Key Directives Governing Crane Operations

July 31, 2025 | CICB

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Crane safety is essential across various industries, including construction, manufacturing, and transportation. Managers have a responsibility to optimize their team's material handling procedures and provide a lineup of up-to-date equipment. Learn how to avoid accidents, worker injuries, and property damage with adherence to crane regulations, standards, and instructions. 

OSHA Regulations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides comprehensive guidelines to ensure the safety of crane workers. One key regulation for the construction industry is found under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, which addresses topics such as:

  • Operator Certifications: All crane operators must have a national certification and obtain recertification every five years. 
  • Crane Inspections and Maintenance: Regular inspections are required, and workers cannot use cranes with defects.
  • Rigging Practices: Qualified riggers and proper equipment are required for crane assembly, disassembly, and lifting.
  • Hoisting Personnel: Crane hoisting mechanisms must apply automatic brakes when they are not powering up or down.
  • Assistance Cranes: Imposed loads on assistance cranes must meet the rated capacities at assembly and disassembly.
  • Ground Conditions: Unless in wetlands or marshes, the ground supporting the crane must meet the manufacturer's specifications.
  • Pre-operation Inspections: Tower crane inspections are required to identify and address potential issues before operation. 
  • Working Around Power Lines: Workers must maintain the correct minimum clearance between cranes and power lines, depending on the voltage of the power line.
  • Load Chart Usage: Operators must demonstrate an understanding of load charts and utilize the information provided for lifting practices. 
  • Load Rating Markings: Load ratings must be clearly marked on both sides of a crane and be legible from the floor or ground.
  • Emergency Procedures: Employers must establish and implement safety procedures for potential hazards. 

ASME and ANSI Standards

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B30 standards are designed to promote crane safety and prevent accidents in the United States. Accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the guidelines cover the following:

  • Equipment Design and Construction: Equipment designs, fabrications, and installations should provide safe operation and structural integrity.
  • Inspection and Maintenance: After qualified individuals perform visual examinations or more thorough inspections, professionals must address potential issues with necessary repairs or replacements.
  • Operator Qualifications: Lifting equipment operators must meet the training and assessment qualifications for any machines they use.
  • Manufacturer Instructions: The manufacturer provides guidance, operating instructions, and load capacities specific to each piece of equipment.
  • Company Policies: Regulations, standards, and manufacturer instructions work together to guide employers in developing company policies.

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Want peace of mind knowing you meet the standards of governing crane operations? CICB offers comprehensive compliance evaluations to assess your material handling business from an independent, third-party perspective. We are the trusted partner you can count on to help you identify and overcome compliance issues, from worker qualifications to rigging practices and equipment safety. 


To learn more about our expert support services and training, request a consultation today. 

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Our site has been using CICB for a number of years to train and maintain certification for our crane operators. They exhibit an extensive background in the crane industry and their approach to training is very thorough and comprehensive. CICB’s professional instructors are highly dedicated and motivate everyone in the class to strive for excellence. The material is well-organized and the training is presented in a clear and concise manner. The classroom instruction and actual hands-on training go beyond our expectations. Our employees leave the class with a better understanding of crane operation, their capabilities, and job safety.”  

John S. - Boeing Aerospace
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This class was one of the best I have ever coordinated for our employees! Jason was, by far, the best instructor I have ever seen present an extremely technical course. His personality was perfect for the audience and made him very relatable. His technical proficiency was exemplary! He is completely capable of and, for the most part, did teach the entire class without referring to the slides or reference material. He also went way above and beyond in his commitment to ensuring the students not only learned but retained the material and stayed late into each evening to assist those requiring additional assistance. The employees could not say enough great things about Jason's skills and commitment to learning. We now have 10 employees trained to operate our cranes and, even though the majority of them do not work together, a group of employees that overcame some adversity and became a cohesive team. They are begging me to bring the CICB back!”

Edmund C. - Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works
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The Instructor Larry Kime is absolutely one of the best instructors I have ever had, and I have a degree in mechanical engineering. Larry’s knowledge both written and practical is current and accessible. I would recommend Larry to a new beginner or someone that has been in the lifting industry their whole career

William V.P. - Biblia, Inc