Currently, only 15 states and six cities require third-party testing of crane operators by a nationally accredited organization. But these numbers stand to increase as national momentum prompts state lawmakers to update and revise outdated or ineffective crane regulations.
States like California, New Jersey and Nevada already have well-established crane regulations on the books, but many are drafting updates and revisions to push through legislation.
After a construction worker was crushed by a crane in Annapolis, Maryland enacted the country’s toughest regulations—requiring not only crane operators, but also riggers and signal-persons, to complete training equivalent to a nationally recognized certification program.
In Maryland, cranes must be inspected daily as well as undergo a rigorous annual inspection. Contractors must notify the state labor department two days before setting up a lift using multiple cranes, or before installing or dismantling a tower crane. An onsite supervisor with at least five years of experience is required when a tower crane is erected, lengthened or dismantled. In addition, drug and alcohol testing is required within 24 hours of serious or fatal accidents.
In December, Philadelphia became the city with the nation’s strictest crane safety rules, requiring certification for crane operators, riggers and inspectors, as well as high safety standards for bonding and crane companies.
Also, crane operators in Pennsylvania have until 2010 to comply with a new law requiring them to be licensed by the state and certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) or another nationally accredited organization.
The dramatic deaths of seven people, including a civilian, in Manhattan last March prompted the New York City Council to implement three bills last fall to boost crane worker safety and training. Crane workers must complete a 30-hour training course as well as an eight-hour refresher course every three years. General contractors must hold safety coordination meetings with all responsible parties prior to any crane activity, and safety engineers must inspect cranes before every jump. Nylon slings must be used properly, and applicants for Class C licenses are subject to criminal background checks and must comply with substance abuse policies.
New York City’s Department of Buildings also will require applicants for city crane licenses to be certified by the NCCCO.
In response to a 2006 crane collapse that killed a resident, Washington state adopted a crane operator certification program that takes effect in 2010.
In Florida, after a crane worker was killed at a Miami high-rise jobsite just a week after the New York accident, Miami-Dade County and the state have been in heated debate about which governing body has jurisdiction over crane oversight, with no statewide standard to date.