(a) This section through WAC 296-56-60103 applies to
every kind of crane and derrick and to any other type of
equipment performing the functions of a crane or derrick
except as noted in (b) of this subsection.
(b) This section does not apply to small industrial
truck-type cranes, container handling toploaders and
sideloaders, chain hoists, and mobile straddle-type cranes
incapable of straddling two or more intermodal containers
(sixteen feet (4.88 m) in width).
(2) Ratings.
(a) Except for bridge cranes covered by subsection (7) of
this section, cranes and derricks having ratings that vary
with boom length, radius (outreach) or other variables shall
have a durable rating chart visible to the operator, covering
the complete range of the manufacturer's (or design) capacity
ratings. The rating chart shall include all operating radii
(outreach) for all permissible boom lengths and jib lengths as
applicable, with and without outriggers, and alternate ratings
for optional equipment affecting such ratings. Precautions or
warnings specified by the owner or manufacturer shall be
included.
(b) The manufacturer's (or design) rated loads for the
conditions of use shall not be exceeded.
(c) Designated working loads shall not be increased
beyond the manufacturer's ratings or original design
limitations unless such increase receives the manufacturer's
approval. When the manufacturer's services are not available
or where the equipment is of foreign manufacture, engineering
design analysis shall be performed or approved by a person
accredited for certifying the equipment under WAC 296-56-60093. Cranes shall conform with the manufacturer's
specifications or any current ANSI standards that apply. Engineering design analysis shall be performed by a registered
professional engineer competent in the field of cranes and
derricks. Any structural changes necessitated by the change
in rating shall be carried out.
(3) Radius indicator. When the rated load varies with
the boom radius, the crane or derrick shall be fitted with a
boom angle or radius indicator visible to the operator.
(4) Prohibited usage.
(a) Equipment shall not be used in a manner that exerts
sideloading stresses upon the crane or derrick boom.
(b) No crane or derrick having a visible or known defect
that affects safe operation shall be used.
(5) Protective devices.
(a) When exposed moving parts such as gears, chains and
chain sprockets present a hazard to employees during crane and
derrick operations, those parts shall be securely guarded.
(b) Crane hooks shall be latched or otherwise secured to
prevent accidental load disengagement.
(c) When hoisting personnel in an approved man basket,
the hook shall have a positive safety latch to prevent
rollouts.
(6) General.
(a) Operating controls.
(i) Crane and derrick operating controls shall be clearly
marked, or a chart indicating their function shall be posted
at the operator's position.
(ii) All crane controls shall operate in a uniform manner
within a given port.
(iii) Overhead bridge and container gantry crane
operating control levers shall be self-centering so that they
will automatically move to the "off" position when the
operator releases the control.
(b) Booms. Cranes with elevatable booms and without
operable automatic limiting devices shall be provided with
boom stops if boom elevation can exceed maximum design angles
from the horizontal.
(c) Foot pedals. Foot pedals shall have a nonskid
surface.
(d) Access. Ladders, stairways, stanchions, grab irons,
foot steps or equivalent means shall be provided as necessary
to ensure safe access to footwalks, cab platforms, the cab and
any portion of the superstructure which employees must reach.
(i) Footwalks shall be of rigid construction, and shall
be capable of supporting a load of one hundred pounds (4.79
kPa) per square foot.
(ii) If more than twenty feet (6.1 m) in height, vertical
ladders shall comply with WAC 296-56-60209 (4), (5)(a),
(5)(b)(iii) and (5)(b)(iv).
(iii) Stairways on cranes shall be equipped with rigid
handrails meeting the requirements of WAC 296-56-60123 (5)(a).
(iv) If the top of a ladder or stairway or any position
thereof is located where a moving part of a crane, such as a
revolving house, could strike an employee ascending or
descending the ladder or stairway, a prominent warning sign
shall be posted at the foot of the ladder or stairway. A
system of communication (such as a buzzer or bell) shall be
established and maintained between the foot of the ladder or
stairway and the operator's cab.
(e) Operator's station. The cab, controls, and mechanism
of the equipment shall be so arranged that the operator has a
clear view of the load or signal person, when one is used. Cab glass, when used, shall be safety plate glass or
equivalent and good visibility shall be maintained through the
glass. Clothing, tools and equipment shall be stored so as
not to interfere with access, operation, or the operator's
view.
(f) A seat (lap) belt, meeting the requirements of 49 CFR
571.208-210 for a Type 1 seat belt assembly, shall be
installed on the operator's seat of high speed container
gantry cranes where the seat trolleys.
(g) Counterweights or ballast. Cranes shall be operated
only with the specified type and amount of ballast or
counterweights. Ballast or counterweight shall be located and
secured only as provided in the manufacturer's or design
specifications, which shall be available.
(h) Outriggers. Outriggers shall be used according to
the manufacturer's specifications or design data, which shall
be available. Floats, when used, shall be securely attached
to the outriggers. Wood blocks or other support shall be of
sufficient size to support the outrigger, free of defects that
may affect safety and of sufficient width and length to
prevent the crane from shifting or toppling under load.
(i) Exhaust gases. Engine exhaust gases shall be
discharged away from the normal position of crane operating
personnel.
(j) Electrical equipment shall be so located or enclosed
that live parts will not be exposed to accidental contact.
Designated persons may work on energized equipment only if
necessary during inspection, maintenance, or repair.
(k) Fire extinguisher.
(i) At least one portable fire extinguisher of at least
5-BC rating or equivalent shall be accessible in the cab of
the crane or derrick.
(ii) No portable fire extinguisher using carbon
tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane extinguishing agents shall
be used.
Note:
For additional requirements relating to portable fire extinguishers see WAC 296-800-300.
(l) Rope on drums. At least three full turns of rope
shall remain on ungrooved drums, and two turns on grooved
drums, under all operating conditions. Wire rope shall be
secured to drums by clamps, U-bolts, shackles, or equivalent
means. Fiber rope fastenings are prohibited.
(m) Assembly or disassembly of boom sections. Mobile
crane booms being assembled or disassembled on the ground with
or without the support of the boom harness shall be blocked to
prevent dropping of the boom or boom sections.
(n) Brakes.
(i) Each independent hoisting unit of a crane shall be
equipped with at least one holding brake, applied directly to
the motor shaft or gear train.
(ii) Each independent hoisting unit of a crane, except
worm geared hoists, the angle of whose worm is such as to
prevent the load from accelerating in the lowering direction,
shall, in addition to a holding brake, be equipped with a
controlled braking means to control lowering speeds.
(iii) Holding brakes for hoist units shall have not less
than the following percentage of the rated load hoisting
torque at the point where the brake is applied:
(A) One hundred twenty-five percent when used with a
controlled braking means.
(B) One hundred percent when used with a mechanically
controlled braking means.
(C) One hundred percent when two holding brakes are
provided.
(iv) All power control braking means shall be capable of
maintaining safe lowering speeds of rated loads.
(o) Each crane or derrick shall be equipped with
sufficient lights to maintain five foot candles in the working
area around the load hook. All crane ladders and machinery
houses shall be illuminated at a minimum of two candle power.
(p) Light fixtures connected to the boom, gantry legs, or
machinery house shall be provided with safety devices which
will prevent the light fixture from falling in case of bracket
failure.
(q) Electronic devices may be installed to prevent
collision subject to approval of the accredited certification
agency.
(r) On all rail gantry cranes, truck guards shall extend
on the ends of the trucks, close to the top of the rail to
prevent worker's feet from being caught between the rail and
wheel. This subsection does not apply if rail sweeps are
present.
(s) All hydraulic cylinders used to control crane booms
or to provide crane stability (outriggers) shall be equipped
with a pilot operated check valve or a device which will
prevent the boom or outrigger from retracting in case of
failure of a component of the hydraulic system.
(t) Gantry cranes shall be provided with automatic rail
clamps or other devices to prevent the crane from moving when
not being used or when power is off.
(a) For the purposes of this section, rail-mounted cranes
include bridge cranes and portal cranes.
(b) Rated load marking. The rated loads of bridge cranes
shall be plainly marked on each side of the crane and in the
cab. If there is more than one hoisting unit, each hoist
shall have its rated load marked on it or on its load block. Marking shall be legible from the ground level.
(c) Wind-indicating devices.
(i) Each rail-mounted bridge and portal crane located
outside of an enclosed structure shall be fitted with an
operable wind-indicating device.
(ii) The wind indicating device shall provide a visible
or audible warning to alert the operator of high wind
conditions. That warning shall be transmitted whenever the
following circumstances are present:
(A) When wind velocity reaches the warning speed, not
exceeding the crane manufacturer's recommendations; and
(B) When wind velocity reaches the shutdown speed, not
exceeding the crane manufacturer's recommendations, at which
work is to be stopped and the crane secured.
(iii) Instructions. The employer shall post operating
instructions for high wind conditions in the operator's cab of
each crane. Operators shall be directed to comply with these
instructions. The instructions shall include procedures for
responding to high wind alerts and for any coordination
necessary with other cranes.
(d) Securing of cranes in high winds.
(i) When the wind reaches the crane's warning speed:
(A) Gantry travel shall be stopped; and
(B) The crane shall be readied for shutdown.
(ii) When the wind reaches the crane's shutdown speed:
(A) Any portion of the crane spanning or partially
spanning a vessel shall be moved clear of the vessel if safe
to do so; and
(B) The crane shall be secured against travel, using all
available means of securing.
(e) The employer shall monitor local weather conditions
by subscribing to a weather service or using equally effective
means.
(f) Stops and bumpers.
(i) The ends of all tracks shall be equipped with stops
or bumpers. If a stop engages the tread of the wheel, it
shall be of a height not less than the radius of the wheel.
(ii) When more than one crane operates on the same runway
or more than one trolley on the same bridge, each crane or
trolley shall be equipped with bumpers or equivalent devices
at adjacent ends subject to impact.
(g) Employee exposure to crane movement. When employees
may be in the vicinity of the tracks, crane trucks shall be
equipped with personnel-deflecting guards.
(h) Pedestrian clearance. If the track area is used for
employee passage or for work, a minimum clearance of three
feet (0.91 m) shall be provided between trucks or the
structures of rail-mounted cranes and any other structure or
obstruction. When the required clearance is not available on
at least one side of the crane's trucks, the area shall not be
used and shall be marked and identified.
(i) Warning devices. Rail-mounted cranes shall be
equipped with an effective audible and visible travel warning
device which shall be used to warn employees who may be in the
path of the moving crane.
(j) Communications.
(i) Means of communication shall be provided between the
operator's cab and the base of the gantry of all rail-mounted
cranes. This requirement may be met by telephone, radio,
sound-signaling system or other effective methods, but not
solely by hand-signaling.
(ii) All rail-mounted cranes thirty ton and above
capacity shall be equipped with a voice hailing device (PA
system) from the operator to the ground, audible within one
hundred feet.
(k) Limit switch bypass systems shall be secured during
all cargo operations. Such bypass systems shall not be used
except in an emergency or during noncargo handling operations
such as stowing cranes or derricks or performing repairs. When a situation requiring the use of a bypass system or the
readjustment of a limit switch arises, it shall be done only
under the direction of a crane mechanic.
(l) Cranes and crane operations -- Scope and application. The sections of this chapter, WAC 296-56-60083 through296-56-60099
, apply to cranes, derricks, and crane operations.
(m) Signal persons. A signal person shall be required
when a crane operator's visibility is obstructed. When a
signal person is required to transmit hand signals, they shall
be in such a position that the operator can plainly see the
signals.
(n) Signals. All operators and signal persons shall use
standard signals as illustrated for longshore crane
operations. (See Appendices C and D, at the end of this
chapter.)
(o) Signal person for power units. Where power units,
such as cranes and winches are utilized and signaling is
required, the operator shall be instructed as to who is
authorized to give signals. The operator shall take signals
only from such authorized person. In case of emergency, any
worker shall be authorized to give a stop signal.
(i) No draft shall be hoisted unless the winch or crane
operator can clearly see the draft itself or see the signals
of any signal person associated with the operation.
(ii) Loads requiring continuous manual guidance while in
motion shall be provided with tag lines.
(p) Landing loads. Persons assisting in landing a load
shall face the load and use caution to prevent themselves from
getting in a position where they may be caught between the
load and a fixed object.
(8) Stabilizing of locomotive cranes. Loads may be
hoisted by locomotive cranes only if outriggers are in place,
unless means are taken to prevent the load being carried by
the truck springs of the crane.
(9) Operations.
(a) Use of cranes together. When two or more cranes
hoist a load in unison, a designated person shall direct the
operation and instruct personnel in positioning, rigging of
the load and movements to be made.
(b) Guarding of swing radius. Accessible areas within
the swing radius of the body of a revolving crane shall be
physically guarded during operations to prevent an employee
from being caught between the body of the crane and any fixed
structure or between parts of the crane.
(c) Securing mobile crane components in transit. The
crane's superstructure and boom shall be secured against
rotation and carried in line with the direction of travel
except when negotiating turns with an operator in the cab or
when the boom is supported on a dolly. The empty hook or
other attachment shall be secured.
(d) Unattended cranes. The following steps shall be
taken before leaving a crane unattended between work periods:
(i) Suspended loads, such as those hoisted by lifting
magnets or clamshell buckets, shall be landed unless the
storage position or maximum hoisting of the suspended device
will provide equivalent safety;
(ii) Clutches shall be disengaged;
(iii) The power supply shall be shut off;
(iv) The crane shall be secured against accidental
travel; and
(v) The boom shall be lowered or secured against
movement.
(e) Operating near electric power lines.
(i) Clearance. Unless electrical distribution and
transmission lines are deenergized and visibly grounded at
point of work, or unless insulating barriers not a part of or
an attachment to the crane have been erected to prevent
physical contact with lines, cranes may be operated near power
lines only in accordance with following:
(A) For lines rated 50 kV or below, minimum clearance
between the lines and any part of the crane or load shall be
ten feet (3.05 m);
(B) For lines rated over 50 kV, minimum clearance between
the lines and any part of the crane or load shall be either 10
feet (3.05 m) plus 0.4 inch (10.16 mm) for each 1 kV over 50
kV, or twice the length of the line insulator, but never less
than ten feet; and
(C) In transit with no load and boom lowered, the
clearance shall be a minimum of four feet (1.22 m).
(ii) Boom guards. Cage-type boom guards, insulating
links or proximity warning devices may be used on cranes, but
they shall not be used in place of the clearances required by
subsection (9)(e)(i) of this section.
(iii) Determination of energized lines. Any overhead
line shall be presumed to be energized until the owner of the
line indicates that it is not energized.
(10) Protection for employees being hoisted.
(a) No employee shall be hoisted by the load hoisting
apparatus of a crane or derrick except:
(i) On intermodal container spreaders, equipped in
accordance with this subsection; or
(ii) In a boatswain's chair or other device rigged to
prevent it from accidental disengagement from the hook or
supporting member; or
(iii) On a platform meeting the following requirements:
(A) Enclosed by a railing or other means providing
protection equivalent to that described in WAC 296-56-60123(3). If equipped with open railings, the platform
shall be fitted with toe boards;
(B) Having a safety factor of four based on ultimate
strength;
(C) Bearing a plate or permanent marking indicating
maximum load rating, which shall not be exceeded, and the
weight of the platform itself;
(D) Equipped with a device to prevent access doors, when
used, from opening accidentally;
(E) Equipped with overhead protection for employees on
the platform if they are exposed to falling objects or
overhead hazards;
(F) Secured to the load line by means other than wedge
and socket attachments, unless the free (bitter) end of the
line is secured back to itself by a clamp placed as close
above the wedge as possible.
(b) Except in an emergency, the hoisting mechanism of all
overhead and container gantry cranes used to hoist personnel
shall operate in power up and power down, with automatic brake
application when not hoisting or lowering.
(c) Variable radius booms of a crane or derrick used to
hoist personnel shall be so constructed or secured as to
prevent accidental boom movement.
(d) Platforms or devices used to hoist employees shall be
inspected for defects before each day's use and shall be
removed from service if defective.
(e) Employees being hoisted shall remain in continuous
sight of and communication with the operator or signal person.
(f) Operators shall remain at the controls when employees
are hoisted.
(g) Cranes shall not travel while employees are hoisted,
except in emergency or in normal tier to tier transfer of
employees during container operations.
(h) When intermodal container spreaders are used to
transfer employees to or from the tops of containers, the
spreaders shall be equipped with a personnel platform equipped
with fixed railings, provided that the railings have one or
more openings for access. The openings shall be fitted with a
means of closure, such as chains with hooks. Existing
railings shall be at least thirty-six inches (0.91 m) in
height. New railings installed after October 3, 1983 shall be
forty-two inches (1.07 m), plus or minus three inches (7.62
cm), in height. The provisions of (a)(iii)(C), (D), and (F)
of this subsection also apply to personnel platforms when
container spreaders are used.
(i) Positive safety latch-type hooks or moused hooks
shall be used.
(j) Employees shall not be hoisted on intermodal
container spreaders while a load is engaged.
Additional requirements are located in WAC 296-24-23533.
(11) Routine inspection.
(a) Designated persons shall visually inspect each crane
and derrick on each day of use for defects in functional
operating components and shall report any defect found to the
employer. The employer shall inform the operator of the
findings.
(b) A designated person shall thoroughly inspect all
functional components and accessible structural features of
each crane or device at monthly intervals.
(c) Any defects found during such inspections which may
create a safety hazard shall be corrected before further use. Repairs shall be performed only by designated persons.
(d) A record of monthly inspections shall be maintained
for six months in or on the crane or derrick or at the
terminal.