Jib-crane lifting of personnel

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

January 11, 1985

Mr. Carlos A. Alvarado
Chief, Engineering and Planning Section
Locks Division
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Alvarado:

This letter will confirm the telephone conversation between Mr. Bigham of my staff and Mr. Shields of your staff on January 3, 1985. You had requested a telephone response for clarification of OSHA Instruction STD 11-11.2B as it pertains to the lifting of personnel with a jib crane during your planned maintenance of canal locks which is scheduled to begin on January 18, 1985.

STD 1-11.2B, Work Platforms Suspended from Latice or Hydraulic Crane Booms, is applicable to crawler, locomotive and truck cranes and would not apply to jib cranes such as the one you described in your letter, your engineering drawings and your photos. However, since the lifting of personnel on work platforms is by its very nature inherently hazardous, job cranes utilized in systems to lift personnel must undergo job analysis for the protection of employees. This you appear to have done in your specifications for the manufacture, installation and operation of jib cranes and platforms which you intend to use.

The system you described appears to have a safety factor of 5. Properly installed, tested and monitored, it should meet OSHA requirements for your unique work situation and should result in the least hazardous exposure of employees.

Your interest in OSHA and your active effort in planning for the safety of employees is appreciated.

Sincerely,
John B. Miles, Jr., Director
Directorate of Field Operations