The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a final rule that clarifies certain requirements for crane operators and maintains the employer's duty to ensure that crane operators can safely operate the equipment. The final rule will become effective on Dec. 9, 2018; the evaluation and documentation requirements will become effective on February 7, 2019. Under the final rule — which is a part of the crane and derricks standard that went into effect in 2010 — employers are required to train operators as needed to perform assigned crane activities, evaluate them, and document successful completion of the evaluations. The rule also requires crane operators to be certified or licensed and receive ongoing training as necessary to operate new equipment. Related: 5 ways to make your workplace safety-incentive program OSHA compliant & more effective |

OSHA's rule broken down

A majority of the regulations under the crane and derricks standard were in effect but Hank Dutton says "what has been delayed is the operator's certification component of the standard." From 2010 to 2014, OSHA put a delay in place to allow contractors at that time to become compliant. The delays that followed in 2014 to 2018 were a result of pushback from the industry. Dutton, a senior technical specialist at Travelers, is a NCCCO (National Commission For The Certification of Crane Operators) Certified Lift Director and Construction Safety Specialist. In his current role, he sits on several committees that write national certification exams for crane operators and riggers. With over 30 years of experience in the construction industry, Dutton is passionate about worker safety. With this in mind, here are Dutton's six key hazards most often related to cranes and derricks on construction sites. Related: Identifying construction risks