29 Cfr 1926.550

§ 1926.550

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–06 Edition)
III. ENFORCEMENT

Constant awareness of and respect for fall
hazards, and compliance with all safety rules
are considered conditions of employment.
The crew supervisor or foreman, as well as
individuals in the Safety and Personnel Department, reserve the right to issue disciplinary warnings to employees, up to and including termination, for failure to follow the
guidelines of this program.
IV. ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS
All accidents that result in injury to workers, regardless of their nature, shall be investigated and reported. It is an integral part of
any safety program that documentation take
place as soon as possible so that the cause
and means of prevention can be identified to
prevent a reoccurrence.
In the event that an employee falls or
there is some other related, serious incident
occurring, this plan shall be reviewed to determine if additional practices, procedures,
or training need to be implemented to prevent similar types of falls or incidents from
occurring.
V. CHANGES TO PLAN
Any changes to the plan will be approved
by (name of the qualified person). This plan
shall be reviewed by a qualified person as the
job progresses to determine if additional
practices, procedures or training needs to be
implemented by the competent person to improve or provide additional fall protection.
Workers shall be notified and trained, if necessary, in the new procedures. A copy of this
plan and all approved changes shall be maintained at the jobsite.
[59 FR 40730, Aug. 9, 1994]

Subpart N—Cranes, Derricks,
Hoists, Elevators, and Conveyors
AUTHORITY: Sec. 107, Contract Work Hours
and Safety Standards Act (Construction
Safety Act) (40 U.S.C. 333); secs. 4, 6, 8, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29
U.S.C. 653, 655, 657); Secretary of Labor’s
Order No. 12–71 (36 FR 8754), 8–76 (41 FR
25059), or 9–83 (49 FR 35736), as applicable.
Section 1926.550 also issued under 29 CFR
Part 1911.

§ 1926.550 Cranes and derricks.
(a) General requirements. (1) The employer shall comply with the manufacturer’s specifications and limitations
applicable to the operation of any and
all cranes and derricks. Where manufacturer’s specifications are not available, the limitations assigned to the
equipment shall be based on the deter-

minations of a qualified engineer competent in this field and such determinations will be appropriately documented
and recorded. Attachments used with
cranes shall not exceed the capacity,
rating, or scope recommended by the
manufacturer.
(2) Rated load capacities, and recommended operating speeds, special
hazard warnings, or instruction, shall
be conspicuously posted on all equipment. Instructions or warnings shall be
visible to the operator while he is at
his control station.
(3) [Reserved]
(4) Hand signals to crane and derrick
operators shall be those prescribed by
the applicable ANSI standard for the
type of crane in use. An illustration of
the signals shall be posted at the job
site.
(5) The employer shall designate a
competent person who shall inspect all
machinery and equipment prior to each
use, and during use, to make sure it is
in safe operating condition. Any deficiencies shall be repaired, or defective
parts replaced, before continued use.
(6) A thorough, annual inspection of
the hoisting machinery shall be made
by a competent person, or by a government or private agency recognized by
the U.S. Department of Labor. The employer shall maintain a record of the
dates and results of inspections for
each hoisting machine and piece of
equipment.
(7) Wire rope shall be taken out of
service when any of the following conditions exist:
(i) In running ropes, six randomly
distributed broken wires in one lay or
three broken wires in one strand in one
lay;
(ii) Wear of one-third the original diameter of outside individual wires.
Kinking, crushing, bird caging, or any
other damage resulting in distortion of
the rope structure;
(iii) Evidence of any heat damage
from any cause;
(iv) Reductions from nominal diameter of more than one-sixty-fourth inch
for diameters up to and including fivesixteenths inch, one-thirty-second inch
for diameters three-eighths inch to and
including one-half inch, three-sixtyfourths inch for diameters nine-sixteenths inch to and including three-

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
fourths inch, one-sixteenth inch for diameters seven-eighths inch to 11⁄8
inches inclusive, three-thirty-seconds
inch for diameters 11⁄4 to 11⁄2 inches inclusive;
(v) In standing ropes, more than two
broken wires in one lay in sections beyond end connections or more than one
broken wire at an end connection.
(vi) Wire rope safety factors shall be
in accordance with American National
Standards Institute B30.5–1968 or SAE
J959–1966.
(8) Belts, gears, shafts, pulleys,
sprockets, spindles, drums, fly wheels,
chains, or other reciprocating, rotating, or other moving parts or equipment shall be guarded if such parts are
exposed to contact by employees, or
otherwise create a hazard. Guarding
shall meet the requirements of the
American National Standards Institute
B15.1–1958 Rev., Safety Code for Mechanical Power Transmission Apparatus.
(9) Accessible areas within the swing
radius of the rear of the rotating superstructure of the crane, either permanently or temporarily mounted, shall
be barricaded in such a manner as to
prevent an employee from being struck
or crushed by the crane.
(10) All exhaust pipes shall be guarded or insulated in areas where contact
by employees is possible in the performance of normal duties.
(11) Whenever internal combustion
engine powered equipment exhausts in
enclosed spaces, tests shall be made
and recorded to see that employees are
not exposed to unsafe concentrations of
toxic
gases
or
oxygen
deficient
atmospheres.
(12) All windows in cabs shall be of
safety glass, or equivalent, that introduces no visible distortion that will
interfere with the safe operation of the
machine.
(13) (i) Where necessary for rigging or
service requirements, a ladder, or
steps, shall be provided to give access
to a cab roof.
(ii) Guardrails, handholds, and steps
shall be provided on cranes for easy access to the car and cab, conforming to
American National Standards Institute
B30.5.
(iii) Platforms and walkways shall
have anti-skid surfaces.

§ 1926.550

(14) Fuel tank filler pipe shall be located in such a position, or protected
in such manner, as to not allow spill or
overflow to run onto the engine, exhaust, or electrical equipment of any
machine being fueled.
(i) An accessible fire extinguisher of
5BC rating, or higher, shall be available at all operator stations or cabs of
equipment.
(ii) All fuels shall be transported,
stored, and handled to meet the rules
of subpart F of this part. When fuel is
transported by vehicles on public highways, Department of Transportation
rules contained in 49 CFR Parts 177 and
393 concerning such vehicular transportation are considered applicable.
(15) Except where electrical distribution and transmission lines have been
deenergized and visibly grounded at
point of work or where insulating barriers, not a part of or an attachment to
the equipment or machinery, have been
erected to prevent physical contact
with the lines, equipment or machines
shall be operated proximate to power
lines only in accordance with the following:
(i) For lines rated 50 kV. or below,
minimum clearance between the lines
and any part of the crane or load shall
be 10 feet;
(ii) For lines rated over 50 kV., minimum clearance between the lines and
any part of the crane or load shall be 10
feet plus 0.4 inch for each 1 kV. over 50
kV., or twice the length of the line insulator, but never less than 10 feet;
(iii) In transit with no load and boom
lowered, the equipment clearance shall
be a minimum of 4 feet for voltages
less than 50 kV., and 10 feet for
voltages over 50 kV., up to and including 345 kV., and 16 feet for voltages up
to and including 750 kV.
(iv) A person shall be designated to
observe clearance of the equipment and
give timely warning for all operations
where it is difficult for the operator to
maintain the desired clearance by visual means;
(v) Cage-type boom guards, insulating links, or proximity warning devices may be used on cranes, but the
use of such devices shall not alter the
requirements of any other regulation
of this part even if such device is required by law or regulation;

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§ 1926.550

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–06 Edition)

(vi) Any overhead wire shall be considered to be an energized line unless
and until the person owning such line
or the electrical utility authorities indicate that it is not an energized line
and it has been visibly grounded;
(vii) Prior to work near transmitter
towers where an electrical charge can
be induced in the equipment or materials being handled, the transmitter
shall be de-energized or tests shall be
made to determine if electrical charge
is induced on the crane. The following
precautions shall be taken when necessary to dissipate induced voltages:
(a) The equipment shall be provided
with an electrical ground directly to
the upper rotating structure supporting the boom; and
(b) Ground jumper cables shall be attached to materials being handled by
boom
equipment
when
electrical
charge is induced while working near
energized transmitters. Crews shall be
provided with nonconductive poles having large alligator clips or other similar protection to attach the ground
cable to the load.
(c) Combustible and flammable materials shall be removed from the immediate area prior to operations.
(16) No modifications or additions
which affect the capacity or safe operation of the equipment shall be made
by the employer without the manufacturer’s written approval. If such modifications or changes are made, the capacity, operation, and maintenance instruction plates, tags, or decals, shall
be changed accordingly. In no case
shall the original safety factor of the
equipment be reduced.
(17) The employer shall comply with
Power Crane and Shovel Association
Mobile Hydraulic Crane Standard No.
2.
(18) Sideboom cranes mounted on
wheel or crawler tractors shall meet
the requirements of SAE J743a–1964.
(19) All employees shall be kept clear
of loads about to be lifted and of suspended loads.
(b) Crawler, locomotive, and truck
cranes. (1) All jibs shall have positive
stops to prevent their movement of
more than 5° above the straight line of
the jib and boom on conventional type
crane booms. The use of cable type

belly slings does not constitute compliance with this rule.
(2) All crawler, truck, or locomotive
cranes in use shall meet the applicable
requirements for design, inspection,
construction, testing, maintenance and
operation as prescribed in the ANSI
B30.5–1968, Safety Code for Crawler, Locomotive and Truck Cranes. However,
the written, dated, and signed inspection reports and records of the monthly
inspection of critical items prescribed
in section 5–2.1.5 of the ANSI B30.5–1968
standard are not required. Instead, the
employer shall prepare a certification
record which includes the date the
crane items were inspected; the signature of the person who inspected the
crane items; and a serial number, or
other identifier, for the crane inspected. The most recent certification
record shall be maintained on file until
a new one is prepared.
(c) Hammerhead tower cranes. (1) Adequate clearance shall be maintained
between moving and rotating structures of the crane and fixed objects to
allow the passage of employees without
harm.
(2) Each employee required to perform duties on the horizontal boom of
hammerhead tower cranes shall be protected against falling by guardrails or
by a personal fall arrest system in conformance with subpart M of this part.
(3) Buffers shall be provided at both
ends of travel of the trolley.
(4) Cranes mounted on rail tracks
shall be equipped with limit switches
limiting the travel of the crane on the
track and stops or buffers at each end
of the tracks.
(5) All hammerhead tower cranes in
use shall meet the applicable requirements for design, construction, installation, testing, maintenance, inspection, and operation as prescribed by
the manufacturer.
(d) Overhead and gantry cranes. (1)
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.
(2) Bridge trucks shall be equipped
with sweeps which extend below the

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
top of the rail and project in front of
the truck wheels.
(3) Except for floor-operated cranes, a
gong or other effective audible warning
signal shall be provided for each crane
equipped with a power traveling mechanism.
(4) All overhead and gantry cranes in
use shall meet the applicable requirements for design, construction, installation, testing, maintenance, inspection, and operation as prescribed in the
ANSI B30.2.0–1967, Safety Code for
Overhead and Gantry Cranes.
(e) Derricks. All derricks in use shall
meet the applicable requirements for
design, construction, installation, inspection, testing, maintenance, and operation as prescribed in American National Standards Institute B30.6–1969,
Safety Code for Derricks.
(f) Floating cranes and derricks—(1)
Mobile cranes mounted on barges. (i)
When a mobile crane is mounted on a
barge, the rated load of the crane shall
not exceed the original capacity specified by the manufacturer.
(ii) A load rating chart, with clearly
legible letters and figures, shall be provided with each crane, and securely
fixed at a location easily visible to the
operator.
(iii) When load ratings are reduced to
stay within the limits for list of the
barge with a crane mounted on it, a
new load rating chart shall be provided.
(iv) Mobile cranes on barges shall be
positively secured.
(2) Permanently mounted floating
cranes and derricks. (i) When cranes and
derricks are permanently installed on a
barge, the capacity and limitations of
use shall be based on competent design
criteria.
(ii) A load rating chart with clearly
legible letters and figures shall be provided and securely fixed at a location
easily visible to the operator.
(iii) Floating cranes and floating derricks in use shall meet the applicable
requirements for design, construction,
installation, testing, maintenance, and
operation as prescribed by the manufacturer.
(3) Protection of employees working on
barges. The employer shall comply with
the applicable requirements for protec-

§ 1926.550

tion of employees working onboard marine vessels specified in § 1926.605.
(g) Crane or derrick suspended personnel platforms—(1) Scope, application
and definitions—(i) Scope and application. This standard applies to the design, construction, testing, use and
maintenance of personnel platforms,
and the hoisting of personnel platforms
on the load lines of cranes or derricks.
(ii) Definitions. For the purposes of
this paragraph (g), the following definitions apply:
(A) Failure means load refusal, breakage, or separation of components.
(B) Hoist (or hoisting) means all
crane or derrick functions such as lowering, lifting, swinging, booming in and
out or up and down, or suspending a
personnel platform.
(C) Load refusal means the point
where the ultimate strength is exceeded.
(D) Maximum intended load means the
total load of all employees, tools, materials, and other loads reasonably anticipated to be applied to a personnel
platform or personnel platform component at any one time.
(E) Runway means a firm, level surface designed, prepared and designated
as a path of travel for the weight and
configuration of the crane being used
to lift and travel with the crane suspended platform. An existing surface
may be used as long as it meets these
criteria.
(2) General requirements. The use of a
crane or derrick to hoist employees on
a personnel platform is prohibited, except when the erection, use, and dismantling of conventional means of
reaching the worksite, such as a personnel hoist, ladder, stairway, aerial
lift, elevating work platform or scaffold, would be more hazardous, or is
not possible because of structural design or worksite conditions.
(3) Cranes and derricks—(i) Operational
criteria. (A) Hoisting of the personnel
platform shall be performed in a slow,
controlled, cautious manner with no
sudden movements of the crane or derrick, or the platform.
(B) Load lines shall be capable of supporting, without failure, at least seven
times the maximum intended load, except that where rotation resistant rope
is used, the lines shall be capable of

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§ 1926.550

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–06 Edition)

supporting without failure, at least ten
times the maximum intended load. The
required design factor is achieved by
taking the current safety factor of 3.5
(required under paragraph (b)(2)) of this
section and applying the 50 per cent derating of the crane capacity which is
required by paragraph (g)(3)(i)(F) of
this section.
(C) Load and boom hoist drum
brakes, swing brakes, and locking devices such as pawls or dogs shall be engaged when the occupied personnel
platform is in a stationary working position.
(D) The crane shall be uniformly
level within one percent of level grade
and located on firm footing. Cranes
equipped with outriggers shall have
them all fully deployed following manufacturer’s specifications, insofar as
applicable, when hoisting employees.
(E) The total weight of the loaded
personnel platform and related rigging
shall not exceed 50 percent of the rated
capaciy for the radius and configuration of the crane or derrick.
(F) The use of machines having live
booms (booms in which lowering is controlled by a brake without aid from
other devices which slow the lowering
speeds) is prohibited.
(ii) Instruments and components. (A)
Cranes and derricks with variable
angle booms shall be equipped with a
boom angle indicator, readily visible to
the operator.
(B) Cranes with telescoping booms
shall be equipped with a device to indicate clearly to the operator, at all
times, the boom’s extended length, or
an accurate determination of the load
radius to be used during the lift shall
be made prior to hoisting personnel.
(C) A positive acting device shall be
used which prevents contact between
the load block or overhaul ball and the
boom tip (anti-two-blocking device), or
a system shall be used which deactivates the hoisting action before damage occurs in the event of a two-blocking situation (two block damage prevention feature).
(D) The load line hoist drum shall
have a system or device on the power
train, other than the load hoist brake,
which regulates the lowering rate of
speed of the hoist mechanism (con-

trolled load lowering.) Free fall is prohibited.
(4) Personnel platforms—(i) Design criteria. (A) The personnel platform and
suspension system shall be designed by
a qualified engineer or a qualified person competent in structural design.
(B) The suspension system shall be
designed to minimize tipping of the
platform due to movement of employees occupying the platform.
(C) The personnel platform itself, except the guardrail system and personal
fall arrest system anchorages, shall be
capable of supporting, without failure,
its own weight and at least five times
the maximum intended load. Criteria
for guardrail systems and personal fall
arrest system anchorages are contained in subpart M of this Part.
(ii) Platform specifications. (A) Each
personnel platform shall be equipped
with a guardrail system which meets
the requirements of subpart M, and,
shall be enclosed at least from the
toeboard to mid-rail with either solid
construction or expanded metal having
openings no greater than 1⁄2 inch (1.27
cm).
(B) A grab rail shall be installed inside the entire perimeter of the personnel platform.
(C) Access gates, if installed, shall
not swing outward during hoisting.
(D) Access gates, including sliding or
folding gates, shall be equipped with a
restraining device to prevent accidental opening.
(E) Headroom shall be provided which
allows employees to stand upright in
the platform.
(F) In addition to the use of hard
hats, employees shall be protected by
overhead protection on the personnel
platform when employees are exposed
to falling objects.
(G) All rough edges exposed to contact by employees shall be surfaced or
smoothed in order to prevent injury to
employees from punctures or lacerations.
(H) All welding of the personnel platform and its components shall be performed by a qualified welder familiar
with the weld grades, types and material specified in the platform design.
(I) The personnel platform shall be
conspicuously posted with a plate or

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
other permanent marking which indicates the weight of the platform and
its rated load capacity or maximum intended load.
(iii) Personnel platform loading. (A)
The personnel platform shall not be
loaded in excess of its rated load capacity. When a personnel platform does
not have a rated load capacity then the
personnel platform shall not be loaded
in excess of its maximum intended
load.
(B) The number of employees occupying the personnel platform shall not
exceed the number required for the
work being performed.
(C) Personnel platforms shall be used
only for employees, their tools, and the
materials necessary to do their work,
and shall not be used to hoist only materials or tools when not hoisting personnel.
(D) Materials and tools for use during
a personnel lift shall be secured to prevent displacement.
(E) Materials and tools for use during
a personnel lift shall be evenly distributed within the confines of the platform while the platform is suspended.
(iv) Rigging. (A) When a wire rope bridle is used to connect the personnel
platform to the load line, each bridle
leg shall be connected to a master link
or shackle in such a manner to ensure
that the load is evenly divided among
the bridle legs.
(B) Hooks on overhaul ball assemblies, lower load blocks, or other attachment assemblies shall be of a type
that can be closed and locked, eliminating the hook throat opening. Alternatively, an alloy anchor type shackle
with a bolt, nut and retaining pin may
be used.
(C) Wire rope, shackles, rings, master
links, and other rigging hardware must
be capable of supporting, without failure, at least five times the maximum
intended load applied or transmitted to
that component. Where rotation resistant rope is used, the slings shall be capable of supporting without failure at
least ten times the maximum intended
load.
(D) All eyes in wire rope slings shall
be fabricated with thimbles.
(E) Bridles and associated rigging for
attaching the personnel platform to
the hoist line shall be used only for the

§ 1926.550

platform and the necessary employees,
their tools and the materials necessary
to do their work, and shall not be used
for any other purpose when not hoisting personnel.
(5) Trial lift, inspection, and proof testing. (i) A trial lift with the unoccupied
personnel platform loaded at least to
the anticipated liftweight shall be
made from ground level, or any other
location where employees will enter
the platform, to each location at which
the personnel platform is to be hoisted
and positioned. This trial lift shall be
performed immediately prior to placing personnel on the platform. The operator shall determine that all systems, controls and safety devices are
activated and functioning properly;
that no interferences exist; and that all
configurations necessary to reach
those work locations will allow the operator to remain under the 50 percent
limit of the hoist’s rated capacity. Materials and tools to be used during the
actual lift can be loaded in the platform, as provided in paragraphs
(g)(4)(iii) (D), and (E) of this section for
the trial lift. A single trial lift may be
performed at one time for all locations
that are to be reached from a single set
up position.
(ii) The trial lift shall be repeated
prior to hoisting employees whenever
the crane or derrick is moved and set
up in a new location or returned to a
previously used location. Additionally,
the trial lift shall be repeated when the
lift route is changed unless the operator determines that the route change
is not significant (i.e. the route change
would not affect the safety of hoisted
employees.)
(iii) After the trial lift, and just prior
to hoisting personnel, the platform
shall be hoisted a few inches and inspected to ensure that it is secure and
properly balanced. Employees shall not
be hoisted unless the following conditions are determined to exist:
(A) Hoist ropes shall be free of kinks;
(B) Multiple part lines shall not be
twisted around each other;
(C) The primary attachment shall be
centered over the platform; and
(D) The hoisting system shall be inspected if the load rope is slack to ensure all ropes are properly stated on
drums and in sheaves.

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29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–06 Edition)

(iv) A visual inspection of the crane
or derrick, rigging, personnel platform,
and the crane or derrick base support
or ground shall be conducted by a competent person immediately after the
trial lift to determine whether the
testing has exposed any defect or produced any adverse effect upon any component or structure.
(v) Any defects found during inspections which create a safety hazard
shall be corrected before hoisting personnel.
(vi) At each job site, prior to hoisting
employees on the personnel platform,
and after any repair or modification,
the platform and rigging shall be proof
tested to 125 percent of the platform’s
rated capacity by holding it in a suspended position for five minutes with
the test load evenly distributed on the
platform (this may be done concurrently with the trial lift). After
prooftesting, a competent person shall
inspect the platform and rigging. Any
deficiencies found shall be corrected
and another proof test shall be conducted. Personnel hoisting shall not be
conducted until the proof testing requirements are satisfied.
(6) Work practices. (i) Employees shall
keep all parts of the body inside the
platform during raising, lowering, and
positioning. This provision does not
apply to an occupant of the platform
performing the duties of a signal person.
(ii) Before employees exit or enter a
hoisted personnel platform that is not
landed, the platform shall be secured to
the structure where the work is to be
performed, unless securing to the
structure creates an unsafe situation.
(iii) Tag lines shall be used unless
their use creates an unsafe condition.
(iv) The crane or derrick operator
shall remain at the controls at all
times when the crane engine is running
and the platform is occupied.
(v) Hoisting of employees shall be
promptly discontinued upon indication
of any dangerous weather conditions or
other impending danger.
(vi) Employees being hoisted shall remain in continuous sight of and in direct communication with the operator
or signal person. In those situations
where direct visual contact with the
operator is not possible, and the use of

a signal person would create a greater
hazard for that person, direct communication alone such as by radio may be
used.
(vii) Except over water, employees
occupying the personnel platform shall
use a body belt/harness system with
lanyard appropriately attached to the
lower load block or overhaul ball, or to
a structural member within the personnel platform capable of supporting a
fall impact for employees using the anchorage. When working over water, the
requirements of § 1926.106 shall apply.
(viii) No lifts shall be made on another of the crane’s or derrick’s
loadlines while personnel are suspended on a platform.
(7) Traveling. (i) Hoisting of employees while the crane is traveling is prohibited, except for portal, tower and locomotive cranes, or where the employer demonstrates that there is no
less hazardous way to perform the
work.
(ii) Under any circumstances where a
crane would travel while hoisting personnel, the employer shall implement
the following procedures to safeguard
employees:
(A) Crane travel shall be restricted to
a fixed track or runway;
(B) Travel shall be limited to the
load radius of the boom used during the
lift; and
(C) The boom must be parallel to the
direction of travel.
(D) A complete trial run shall be performed to test the route of travel before employees are allowed to occupy
the platform. This trial run can be performed at the same time as the trial
lift required by paragraph (g)(5)(i) of
this section which tests the route of
the lift.
(E) If travel is done with a rubber
tired-carrier, the condition and air
pressure of the tires shall be checked.
The chart capacity for lifts on rubber
shall be used for application of the 50
percent reduction of rated capacity.
Notwithstanding paragraph (g)(3)(i)(E)
of this section, outriggers may be partially retracted as necessary for travel.
(8) Pre-lift meeting. (i) A meeting attended by the crane or derrick operator, signal person(s) (if necessary for
the lift), employee(s) to be lifted, and
the person responsible for the task to

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
be performed shall be held to review
the appropriate requirements of paragraph (g) of this section and the procedures to be followed.
(ii) This meeting shall be held prior
to the trial lift at each new work location, and shall be repeated for any employees newly assigned to the operation.
[44 FR 8577, Feb. 9, 1979; 44 FR 20940, Apr. 6,
1979, as amended at 52 FR 36382, Sept. 28,
1987; 53 FR 29139, Aug. 2, 1988; 54 FR 15406,
Apr. 18, 1989; 54 FR 24334, June 7, 1989; 58 FR
35183, June 30, 1993; 59 FR 40730, Aug. 9, 1994;
61 FR 5510, Feb. 13, 1996]

§ 1926.551 Helicopters.
(a) Helicopter regulations. Helicopter
cranes shall be expected to comply
with any applicable regulations of the
Federal Aviation Administration.
(b) Briefing. Prior to each day’s operation a briefing shall be conducted.
This briefing shall set forth the plan of
operation for the pilot and ground personnel.
(c) Slings and tag lines. Load shall be
properly slung. Tag lines shall be of a
length that will not permit their being
drawn up into rotors. Pressed sleeve,
swedged eyes, or equivalent means
shall be used for all freely suspended
loads to prevent hand splices from
spinning open or cable clamps from
loosening.
(d) Cargo hooks. All electrically operated cargo hooks shall have the electrical activating device so designed and
installed as to prevent inadvertent operation. In addition, these cargo hooks
shall be equipped with an emergency
mechanical control for releasing the
load. The hooks shall be tested prior to
each day’s operation to determine that
the release functions properly, both
electrically and mechanically.
(e) Personal protective equipment. (1)
Personal protective equipment for employees receiving the load shall consist
of complete eye protection and hard
hats secured by chinstraps.
(2) Loose-fitting clothing likely to
flap in the downwash, and thus be
snagged on hoist line, shall not be
worn.
(f) Loose gear and objects. Every practical precaution shall be taken to pro-

§ 1926.551

vide for the protection of the employees from flying objects in the rotor
downwash. All loose gear within 100
feet of the place of lifting the load, depositing the load, and all other areas
susceptible to rotor downwash shall be
secured or removed.
(g) Housekeeping. Good housekeeping
shall be maintained in all helicopter
loading and unloading areas.
(h) Operator responsibility. The helicopter operator shall be responsible for
size, weight, and manner in which
loads are connected to the helicopter.
If, for any reason, the helicopter operator believes the lift cannot be made
safely, the lift shall not be made.
(i) Hooking and unhooking loads. When
employees are required to perform
work under hovering craft, a safe
means of access shall be provided for
employees to reach the hoist line hook
and engage or disengage cargo slings.
Employees shall not perform work
under hovering craft except when necessary to hook or unhook loads.
(j) Static charge. Static charge on the
suspended load shall be dissipated with
a grounding device before ground personnel touch the suspended load, or
protective rubber gloves shall be worn
by all ground personnel touching the
suspended load.
(k) Weight limitation. The weight of an
external load shall not exceed the manufacturer’s rating.
(l) Ground lines. Hoist wires or other
gear, except for pulling lines or conductors that are allowed to ‘‘pay out’’
from a container or roll off a reel, shall
not be attached to any fixed ground
structure, or allowed to foul on any
fixed structure.
(m) Visibility. When visibility is reduced by dust or other conditions,
ground personnel shall exercise special
caution to keep clear of main and stabilizing rotors. Precautions shall also
be taken by the employer to eliminate
as far as practical reduced visibility.
(n) Signal systems. Signal systems between aircrew and ground personnel
shall be understood and checked in advance of hoisting the load. This applies
to either radio or hand signal systems.
Hand signals shall be as shown in Figure N–1.

355

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