Pennsylvania Code › Title 34 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY › Part I - Department of Labor and Industry › Chapter 25 - LIFTING AND CARRYING APPARATUS › Subchapter B - CRANES, BOOMS AND HOISTS › GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL CRANES › Section 25.45 - Operators

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a)
Authorized operators.
Cranes, derricks and hoists shall be
					 operated only by experienced operators, learners under the supervision of an
					 experienced operator, a crane repair man, or an inspector. Only an authorized
					 person shall enter a crane cab.
(b)
Mental requirements.
No crane shall be operated by any person
					 who is unable to read and understand the signs, notices, and operating
					 instructions and who is not familiar with the signal code used by the
					 floormen.
(c)
Physical
					 requirements.
Cranes shall not be operated by any person having
					 seriously defective eyesight or hearing or suffering from heart disease or
					 similar ailments that may cause fainting as determined by the examining
					 physician. All regular crane operators shall be examined by a physician at
					 least annually.
(d)
Ascending and descending ladders.
Hands shall be kept free
					 when going up and down ladders. Articles which are too large to go into pockets
					 or belts shall be lifted to or lowered from the crane by hand line, except
					 where stairways are provided.
(e)
Cages.
Cages shall be kept free of clothing and other personal
					 belongings. Tools, extra fuses, oil cans, waste and other articles necessary in
					 the crane cage shall be stored in a tool box.
(f)
Crane rules.
The
					 operator shall completely familiarize himself with all crane rules and with the
					 crane mechanism and its maintenance. If adjustments or repairs are necessary,
					 he shall report them at once to the proper authority.
(g)
Eating, reading while on
					 duty.
The operator may not eat or read while actually engaged in the
					 operation of a crane, nor may he operate the crane when he is physically or
					 mentally unfit.
(h)
Lubrication.
The operator or someone specially designated
					 shall properly lubricate all working parts of the crane.
(i)
Daily inspection.
On
					 each day of use, cranes shall be examined by the operator for loose parts or
					 defects.
(j)
Cleaning
					 cranes.
It shall be the responsibility of the operator to clean his
					 respective crane.
(k)
Carrying loads over people.
Operators shall avoid, as much as
					 possible, carrying loads over people. Carrying molten metal or metal with a
					 magnet over people shall be absolutely avoided. If loads have to be carried
					 over people, a warning shall be given. No person may be permitted to stand or
					 pass under an electric magnet in use.
(l)
Closing emergency
					 switch.
When the operator finds the main or emergency switch open, he
					 may not close it, even when starting on regular duty, until he has made sure
					 that no one is on or about the crane. If there is a "Man Working" sign on the
					 switch, he shall not remove it unless placed there by himself; he may not close
					 the switch unless the warning sign has been removed by the man placing it
					 there. He may not oil or repair the crane unless the main switch is
					 open.
(m)
Power off.
If the power goes off, the operator shall immediately throw all
					 controllers to "off" position until power is again available.
(n)
Closing main switch.
Before closing the main switch the operator shall make sure that all
					 controllers are in "off" position until power is again available.
(o)
Tripping limit switches.
When long hitches are made, the operator shall pay special attention
					 to the block, to avoid tripping the limit switch. The operator shall never
					 depend on the limit switch to stop the hoists, but shall control the movement
					 from the cab. At the beginning of his tour of duty, the operator shall test the
					 upper limit switch, under no load. If it does not operate properly, he shall
					 immediately notify the foreman or inspector.
(p)
Signals.
If a warning
					 gong is furnished, it shall be sounded each time before traveling.
(q)
Trolley placement.
Before starting to hoist, the operator shall place the trolley directly over
					 the load to avoid swinging it when being hoisted. This precaution is especially
					 important in the handling of molten metal.
(r)
Side pulls.
Cranes may
					 not be used for side pulls unless authorized by a responsible person who has
					 determined that the stability is not thereby endangered and that the various
					 parts of the crane will not be overstressed. A monorail hoist shall never be
					 used for this purpose.
(s)
Testing hoist brakes.
When handling maximum loads,
					 particularly ladles of molten metal, the operator shall test the hoist brakes
					 after the load has been lifted a few inches; if the brakes do not hold, the
					 load shall be lowered at once and the brakes adjusted or repaired.
(t)
Bumping runway stops or cranes.
Bumping into runway stops or other cranes shall be avoided. When the
					 operator is ordered to engage with or push other cranes, he shall do so with
					 special care for the safety of persons on or below cranes.
(u)
Lowering loads.
When
					 lowering a load, the operator shall proceed carefully to insure that he has the
					 load under safe control.
(v)
Leaving the cage.
When leaving the cab or cage of any
					 equipment referred to in this subchapter, the operator shall place all controls
					 in neutral or "off" position and shall open the main switch or disengage the
					 master clutch.
(w)
Locking
					 the crane.
Before leaving a crane unattended, the operator shall lock
					 the crane to prevent movement in any direction. This requirement may not apply
					 to overhead traveling cranes inside industrial buildings.
(x)
Riding on hooks.
Operators may not permit anyone to ride on the load or hooks.
(y)
Age and sex requirements.
A male under 18 years of age or female under 21 years of age may not
					 be permitted to operate a crane. Application for permission to employ women as
					 crane operators shall be filed with the Department.