day in a different applica-tion, whether it is non-construction or in the Material Delivery exclusion. For most knuckleboom crane operators, at least some of their work will fall under the rule, so they are encouraged to prepare for compliance with Subpart CC.

When should I get my operators certified?The deadline for full compliance with the operator certification portion of the rule is November 10, 2014. In the meantime several states that do not already have their own operator certification requirement have begun to adopt large portions of the rule, in some cases with tighter deadlines for compliance. Many employers across the U.S. are getting their operators certified now, taking advantage of the new NCCCO certification program. With a nationally recognized certification, operators are better prepared to meet special requirements on certain jobsites such as refineries, powerplants, or even certification requirements of states and cities.

Does operator certification in telescopic or lattice boom cranes count for knuckleboom operators?No. The certification must be based on testing on the actual equipment type. A knuckleboom operator must be certified for knuckleboom cranes by going through one of the four certification options provided in the regulation.

How does the NCCCO Articulating Crane Certification Program work?The certification includes both written and practical tests, with different versions available for Knuckleboom, Knuckle-boom With Winch, and Material Handling cranes. An articulating crane reference manual is made available as a study material, with the balance of the written test based on the OSHA regulation and the ANSI ASME B30.22 Articulating Crane standard. More information is available by visiting www.nccco.org

The new OSHA Cranes and Derricks in Construction rule was published in August 2010 and took effect in November 2010. The new rule replaces the previous 1926.550 Cranes and Derricks, and includes significant new requirements for all types of cranes such as operator certification and power line safety practices.

1) Construction vs. General IndustryThe rule applies to cranes used in “construction” which is defined by OSHA as including alteration and/or repair. Cranes being used in non-construction activities are subject to OSHA’s General Industry rules. When in doubt, an employer should assume their crane is in construction and follow the Cranes and Derricks in Construction rule.

2) Operator CertificationA major component of the new rule is the requirement for operator certification. Four options are given: accredited testing agency; audited employer qualification program; U.S. military; government entity license. The most popular option is expected to be the accredited testing agency. The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Opera-tors (NCCCO) introduced the Articulating Crane Certification Program in March 2010. The new program has already met with great success, certifying hundreds of knuckleboom crane operators.

3) New requirementsIn addition to the operator certification requirement, the new rule includes new sections covering power line safety. Several options are given for working near power lines, including the use of a designated spotter. Signal persons are also defined and their required qualifications listed. For some employers, depending on their crane application, the new safety requirements may require an additional employee on site or additional roles for the crane operator.

4) Knuckleboom exclusionAs a late addition to the rule, the “Material Delivery” exclusion specifically addresses knuckleboom cranes. Knuck-leboom truck cranes used to transfer materials from the truck to the ground, without arranging the materials in a particular sequence for hoisting, are excluded from the rule. In addition, cranes used to deliver sheet goods or build-ing supply packaged materials onto a structure using a fork are excluded, but only when such cranes are equipped with an overload protection system. Both exclusions are void if the crane is used to hold, support, or stabilize the material to facilitate a construction activity, or if the material being handled is a prefabricated component or a struc-tural steel member. Where a crane’s use qualifies for the Material Delivery exclusion, it is excluded from the entire rule, including operator certification and powerline safety requirements mentioned above. In this case the employer follows the applicable General Industry rules covering crane operation.

PALFINGER has taken an active role in NCCCO’s Articulating Crane Task Force to help develop the Articulating Crane Certification Program. The task force included fellow manufacturers, end-users, and representatives from the safety & training community. Through this involvement, we were able to educate our dealers with up to date information. Several PALFINGER dealers have already become accredited practical examiners and are now able to certify knuckleboom crane operators.

The well-known PALFINGER University has been expanded in 2011 to three Training Centers, in California, New Jersey, and Ohio. Educating our dealers and end-users on crane features, technology, and regulatory issues is one of PALFINGER’s core values.

All PALFINGER cranes have been equipped with overload protection as standard equipment since 2007. This set a true benchmark in the knuckle-boom crane industry, and as a result there is a large population of PALFINGER cranes able to qualify for the material delivery exclusion for sheet-goods and building supply materials.