Does OSHA mandate crane safety training for crane operators?
Yes. Current regulations, as noted in 1926.1427(a)(4), state that: "Employers must pay for certification or qualification of their currently uncertified or unqualified operators". Employees—including crane operators, signalpersons, and riggers—must be qualified by an approved organization (like the NCCCO) or an audited employer program. Certification/qualification for crane operators can take the form of: (1) 5-year certification from an accredited testing organization; (2) 5-year qualification from an audited employer program; (3) U.S. military license (subject to state/local regulations); or, (4) state/local license (valid only in the respective jurisdiction, valid for no more than 5 years). Crane operators who are not thus qualified are considered "crane operators in training".
How often should refresher training be done for cherry pickers?
There is no official regulation as to how often cherry pickers should be retrained. It does depend on the work environment. In construction, for instance, refresher training typically occurs every 3 years. In a "high reliability" work environment (i.e. petro-chemical plants), refresher training occurs strictly once a year. After an accident at a construction site belonging to Vos Electric (originally issued a serious citation and a $4,900 fine which was retracted after an informal settlement with OSHA inspectors who concluded that "the fatality occurred despite of training and not because of a lack of training"), OSHA is considering requiring 30-hour refreshers in the industry.
Can employees walk under a suspended load?
Employees can be in the "fall zone" only under specific circumstances. OSHA expressly states that no employee should be within the fall zone while the operator is not moving a suspended load. In the case that an operator is moving a suspended load, an employee may be in the vicinity if he or she is: (1) engaged in hooking, unhooking, or guiding the load; (2) engaged in the initial attachment of the load to a structure; or (3) operating a concrete hopper/bucket. If employees are in the fall zone while engaged in the above activities, then: (1) the hoisted object must be rigged by a qualified rigger to prevent accidental dislodgment; and (2) hooks with self-closing latches (or their equivalent) must be used to prevent the material from slipping out of the hook. Employees receiving a load are permitted within the fall zone (but not directly under the load) during a tilt-up or tilt-down operation if they are: (1) physically guiding the load; (2) closely monitoring/instructing regarding the load’s movement; or (3) connecting, installing, attaching, or detaching the load from another structure or component.
DVD cost effectively trains and retrains an unlimited amount of employees.
No trainer required, just pop in and play.
Video content keeps trainees engaged.
Very convenient, multiple employees don’t need to be pulled off the floor at once for a training session.
Includes both video content and an interactive quiz element to keep workers engaged.
More engaging than traditional training formats.
Can be customized to fit a companies specific work environment and equipment.
The only training option that can cover the "hands on" and "evaluation" portions of the training in addition to the "classroom" portion of the training.
CONS
Can be difficult to pull multiple workers off the floor at once to watch the video.
The DVD can get lost or scratched.
DVD can only train workers at a single location.
Due to the per person pricing format, it’s expensive for large companies that need to train hundreds or thousands of employees.
By far the most expensive training medium.
Administering refresher training as well as initial training for new employees can be a logistical nightmare.
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