30.01.2008

Tough new crane and hoist rules for Florida

Sweeping new rules may soon govern the use of cranes, mast climbers and hoists in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Failure to comply with the rules could result in the revoking of the building permit, shutting down an entire site.

The rules, which have been drawn up by the county's Crane and Heavy Equipment Advisory Committee which was established in 2006, could begin to come into effect from June 30th of this year.

The committee was set up after 14 crane-related construction fatalities occurred in South Florida between January and May 2006, matching the number of such accidents for the whole of 2005.

The rules cover operator certification, the appointment of independent inspectors for cranes and hoists, the mandatory testing of the equipment as often as every 90 days or following a hurricane and an approval process prior to such equipment being erected.

The proposed law is highly prescriptive and has been drawn up by the committee which includes a number of employees from major contractors and rental companies. A full list of the members can be found at the end of this article.

Aerial lifts and mobile cranes with booms of under 25ft or lift capacities of less than 15,000lbs are exempted from the proposed ordinance.

In future all building plans submitted to the county would have to contain sufficient information for the Building Official to determine whether the lift equipment to be used in the construction complies with the proposed rules, which include full compliance with manufacturer’s guidelines and all federal standards.

Construction sites would be subject to independent inspections as follows:

Tower cranes:
On installation and then every six months, plus whenever the crane undergoes a climbing procedure and in the event of a hurricane or an accident.

Personnel or material hoists:
Once erected to include a drop test and then every 90 days, as well as after a hurricane or an accident.

Mobile cranes:
Annually with an overload test and following an accident or hurricane where the boom remained erected/extended.

Pre Hurricane

Construction sites would also be responsible for complying with a detailed set of hurricane procedures which include:

(1) Compliance with manufacturer’s recommendations relating to hurricane preparedness including removal of banners.
(2) Tower crane hook blocks must be greased, fully raised and trolleyed in against the tower.
(3) Tower crane turntable must be lubricated.
(4) Mobile cranes lattice booms must be laid down whenever feasible.
(5) Hydraulic cranes must have booms retracted and stored.
(6) Any counterweighted hoist must have the counterweight locked below the top tie-in.
(7) Tower crane must be set in the weathervane position.
(8) All rigging must be removed from the lift block.
(9) All power at base of tower shall be disconnected by a general contractor.
(10) A hurricane preparedness plan which conforms with the requirements of this section shall be available at the site for inspection.

Independent inspectors

Inspectors cannot be an employee of an equipment owner or equipment manufacturer in the crane or hoist industry. In order to be accredited, individuals would require:

- A minimum of five years work experience in the crane industry, specifically erecting, operating, maintaining, inspecting and supervising equipment of which two of the five years must have included crane inspection duties.

- Proof of completion of at least one factory sponsored or approved technical course to inspect the equipment concerned.

Inspection companies will need to meet additional requirements:

1.They will need to be incorporated in the State of Florida
2.They cannot be wholly or partly owned by an equipment owner or equipment manufacturer in the crane or hoist industry.
3.They cannot receive any financial support from an equipment owner or manufacturer in the crane and hoist industry.
4.They must carry a minimum of $1,000,000 professional liability insurance.
5.They must carry a minimum of $1,000,000 general liability insurance.
6.They must have at least one full time employee who is qualified as an individual inspector.

Operator certification

Crane operators would have to be certified by an accredited agency, with specific details laid down on written examinations and a practical test as well as separate numeracy and literacy tests they must also pass a physical and drug test and would also have to be fully re-certified every five years. The need for a repeat practical test will be waived as long as 1,000 hours of operation are logged during the period.

Trainee operators would have to be "under the direct supervision of an operator possessing a valid certificate of competency." This is spelt out as being within sight and earshot of the certified operator.

Signallers would also face tests to assure their understanding of crane operations and standard hand and voice signals according to industry standards.

Communication between cranes

Two or more cranes falling within reach of each other would have to be linked via radio communication

These new rules could still be subject to further amendments before they go before the county commission in March. If approved, it will come into effect 10 days later unless vetoed by County Mayor Carlos Alvarez.

The qualifications and certification standards would take effect either on June 30th 2008 or January 1, 2009.

The Crane and Heavy Equipment Advisory Committee is made up of the following individuals:

-Gary Hellman- Attorney, Goldman & Hellman
-Richard M. Horton- president, Green Construction Company
-Eric Kennedy- vice president, Associated Builders & Contractors
-Richard Kipp, Jr- vice president, Kipp Crane Service.
-John Murphy- safety director, Suffolk Construction Company
-Jim Robertson- managing partner, General Crane USA
-Rodney Sanders- operating engineer, Maxim Crane Works
-John C. Siegle- executive vice president, Construction Association of South Florida
-Jesus “Al” Soto- safety/risk director, SIMS Crane & Equipment
-Gregory Teslia- president, Crane Safety & Inspection.
-Gary Waters- business manager, International Union of Operating Engineers
-David Wessin- director of safety, Cummings General Contractors
-Brian Silbernagel and Michael J. Quinn of Morrow Crane Company