January Possible for Proposed Rulemaking for Certification/Qualification of Crane Operators
December 5, 2016 - Last week, OSHA's Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health met to discuss updates to the crane rule issued in 2010 (29 CFR Subpart CC). The proposed revisions include defining OSHA's requirements for certification and qualification of crane operators.
According to Bloomberg BNA, Dean McKenzie, head of OSHA’s Directorate of Construction, said Nov. 30 that the notice of proposed rulemaking defining OSHA’s requirements for certification and qualification of crane operators (RIN:1218-AC96) could be published as early as January, following a review by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget. McKenzie didn’t say what specific changes the rulemaking would propose.
OSHA faces a Nov. 10, 2017, deadline to issue a final rule. If the rulemaking isn’t completed by then, the agency will have to again extend the operator certification deadline.
Another revision is a redefinition of the term "hoisting" to include lifting or stabilizing loads, such as trusses, that have one end touching the ground or connected to a structure.
The committee also approved changes to the crane rule that woudl exempt specialized equipment used to maintain railroad tracks from the crane rule.
