OSHA introduces definitive rule for cranes
The last rule provides several exceptions to accommodate the specific equipment and circumstances involved in railway road works.
OSHA released a new final regulation on September 14, 2020 that will change the agency’s crane standard to maintain worker protection while reducing compliance burdens.
The last rule provides several exceptions to accommodate the specific equipment and circumstances involved in railway road works. One of the exceptions is flash butt welding trucks, a special piece of equipment for railway work that, despite meeting the technical definition of a crane, does not pose the same safety risks that OSHA deals with in the crane standard.
Other exceptions include the use of rail stops and rail clamps, restrictions on off-level work, the prohibition on pulling a load sideways, a boom limiter for booms equipped with hydraulic cylinders, and following the manufacturer’s instructions for using and changing equipment .
This is the last definitive rule published by OSHA since the October 2019 Unemployment Drug Testing Rule.
Certification and operator training are based on the legal requirements of the FRA. For more information on workplace safety when working on the road, visit osha.gov.
About the author
Nikki Johnson-Bolden is the Associate Content Editor for Health and Safety at Work.
