29 CFR 1910.179 Standard

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
distance is greater than the distance from
the front face of the forks. Calculating the
maximum allowable load-moment using the
load-center distance always provides a lower
load-moment than the truck was designed to
handle. When handling unusual loads, such
as those that are larger than 48 inches long
(the center of gravity is greater than 24
inches) or that have an offset center of gravity, etc., a maximum allowable load-moment
should be calculated and used to determine
whether a load can be safely handled. For example, if an operator is operating a 3000
pound capacity truck (with a 24-inch load
center), the maximum allowable load-moment is 72,000 inch-pounds (3,000 times 24). If
a load is 60 inches long (30-inch load center),
then the maximum that this load can weigh
is 2,400 pounds (72,000 divided by 30).
A–6. Lateral Stability.
A–6.1. The vehicle’s lateral stability is determined by the line of action’s position (a
vertical line that passes through the combined vehicle’s and load’s center of gravity)
relative to the stability triangle. When the
vehicle is not loaded, the truck’s center of
gravity location is the only factor to be considered in determining the truck’s stability.
As long as the line of action of the combined
vehicle’s and load’s center of gravity falls
within the stability triangle, the truck is
stable and will not tip over. However, if the
line of action falls outside the stability triangle, the truck is not stable and may tip
over. Refer to Figure 2.
A–6.2. Factors that affect the vehicle’s lateral stability include the load’s placement
on the truck, the height of the load above
the surface on which the vehicle is operating, and the vehicle’s degree of lean.
A–7. Dynamic Stability.
A–7.1. Up to this point, the stability of a
powered industrial truck has been discussed
without considering the dynamic forces that
result when the vehicle and load are put into
motion. The weight’s transfer and the resultant shift in the center of gravity due to the
dynamic forces created when the machine is
moving, braking, cornering, lifting, tilting,
and lowering loads, etc., are important stability considerations.
A–7.2. When determining whether a load
can be safely handled, the operator should
exercise extra caution when handling loads
that cause the vehicle to approach its maximum design characteristics. For example, if
an operator must handle a maximum load,
the load should be carried at the lowest position possible, the truck should be accelerated slowly and evenly, and the forks should
be tilted forward cautiously. However, no

§ 1910.179

precise rules can be formulated to cover all
of these eventualities.
[39 FR 23502, June 27, 1974, as amended at 40
FR 23073, May 28, 1975; 43 FR 49749, Oct. 24,
1978; 49 FR 5322, Feb. 10, 1984; 53 FR 12122,
Apr. 12, 1988; 55 FR 32015, Aug 6, 1990; 61 FR
9239, Mar. 7, 1996; 63 FR 66270, Dec. 1, 1998]
EFFECTIVE DATE NOTE: At 68 FR 32638, June
2, 2003, in § 1910.178, paragraph (m)(12) was removed and reserved, effective July 2, 2003.

§ 1910.179 Overhead
cranes.

and

(a) Definitions applicable to this section. (1) A crane is a machine for lifting
and lowering a load and moving it horizontally, with the hoisting mechanism
an integral part of the machine. Cranes
whether fixed or mobile are driven
manually or by power.
(2) An automatic crane is a crane
which when activated operates through
a preset cycle or cycles.
(3) A cab-operated crane is a crane
controlled by an operator in a cab located on the bridge or trolley.
(4) Cantilever gantry crane means a
gantry or semigantry crane in which
the bridge girders or trusses extend
transversely beyond the crane runway
on one or both sides.
(5) Floor-operated crane means a crane
which is pendant or nonconductive
rope controlled by an operator on the
floor or an independent platform.
(6) Gantry crane means a crane similar to an overhead crane except that
the bridge for carrying the trolley or
trolleys is rigidly supported on two or
more legs running on fixed rails or
other runway.
(7) Hot metal handling crane means an
overhead crane used for transporting or
pouring molten material.
(8) Overhead crane means a crane
with a movable bridge carrying a movable or fixed hoisting mechanism and
traveling on an overhead fixed runway
structure.
(9) Power-operated crane means a
crane whose mechanism is driven by
electric, air, hydraulic, or internal
combustion means.
(10) A pulpit-operated crane is a crane
operated from a fixed operator station
not attached to the crane.

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§ 1910.179

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

(11) A remote-operated crane is a crane
controlled by an operator not in a pulpit or in the cab attached to the crane,
by any method other than pendant or
rope control.
(12) A semigantry crane is a gantry
crane with one end of the bridge rigidly
supported on one or more legs that run
on a fixed rail or runway, the other end
of the bridge being supported by a
truck running on an elevated rail or
runway.
(13) Storage bridge crane means a gantry type crane of long span usually
used for bulk storage of material; the
bridge girders or trusses are rigidly or
nonrigidly supported on one or more
legs. It may have one or more fixed or
hinged cantilever ends.
(14) Wall crane means a crane having
a jib with or without trolley and supported from a side wall or line of columns of a building. It is a traveling
type and operates on a runway attached to the side wall or columns.
(15) Appointed means assigned specific responsibilities by the employer
or the employer’s representative.
(16) ANSI means the American National Standards Institute.
(17) An auxiliary hoist is a supplemental hoisting unit of lighter capacity and usually higher speed than provided for the main hoist.
(18) A brake is a device used for retarding or stopping motion by friction
or power means.
(19) A drag brake is a brake which
provides retarding force without external control.
(20) A holding brake is a brake that
automatically prevents motion when
power is off.
(21) Bridge means that part of a crane
consisting of girders, trucks, end ties,
footwalks, and drive mechanism which
carries the trolley or trolleys.
(22) Bridge travel means the crane
movement in a direction parallel to the
crane runway.
(23) A bumper (buffer) is an energy absorbing device for reducing impact
when a moving crane or trolley reaches
the end of its permitted travel; or when
two moving cranes or trolleys come in
contact.
(24) The cab is the operator’s compartment on a crane.

(25) Clearance means the distance
from any part of the crane to a point of
the nearest obstruction.
(26) Collectors current are contacting
devices for collecting current from runway or bridge conductors.
(27) Conductors, bridge are the electrical conductors located along the
bridge structure of a crane to provide
power to the trolley.
(28) Conductors, runway (main) are
the electrical conductors located along
a crane runway to provide power to the
crane.
(29) The control braking means is a
method of controlling crane motor
speed when in an overhauling condition.
(30) Countertorque means a method of
control by which the power to the
motor is reversed to develop torque in
the opposite direction.
(31) Dynamic means a method of controlling crane motor speeds when in
the overhauling condition to provide a
retarding force.
(32) Regenerative means a form of dynamic braking in which the electrical
energy generated is fed back into the
power system.
(33) Mechanical means a method of
control by friction.
(34) Controller, spring return means a
controller which when released will return automatically to a neutral position.
(35) Designated means selected or assigned by the employer or the employer’s representative as being qualified to
perform specific duties.
(36) A drift point means a point on a
travel motion controller which releases
the brake while the motor is not energized. This allows for coasting before
the brake is set.
(37) The drum is the cylindrical member around which the ropes are wound
for raising or lowering the load.
(38) An equalizer is a device which
compensates for unequal length or
stretch of a rope.
(39) Exposed means capable of being
contacted inadvertently. Applied to
hazardous objects not adequately
guarded or isolated.
(40) Fail-safe means a provision designed to automatically stop or safely
control any motion in which a malfunction occurs.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(41) Footwalk means the walkway
with handrail, attached to the bridge
or trolley for access purposes.
(42) A hoist is an apparatus which
may be a part of a crane, exerting a
force for lifting or lowering.
(43) Hoist chain means the load bearing chain in a hoist.
NOTE: Chain properties do not conform to
those shown in ANSI B30.9–1971, Safety Code
for Slings.

(44) Hoist motion means that motion
of a crane which raises and lowers a
load.
(45) Load means the total superimposed weight on the load block or
hook.
(46) The load block is the assembly of
hook or shackle, swivel, bearing,
sheaves, pins, and frame suspended by
the hoisting rope.
(47) Magnet means an electromagnetic device carried on a crane
hook to pick up loads magnetically.
(48) Main hoist means the hoist mechanism provided for lifting the maximum rated load.
(49) A man trolley is a trolley having
an operator’s cab attached thereto.
(50) Rated load means the maximum
load for which a crane or individual
hoist is designed and built by the manufacturer and shown on the equipment
nameplate(s).
(51) Rope refers to wire rope, unless
otherwise specified.
(52) Running sheave means a sheave
which rotates as the load block is
raised or lowered.
(53) Runway means an assembly of
rails, beams, girders, brackets, and
framework on which the crane or trolley travels.
(54) Side pull means that portion of
the hoist pull acting horizontally when
the hoist lines are not operated
vertically.
(55) Span means the horizontal distance center to center of runway rails.
(56) Standby crane means a crane
which is not in regular service but
which is used occasionally or intermittently as required.
(57) A stop is a device to limit travel
of a trolley or crane bridge. This device
normally is attached to a fixed structure and normally does not have energy absorbing ability.

§ 1910.179

(58) A switch is a device for making,
breaking, or for changing the connections in an electric circuit.
(59) An emergency stop switch is a
manually or automatically operated
electric switch to cut off electric power
independently of the regular operating
controls.
(60) A limit switch is a switch which is
operated by some part or motion of a
power-driven machine or equipment to
alter the electric circuit associated
with the machine or equipment.
(61) A main switch is a switch controlling the entire power supply to the
crane.
(62) A master switch is a switch which
dominates the operation of contactors,
relays, or other remotely operated devices.
(63) The trolley is the unit which travels on the bridge rails and carries the
hoisting mechanism.
(64) Trolley travel means the trolley
movement at right angles to the crane
runway.
(65) Truck means the unit consisting
of a frame, wheels, bearings, and axles
which supports the bridge girders or
trolleys.
(b) General requirements—(1) Application. This section applies to overhead
and
gantry
cranes,
including
semigantry, cantilever gantry, wall
cranes, storage bridge cranes, and others having the same fundamental characteristics. These cranes are grouped
because they all have trolleys and
similar travel characteristics.
(2) New and existing equipment. All
new overhead and gantry cranes constructed and installed on or after August 31, 1971, shall meet the design
specifications of the American National Standard Safety Code for Overhead and Gantry Cranes, ANSI B30.2.0–
1967, which is incorporated by reference
as specified in § 1910.6.
(3) Modifications. Cranes may be
modified and rerated provided such
modifications and the supporting
structure are checked thoroughly for
the new rated load by a qualified engineer or the equipment manufacturer.
The crane shall be tested in accordance
with paragraph (k)(2) of this section.
New rated load shall be displayed in accordance with subparagraph (5) of this
paragraph.

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§ 1910.179

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

(4) Wind indicators and rail clamps.
Outdoor storage bridges shall be provided with automatic rail clamps. A
wind-indicating device shall be provided which will give a visible or audible alarm to the bridge operator at a
predetermined wind velocity. If the
clamps act on the rail heads, any beads
or weld flash on the rail heads shall be
ground off.
(5) Rated load marking. The rated load
of the crane shall 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 and this marking
shall be clearly legible from the ground
or floor.
(6) Clearance from obstruction. (i) Minimum clearance of 3 inches overhead
and 2 inches laterally shall be provided
and maintained between crane and obstructions in conformity with Crane
Manufacturers Association of America,
Inc., Specification No. 61, which is incorporated by reference as specified in
§ 1910.6 (formerly the Electric Overhead
Crane Institute, Inc).
(ii) Where passageways or walkways
are provided obstructions shall not be
placed so that safety of personnel will
be jeopardized by movements of the
crane.
(7) Clearance between parallel cranes. If
the runways of two cranes are parallel,
and there are no intervening walls or
structure, there shall be adequate
clearance provided and maintained between the two bridges.
(8) Designated personnel—Only designated personnel shall be permitted to
operate a crane covered by this section.
(c) Cabs—(1) Cab location. (i) The general arrangement of the cab and the location of control and protective equipment shall be such that all operating
handles are within convenient reach of
the operator when facing the area to be
served by the load hook, or while facing the direction of travel of the cab.
The arrangement shall allow the operator a full view of the load hook in all
positions.
(ii) The cab shall be located to afford
a minimum of 3 inches clearance from
all fixed structures within its area of
possible movement.
(2) Access to crane. Access to the cab
and/or bridge walkway shall be by a

conveniently
placed
fixed
ladder,
stairs, or platform requiring no step
over any gap exceeding 12 inches. Fixed
ladders shall be in conformance with
the American National Standard Safety Code for Fixed Ladders, ANSI A14.3–
1956, which is incorporated by reference
as specified in § 1910.6.
(3) Fire extinguisher. Carbon tetrachloride extinguishers shall not be
used.
(4) Lighting. Light in the cab shall be
sufficient to enable the operator to see
clearly enough to perform his work.
(d) Footwalks and ladders—(1) Location
of footwalks. (i) If sufficient headroom
is available on cab-operated cranes, a
footwalk shall be provided on the drive
side along the entire length of the
bridge of all cranes having the trolley
running on the top of the girders.
(ii) Where footwalks are located in no
case shall less than 48 inches of headroom be provided.
(2) Construction of footwalks. (i)
Footwalks shall be of rigid construction and designed to sustain a distributed load of at least 50 pounds per
square foot.
(ii) Footwalks shall have a walking
surface of antislip type.
NOTE: Wood will meet this requirement.

(iii) [Reserved]
(iv) The inner edge shall extend at
least to the line of the outside edge of
the lower cover plate or flange of the
girder.
(3) Toeboards and handrails for
footwalks. Toeboards and handrails
shall be in compliance with section
1910.23 of this part.
(4) Ladders and stairways. (i) Gantry
cranes shall be provided with ladders or
stairways extending from the ground
to the footwalk or cab platform.
(ii) Stairways shall be equipped with
rigid and substantial metal handrails.
Walking surfaces shall be of an antislip
type.
(iii) Ladders shall be permanently
and securely fastened in place and shall
be constructed in compliance with
§ 1910.27.
(e) Stops, bumpers, rail sweeps, and
guards—(1) Trolley stops. (i) Stops shall
be provided at the limits of travel of
the trolley.
(ii) Stops shall be fastened to resist
forces applied when contacted.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(iii) A stop engaging the tread of the
wheel shall be of a height at least equal
to the radius of the wheel.
(2) Bridge bumpers—(i) A crane shall
be provided with bumpers or other
automatic means providing equivalent
effect, unless the crane travels at a
slow rate of speed and has a faster deceleration rate due to the use of sleeve
bearings, or is not operated near the
ends of bridge and trolley travel, or is
restricted to a limited distance by the
nature of the crane operation and there
is no hazard of striking any object in
this limited distance, or is used in
similar operating conditions. The
bumpers shall be capable of stopping
the crane (not including the lifted
load) at an average rate of deceleration
not to exceed 3 ft/s/s when traveling in
either direction at 20 percent of the
rated load speed.
(a) The bumpers shall have sufficient
energy absorbing capacity to stop the
crane when traveling at a speed of at
least 40 percent of rated load speed.
(b) The bumper shall be so mounted
that there is no direct shear on bolts.
(ii) Bumpers shall be so designed and
installed as to minimize parts falling
from the crane in case of breakage.
(3) Trolley bumpers—(i) A trolley shall
be provided with bumpers or other
automatic means of equivalent effect,
unless the trolley travels at a slow rate
of speed, or is not operated near the
ends of bridge and trolley travel, or is
restricted to a limited distance of the
runway and there is no hazard of striking any object in this limited distance,
or is used in similar operating conditions. The bumpers shall be capable of
stopping the trolley (not including the
lifted load) at an average rate of deceleration not to exceed 4.7 ft/s/s when
traveling in either direction at onethird of the rated load speed.
(ii) When more than one trolley is operated on the same bridge, each shall
be equipped with bumpers or equivalent on their adjacent ends.
(iii) Bumpers or equivalent shall be
designed and installed to minimize
parts falling from the trolley in case of
age.
(4) Rail sweeps. Bridge trucks shall be
equipped with sweeps which extend
below the top of the rail and project in
front of the truck wheels.

§ 1910.179

(5) Guards for hoisting ropes. (i) If
hoisting ropes run near enough to
other parts to make fouling or chafing
possible, guards shall be installed to
prevent this condition.
(ii) A guard shall be provided to prevent contact between bridge conductors and hoisting ropes if they could
come into contact.
(6) Guards for moving parts. (i) Exposed moving parts such as gears, set
screws, projecting keys, chains, chain
sprockets, and reciprocating components which might constitute a hazard
under normal operating conditions
shall be guarded.
(ii) Guards shall be securely fastened.
(iii) Each guard shall be capable of
supporting without permanent distortion the weight of a 200–pound person
unless the guard is located where it is
impossible for a person to step on it.
(f) Brakes—(1) Brakes for hoists. (i)
Each independent hoisting unit of a
crane shall be equipped with at least
one self-setting brake, hereafter referred to as a holding brake, applied directly to the motor shaft or some part
of the 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 control braking means to prevent overspeeding.
(2) Holding brakes. (i) Holding brakes
for hoist motors shall have not less
than the following percentage of the
full load hoisting torque at the point
where the brake is applied.
(a) 125 percent when used with a control braking means other than mechanical.
(b) 100 percent when used in conjunction with a mechanical control braking
means.
(c) 100 percent each if two holding
brakes are provided.
(ii) Holding brakes on hoists shall
have ample thermal capacity for the
frequency of operation required by the
service.
(iii) Holding brakes on hoists shall be
applied automatically when power is
removed.

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§ 1910.179

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

(iv) Where necessary holding brakes
shall be provided with adjustment
means to compensate for wear.
(v) The wearing surface of all holding-brake drums or discs shall be
smooth.
(vi) Each independent hoisting unit
of a crane handling hot metal and having power control braking means shall
be equipped with at least two holding
brakes.
(3) Control braking means. (i) A power
control braking means such as regenerative, dynamic or countertorque
braking, or a mechanically controlled
braking means shall be capable of
maintaining safe lowering speeds of
rated loads.
(ii) The control braking means shall
have ample thermal capacity for the
frequency of operation required by
service.
(4) Brakes for trolleys and bridges. (i)
Foot-operated brakes shall not require
an applied force of more than 70 pounds
to develop manufacturer’s rated brake
torque.
(ii) Brakes may be applied by mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, or gravity means.
(iii) Where necessary brakes shall be
provided with adjustment means to
compensate for wear.
(iv) The wearing surface of all brakedrums or discs shall be smooth.
(v) All foot-brake pedals shall be constructed so that the operator’s foot
will not easily slip off the pedal.
(vi) Foot-operated brakes shall be
equipped with automatic means for
positive release when pressure is released from the pedal.
(vii) Brakes for stopping the motion
of the trolley or bridge shall be of sufficient size to stop the trolley or bridge
within a distance in feet equal to 10
percent of full load speed in feet per
minute when traveling at full speed
with full load.
(viii) If holding brakes are provided
on the bridge or trolleys, they shall not
prohibit the use of a drift point in the
control circuit.
(ix) Brakes on trolleys and bridges
shall have ample thermal capacity for
the frequency of operation required by
the service to prevent impairment of
functions from overheating.

(5) Application of trolley brakes. (i) On
cab-operated cranes with cab on trolley, a trolley brake shall be required as
specified under paragraph (f)(4) of this
section.
(ii) A drag brake may be applied to
hold the trolley in a desired position on
the bridge and to eliminate creep with
the power off.
(6) Application of bridge brakes. (i) On
cab-operated cranes with cab on bridge,
a bridge brake is required as specified
under paragraph (f)(4) of this section.
(ii) On cab-operated cranes with cab
on trolley, a bridge brake of the holding type shall be required.
(iii) On all floor, remote and pulpitoperated crane bridge drives, a brake of
noncoasting mechanical drive shall be
provided.
(g) Electric equipment—(1) General. (i)
Wiring and equipment shall comply
with subpart S of this part.
(ii) The control circuit voltage shall
not exceed 600 volts for a.c. or d.c. current.
(iii) The voltage at pendant push-buttons shall not exceed 150 volts for a.c.
and 300 volts for d.c.
(iv) Where multiple conductor cable
is used with a suspended pushbutton
station, the station must be supported
in some satisfactory manner that will
protect
the
electrical
conductors
against strain.
(v) Pendant control boxes shall be
constructed to prevent electrical shock
and shall be clearly marked for identification of functions.
(2) Equipment. (i) Electrical equipment shall be so located or enclosed
that live parts will not be exposed to
accidental contact under normal operating conditions.
(ii) Electric equipment shall be protected from dirt, grease, oil, and moisture.
(iii) Guards for live parts shall be
substantial and so located that they
cannot be accidently deformed so as to
make contact with the live parts.
(3) Controllers. (i) Cranes not equipped
with spring-return controllers or momentary contact pushbuttons shall be
provided with a device which will disconnect all motors from the line on
failure of power and will not permit
any motor to be restarted until the
controller handle is brought to the

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
‘‘off’’ position, or a reset switch or button is operated.
(ii) Lever operated controllers shall
be provided with a notch or latch
which in the ‘‘off’’ position prevents
the handle from being inadvertently
moved to the ‘‘on’’ position. An ‘‘off’’
detent or spring return arrangement is
acceptable.
(iii) The controller operating handle
shall be located within convenient
reach of the operator.
(iv) As far as practicable, the movement of each controller handle shall be
in the same general directions as the
resultant movements of the load.
(v) The control for the bridge and
trolley travel shall be so located that
the operator can readily face the direction of travel.
(vi) For floor-operated cranes, the
controller or controllers if rope operated, shall automatically return to the
‘‘off’’ position when released by the operator.
(vii) Pushbuttons in pendant stations
shall return to the ‘‘off’’ position when
pressure is released by the crane operator.
(viii) Automatic cranes shall be so
designed that all motions shall failsafe if any malfunction of operation occurs.
(ix) Remote-operated cranes shall
function so that if the control signal
for any crane motion becomes ineffective the crane motion shall stop.
(4) Resistors. (i) Enclosures for resistors shall have openings to provide adequate ventilation, and shall be installed to prevent the accumulation of
combustible matter too near to hot
parts.
(ii) Resistor units shall be supported
so as to be as free as possible from vibration.
(iii) Provision shall be made to prevent broken parts or molten metal falling upon the operator or from the
crane.
(5) Switches. (i) The power supply to
the runway conductors shall be controlled by a switch or circuit breaker
located on a fixed structure, accessible
from the floor, and arranged to be
locked in the open position.
(ii) On cab-operated cranes a switch
or circuit breaker of the enclosed type,
with provision for locking in the open

§ 1910.179

position, shall be provided in the leads
from the runway conductors. A means
of opening this switch or circuit breaker shall be located within easy reach of
the operator.
(iii) On floor-operated cranes, a
switch or circuit breaker of the enclosed type, with provision for locking
in the open position, shall be provided
in the leads from the runway conductors. This disconnect shall be mounted
on the bridge or footwalk near the runway collectors. One of the following
types of floor-operated disconnects
shall be provided:
(a) Nonconductive rope attached to
the main disconnect switch.
(b) An undervoltage trip for the main
circuit breaker operated by an emergency stop button in the pendant pushbutton in the pendant pushbutton station.
(c) A main line contactor operated by
a switch or pushbutton in the pendant
pushbutton station.
(iv) The hoisting motion of all electric traveling cranes shall be provided
with an overtravel limit switch in the
hoisting direction.
(v) All cranes using a lifting magnet
shall have a magnet circuit switch of
the enclosed type with provision for
locking in the open position. Means for
discharging the inductive load of the
magnet shall be provided.
(6) Runway conductors. Conductors of
the open type mounted on the crane
runway beams or overhead shall be so
located or so guarded that persons entering or leaving the cab or crane
footwalk normally could not come into
contact with them.
(7) Extension lamps. If a service receptacle is provided in the cab or on the
bridge of cab-operated cranes, it shall
be a grounded three-prong type permanent receptacle, not exceeding 300
volts.
(h) Hoisting equipment—(1) Sheaves. (i)
Sheave grooves shall be smooth and
free from surface defects which could
cause rope damage.
(ii) Sheaves carrying ropes which can
be momentarily unloaded shall be provided with close-fitting guards or other
suitable devices to guide the rope back
into the groove when the load is applied again.

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§ 1910.179

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

(iii) The sheaves in the bottom block
shall be equipped with close-fitting
guards that will prevent ropes from becoming fouled when the block is lying
on the ground with ropes loose.
(iv) Pockets and flanges of sheaves
used with hoist chains shall be of such
dimensions that the chain does not
catch or bind during operation.
(v) All running sheaves shall be
equipped with means for lubrication.
Permanently lubricated, sealed and/or
shielded bearings meet this requirement.
(2) Ropes. (i) In using hoisting ropes,
the crane manufacturer’s recommendation shall be followed. The rated load
divided by the number of parts of rope
shall not exceed 20 percent of the nominal breaking strength of the rope.
(ii) Socketing shall be done in the
manner specified by the manufacturer
of the assembly.
(iii) Rope shall be secured to the
drum as follows:
(a) No less than two wraps of rope
shall remain on the drum when the
hook is in its extreme low position.
(b) Rope end shall be anchored by a
clamp securely attached to the drum,
or by a socket arrangement approved
by the crane or rope manufacturer.
(iv) Eye splices. [Reserved]
(v) Rope clips attached with U-bolts
shall have the U-bolts on the dead or
short end of the rope. Spacing and
number of all types of clips shall be in
accordance with the clip manufacturer’s recommendation. Clips shall be
drop-forged steel in all sizes manufactured commercially. When a newly installed rope has been in operation for
an hour, all nuts on the clip bolts shall
be retightened.
(vi) Swaged or compressed fittings
shall be applied as recommended by the
rope or crane manufacturer.
(vii) Wherever exposed to temperatures, at which fiber cores would be
damaged, rope having an independent
wirerope or wire-strand core, or other
temperature-damage resistant core
shall be used.
(viii) Replacement rope shall be the
same size, grade, and construction as
the original rope furnished by the
crane manufacturer, unless otherwise
recommended by a wire rope manufac-

turer due to actual working condition
requirements.
(3) Equalizers. If a load is supported
by more than one part of rope, the tension in the parts shall be equalized.
(4) Hooks. Hooks shall meet the manufacturer’s recommendations and shall
not be overloaded.
(i) Warning device. Except for flooroperated cranes a gong or other effective warning signal shall be provided
for each crane equipped with a power
traveling mechanism.
(j) Inspection—(1) Inspection classification. (i) Initial inspection. Prior to initial use all new and altered cranes
shall be inspected to insure compliance
with the provisions of this section.
(ii) Inspection procedure for cranes in
regular service is divided into two general classifications based upon the intervals at which inspection should be
performed. The intervals in turn are
dependent upon the nature of the critical components of the crane and the
degree of their exposure to wear, deterioration, or malfunction. The two general classifications are herein designated as ‘‘frequent’’ and ‘‘periodic’’
with respective intervals between inspections as defined below:
(a) Frequent inspection—Daily to
monthly intervals.
(b) Periodic inspection—1 to 12–
month intervals.
(2) Frequent inspection. The following
items shall be inspected for defects at
intervals as defined in paragraph
(j)(1)(ii) of this section or as specifically indicated, including observation
during operation for any defects which
might appear between regular inspections. All deficiencies such as listed
shall be carefully examined and determination made as to whether they constitute a safety hazard:
(i) All functional operating mechanisms for maladjustment interfering
with proper operation. Daily.
(ii) Deterioration or leakage in lines,
tanks, valves, drain pumps, and other
parts of air or hydraulic systems.
Daily.
(iii) Hooks with deformation or
cracks. Visual inspection daily; monthly inspection with a certification
record which includes the date of inspection, the signature of the person
who performed the inspection and the

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
serial number, or other identifier, of
the hook inspected. For hooks with
cracks or having more than 15 percent
in excess of normal throat opening or
more than 10° twist from the plane of
the unbent hook refer to paragraph
(l)(3)(iii)(a) of this section.
(iv) Hoist chains, including end connections, for excessive wear, twist, distorted links interfering with proper
function, or stretch beyond manufacturer’s recommendations. Visual inspection daily; monthly inspection
with a certification record which includes the date of inspection, the signature of the person who performed the
inspection and an identifier of the
chain which was inspected.
(v) [Reserved]
(vi) All functional operating mechanisms for excessive wear of components.
(vii) Rope reeving for noncompliance
with manufacturer’s recommendations.
(3) Periodic inspection. Complete inspections of the crane shall be performed at intervals as generally defined in paragraph (j)(1)(ii)(b) of this
section, depending upon its activity,
severity of service, and environment,
or as specifically indicated below.
These inspections shall include the requirements of paragraph (j)(2) of this
section and in addition, the following
items. Any deficiencies such as listed
shall be carefully examined and determination made as to whether they constitute a safety hazard:
(i) Deformed, cracked, or corroded
members.
(ii) Loose bolts or rivets.
(iii) Cracked or worn sheaves and
drums.
(iv) Worn, cracked or distorted parts
such as pins, bearings, shafts, gears,
rollers, locking and clamping devices.
(v) Excessive wear on brake system
parts, linings, pawls, and ratchets.
(vi) Load, wind, and other indicators
over their full range, for any significant inaccuracies.
(vii) Gasoline, diesel, electric, or
other powerplants for improper performance or noncompliance with applicable safety requirements.
(viii) Excessive wear of chain drive
sprockets and excessive chain stretch.
(ix) [Reserved]

§ 1910.179

(x) Electrical apparatus, for signs of
pitting or any deterioration of controller contactors, limit switches and
pushbutton stations.
(4) Cranes not in regular use. (i) A
crane which has been idle for a period
of 1 month or more, but less than 6
months, shall be given an inspection
conforming with requirements of paragraph (j)(2) of this section and paragraph (m)(2) of this section before placing in service.
(ii) A crane which has been idle for a
period of over 6 months shall be given
a complete inspection conforming with
requirements of paragraphs (j) (2) and
(3) of this section and paragraph (m)(2)
of this section before placing in service.
(iii) Standby cranes shall be inspected at least semi-annually in accordance with requirements of paragraph (j)(2) of this section and paragraph (m)(2) of this section.
(k) Testing—(1) Operational tests. (i)
Prior to initial use all new and altered
cranes shall be tested to insure compliance with this section including the
following functions:
(a) Hoisting and lowering.
(b) Trolley travel.
(c) Bridge travel.
(d) Limit switches, locking and safety devices.
(ii) The trip setting of hoist limit
switches shall be determined by tests
with an empty hook traveling in increasing speeds up to the maximum
speed. The actuating mechanism of the
limit switch shall be located so that it
will trip the switch, under all conditions, in sufficient time to prevent contact of the hook or hook block with
any part of the trolley.
(2) Rated load test. Test loads shall
not be more than 125 percent of the
rated load unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer. The
test reports shall be placed on file
where readily available to appointed
personnel.
(l) Maintenance—(1) Preventive maintenance. A preventive maintenance program based on the crane manufacturer’s recommendations shall be established.
(2) Maintenance procedure. (i) Before
adjustments and repairs are started on

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§ 1910.179

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

a crane the following precautions shall
be taken:
(a) The crane to be repaired shall be
run to a location where it will cause
the least interference with other
cranes and operations in the area.
(b) All controllers shall be at the off
position.
(c) The main or emergency switch
shall be open and locked in the open
position.
(d) Warning or ‘‘out of order’’ signs
shall be placed on the crane, also on
the floor beneath or on the hook where
visible from the floor.
(e) Where other cranes are in operation on the same runway, rail stops or
other suitable means shall be provided
to prevent interference with the idle
crane.
(ii) After adjustments and repairs
have been made the crane shall not be
operated until all guards have been reinstalled, safety devices reactivated
and maintenance equipment removed.
(3) Adjustments and repairs. (i) Any
unsafe conditions disclosed by the inspection requirements of paragraph (j)
of this section shall be corrected before
operation of the crane is resumed. Adjustments and repairs shall be done
only by designated personnel.
(ii) Adjustments shall be maintained
to assure correct functioning of components. The following are examples:
(a) All functional operating mechanisms.
(b) Limit switches.
(c) Control systems.
(d) Brakes.
(e) Power plants.
(iii) Repairs or replacements shall be
provided promptly as needed for safe
operation. The following are examples:
(a) Crane hooks showing defects described in paragraph (j)(2)(iii) of this
section shall be discarded. Repairs by
welding or reshaping are not generally
recommended. If such repairs are attempted they shall only be done under
competent supervision and the hook
shall be tested to the load requirements of paragraph (k)(2) of this section before further use.
(b) Load attachment chains and rope
slings showing defects described in
paragraph (j)(2) (iv) and (v) of this section respectively.

(c) All critical parts which are
cracked, broken, bent, or excessively
worn.
(d) Pendant control stations shall be
kept clean and function labels kept
legible.
(m) Rope inspection—(1) Running
ropes. A thorough inspection of all
ropes shall be made at least once a
month and a certification record which
includes the date of inspection, the signature of the person who performed the
inspection and an identifier for the
ropes which were inspected shall be
kept on file where readily available to
appointed personnel. Any deterioration, resulting in appreciable loss of
original strength, shall be carefully observed and determination made as to
whether further use of the rope would
constitute a safety hazard. Some of the
conditions that could result in an appreciable loss of strength are the following:
(i) Reduction of rope diameter below
nominal diameter due to loss of core
support, internal or external corrosion,
or wear of outside wires.
(ii) A number of broken outside wires
and the degree of distribution or concentration of such broken wires.
(iii) Worn outside wires.
(iv) Corroded or broken wires at end
connections.
(v) Corroded, cracked, bent, worn, or
improperly applied end connections.
(vi) Severe kinking, crushing, cutting, or unstranding.
(2) Other ropes. All rope which has
been idle for a period of a month or
more due to shutdown or storage of a
crane on which it is installed shall be
given a thorough inspection before it is
used. This inspection shall be for all
types of deterioration and shall be performed by an appointed person whose
approval shall be required for further
use of the rope. A certification record
shall be available for inspection which
includes the date of inspection, the signature of the person who performed the
inspection and an identifier for the
rope which was inspected.
(n) Handling the load—(1) Size of load.
The crane shall not be loaded beyond
its rated load except for test purposes
as provided in paragraph (k) of this section.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(2) Attaching the load. (i) The hoist
chain or hoist rope shall be free from
kinks or twists and shall not be
wrapped around the load.
(ii) The load shall be attached to the
load block hook by means of slings or
other approved devices.
(iii) Care shall be taken to make certain that the sling clears all obstacles.
(3) Moving the load. (i) The load shall
be well secured and properly balanced
in the sling or lifting device before it is
lifted more than a few inches.
(ii) Before starting to hoist the following conditions shall be noted:
(a) Hoist rope shall not be kinked.
(b) Multiple part lines shall not be
twisted around each other.
(c) The hook shall be brought over
the load in such a manner as to prevent
swinging.
(iii) During hoisting care shall be
taken that:
(a) There is no sudden acceleration or
deceleration of the moving load.
(b) The load does not contact any obstructions.
(iv) Cranes shall not be used for side
pulls except when specifically authorized by a responsible person who has
determined that the stability of the
crane is not thereby endangered and
that various parts of the crane will not
be overstressed.
(v) While any employee is on the load
or hook, there shall be no hoisting,
lowering, or traveling.
(vi) The employer shall require that
the operator avoid carrying loads over
people.
(vii) The operator shall test the
brakes each time a load approaching
the rated load is handled. The brakes
shall be tested by raising the load a few
inches and applying the brakes.
(viii) The load shall not be lowered
below the point where less than two
full wraps of rope remain on the hoisting drum.
(ix) When two or more cranes are
used to lift a load one qualified responsible person shall be in charge of the
operation. He shall analyze the operation and instruct all personnel involved in the proper positioning, rigging of the load, and the movements to
be made.
(x) The employer shall insure that
the operator does not leave his position

§ 1910.180

at the controls while the load is suspended.
(xi) When starting the bridge and
when the load or hook approaches near
or over personnel, the warning signal
shall be sounded.
(4) Hoist limit switch. (i) At the beginning of each operator’s shift, the upper
limit switch of each hoist shall be tried
out under no load. Extreme care shall
be exercised; the block shall be
‘‘inched’’ into the limit or run in at
slow speed. If the switch does not operate properly, the appointed person
shall be immediately notified.
(ii) The hoist limit switch which controls the upper limit of travel of the
load block shall never be used as an operating control.
(o) Other requirements, general—(1)
Ladders. (i) The employer shall insure
that hands are free from encumbrances
while personnel are using ladders.
(ii) Articles which are too large to be
carried in pockets or belts shall be lifted and lowered by hand line.
(2) Cabs. (i) Necessary clothing and
personal belongings shall be stored in
such a manner as not to interfere with
access or operation.
(ii) Tools, oil cans, waste, extra fuses,
and other necessary articles shall be
stored in the tool box, and shall not be
permitted to lie loose in or about the
cab.
(3) Fire extinguishers. The employer
shall insure that operators are familiar
with the operation and care of fire extinguishers provided.
[39 FR 23502, June 27, 1974, as amended at 40
FR 27400, June 27, 1975; 49 FR 5322, Feb. 10,
1984; 51 FR 34560, Sept. 29, 1986; 55 FR 32015,
Aug. 6, 1990; 61 FR 9239, Mar. 7, 1996]

§ 1910.180 Crawler
locomotive
and
truck cranes.
(a) Definitions applicable to this section. (1) A crawler crane consists of a rotating superstructure with power
plant, operating machinery, and boom,
mounted on a base, equipped with
crawler treads for travel. Its function
is to hoist and swing loads at various
radii.
(2) A locomotive crane consists of a rotating superstructure with powerplant, operating machinery and boom,
mounted on a base or car equipped for
travel on railroad track. It may be self-

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