27.07.2010

New crane rules to be issued tomorrow

The new US Cranes and Derricks standard will finally be published in the Federal Register tomorrow followed by a live online chat hosted by OSHA and the US Department of Labour.

The ‘web chat’ will run between 15:00 and 16:00 US Eastern Standard Time. Listeners/participants will have the opportunity to pose questions regarding the new rules with responses posted live for everyone to see.

You can access the web chat very easily on www.dol.gov/dol/chat.htm questions can be posed via email during the event at [email protected] and putting Cranes in the subject box.

The publication brings to an end a process that began on July 16th 2002, when OSHA announced it would create a negotiated rulemaking committee to improve crane and derrick safety in construction. The committee first met at the end of July 2003. The final rule will revise the 29 CFR 1926.550 regulation that has been in place for decades and was well past its ‘sell by date’

The most controversial aspect of the new rules has been the requirement for operators to be certified and who would provide that certification. This issue was finally resolved in May clearing the way for publication. Even as recently as a few days ago it looked as though the July deadline woudl be missed. But here it is.