Page 9 - Crane and Rigging

• Guarding - the use of a guard or barricade to isolate the hazard
• Tag Line - Using a tag line to control a load without having to place
hands or feet anywhere near a landing or shifting load
• Signs or warning lines - Using signage or warning devices make workers
aware of the hazard

Striking - Striking is where an object strikes another. Falling material,
moving equipment, traveling trolley or a turning counterweight. Ways to
protect against Strike Hazards:
• Barricade areas that have potential for falling debris, like under the boom or load
• Wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment
• Set up a work exclusion zone where other workers are not allowed.

All employees working with or around overhead crane activity need to be
trained how to recognize these potential threats. Communication on site
is essential to safe work practice.

Keeping Clear
Only employees essential to the operation are permitted in the fall zone
(but not directly under the load). An employee is essential to the
operation if the employee is conducting one of the following operations
and the employer can demonstrate it is infeasible for the employee to
perform that operation from outside the fall zone: (1) Physically guide the
load; (2) closely monitor and give instructions regarding the load's
movement; or (3) either detach it from or initially attach it to another
component or structure

Note: Boom free fall is prohibited when an employee is in the fall zone of the boom or load, and load
line free fall is prohibited when an employee is directly under the load; see § 1926.1426.

Chapter 4 - Rigging

QUALIFIED RIGGER
A qualified Rigger is a person who meets the criteria of a qualified person and therefore must:
• Possess a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or have extensive
knowledge, training and experience
• Successfully demonstrate the ability to solve problems to rigging loads.

A qualified rigger must be able to properly rig the load for a particular job. He or she does not be
qualified to do every type of rigging job. Each load that requires rigging has unique properties that can
range from the simple to the complex. However, previous experiences does not automatically qualify
the rigger to rig unstable, unusually heavy, or eccentric loads that may require a tandem lift, multiple
lifts, or use of custom rigging equipment. It is the employers responsibility to verify that the person can
do the rigging work needed for the exact types of loads and lifts for a particular job, with the equipment
and rigging that will be used for that job.

A certified operator does not necessarily meet the requirements of a qualified rigger. The person
designated as the qualified rigger must have the ability to properly rig the load for a particular job. A
certified or qualified operator may meet the requirements of a qualified rigger, depending on the
Overhead Crane and Rigging 9 Rev 3 November 2021