Fall Protection

Falls are a real and serious danger while operating cranes and other hoisting equipment. Minimizing the chance of falling requires specific walkway and guard features, including the following requirements:

• Equipment with lattice booms manufactured after November 8, 2011 must have walkways on the boom if the vertical profile of the boom is 6 or more feet.
• Boom walkways must be a minimum of 12 inches in width.
• Guardrails, railings, or other permanent fall protection attachments are prohibited along walkways that have pendant rope or bar support. Removable types are also prohibited.
• When allowed, guardrails or railings may be more than 45 inches.
• Steps, handholds, ladders, and guardrails/railings/grabrails must be maintained by the employer and meet the criteria of SAE J185 (May 2003) or ISO 11660-2:1994(E), except where infeasible.
• Tower cranes manufactured after November 8, 2011 must have equipment that allows safe movement from the ground to the operator workstation(s).
• Slip-resistant features must cover walking/stepping surfaces (except crawler treads).

Please note that regulations vary depending on the type of equipment. Consult §1926.1423 for complete details on fall protection.

To learn more about Crane, Derrick & Hoist visit our Crane, Derrick & Hoist Safety Online Training web page.