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ConstructionClearing the fall zone
The fall zone is every place a hanging beam could land if something goes wrong, not only the spot right under it. Before and during the lift you keep it empty of everyone the rule does not allow there, mark off the area the crane's turning body can sweep, and make sure the operator knows where people are.
Free to startScenarios
- The beam hangs and the operator is not moving it.
- Workers must work near the crane's rotating superstructure.
- A worker has to go to a spot in that hazard area out of the operator's view.
The steps
- Picture the fall zone: the area, including but not limited to the spot right under the load, where partly or fully hanging materials could foreseeably fall in an accident.
- Where available, use hoisting routes that keep the beam's path away from workers.
- While the operator is not moving a hanging load, keep everyone out of the fall zone except workers hooking, unhooking or guiding it, making its first connection to the structure, or operating a concrete hopper or bucket.
- Mark the areas the rotating superstructure could strike or crush someone with control lines, warning lines, railings or similar barriers.
- Where barriers are not feasible on the ground or on the crane, mark those areas with warning signs such as "Danger--Swing/Crush Zone" and high visibility markings on the crane.
- Before a worker goes to a spot in that hazard area out of the operator's view, the operator is told.
- The operator does not rotate the superstructure until told, by a pre-arranged system, that the worker is in a safe position.
- No load line free fall while anyone is directly under the load, and no boom free fall while anyone is in the fall zone of the boom or the load.
Safety rules that stop the station
- If the operator leaves the controls with the load hanging, as the rule allows, barricades or caution lines and notices keep every worker out of the fall zone.
- Each worker assigned on or near the crane is trained to recognize the struck-by and pinch/crush areas of the rotating superstructure.
To pass
- Only the workers the rule allows in the fall zone.
- The swing and crush areas marked with barriers or, where infeasible, signs and markings.
- The operator always knows when someone goes out of view into the hazard area.
Official source
Federal · OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.1424 and 1926.1425
29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, Cranes and derricks in construction
GovInfo publishes 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC free: 1926.1424 sets the control of the swing area and 1926.1425 who may be in the fall zone.
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