ASSE: Negotiated Phase of Crane Rule Nearing Completion

June 15, 2004
Three key issues remain on the table as the Cranes and Derricks Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee (C-DAC) prepares for its final meeting in July.

That's the assessment of Stewart Burhammer, OSHA's director of construction services, delivered in a session at the American Society of Safety Engineers Exposition and Conference in Las Vegas. The three issues identified by Burkhammer are:

  • Certification of crane operators;
  • Erection and dismantling of lattice boom cranes;
  • Physicals for crane operators.

C-DAC has already devoted a good deal of time to the certification issue, "a major, a major issue," according to Burkhammer. "I believe in certification," he continued, "but it's how to do it without mandating a named kind of certification."

Burkhammer also supported some kind of physical examination for crane operators: "I think you do have to see and hear to operate a crane."

After the July meeting, OSHA will begin to write the final version of the draft text. "Hopefully we'll have something published in the first part of 2005," Burkhammer said.

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