The UW Crane, Hoist, and Rigging Safety Program establishes the key requirements to ensure the safety of personnel and prevent personal injury or illness that could result during the use of overhead cranes and hoists and the rigging of loads.
Safety requirements
The most common causes of failures with the operations of overhead cranes and hoists are related to overloading and improper rigging. Serious injuries including fatalities and property damage are a potential consequence if loads or lifting equipment falls to the ground.
University units and departments using overhead cranes and hoists are required to do the following:
1. INSPECTION
The equipment is required to be inspected according to the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program Manual.
- Use the Overhead Cranes and Hoists Inspection Checklist prior to each use and document monthly frequent and annual periodic inspections.
- Use the Rigging Equipment Inspection Checklist prior to each use and annually.
2. MAINTENANCE
Ensure the equipment is maintained properly according to the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program Manual and the manufacturer’s recommendations.
3. TRAINING
Operators are required to be trained on the safe operation of cranes and hoists, and safe rigging of loads.
- Operators are required to complete the Overhead and Gantry Crane Safety-Online and Rigging Safety-Online training courses, review the equipment manuals and checklists, and receive training on the specific equipment.
- Refer to the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program Manual for more information.
4. SAFE PROCEDURES
Ensure safe operating procedures are followed.
- Refer to the Rigging section and Crane and Hoist Safe Operating Procedures in the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program Manual.
- When a critical lift is identified, the crane operator is required to complete the Crane/Hoist and Rigging Critical Lift Plan.
Inspections, maintenance and testing
Units are responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and testing the cranes, hoist and rigging equipment. Cranes and hoists that are part of the building infrastructure and maintenance program are the responsibility of facility management.
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Monthly (frequent) inspections of cranes and hoists are required to be completed by authorized crane/hoist operators. These inspections are required to be documented.
Annual (periodic) inspections are required for cranes and hoists, conducted by a qualified person or company (third-party), and documented.
Use of the Overhead Cranes/Hoists Inspection Checklist is required prior to each use and to document frequent and periodic inspections.
New and reinstalled cranes/hoists require initial operational and load testing. Extensively repaired, and altered cranes and monorails are required to be load tested. Tests may be limited to the functions affected by the alteration, repair, or modification, as determined by a qualified person.
Monthly (frequent) inspections of rigging equipment are required to be completed by authorized crane/hoist operators.
Annual rigging inspections are required to be documented.
Use of the Rigging Equipment Inspection Checklist is required prior to each use and to document annual inspections.
The companies below are approved UW vendors for cranes, hoists and rigging services:
Units are required to keep all documented inspection, maintenance, and testing records.
Roles and responsibilities
- Identified by the department/unit/organization to be a crane operator.
- Trained and evaluated as competent to operate cranes, hoists, and rigging equipment in a safe manner.
- Performs pre-use inspections.
- Documents monthly inspections.
- Reports all maintenance/repair issues to their supervisor and removes defective equipment and tags out of service.
- Reports all incidents to their supervisor immediately.
- Provide necessary resources to implement, maintain, and document a department-specific crane, hoist, and rigging safety procedures.
- Ensure purchased, acquired, or built equipment is compliant with the requirements of the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program Manual.
- Identify a designated person to oversee the crane, hoist, and rigging program within their department/unit/organization. Refer to the Supplemental Program Template to describe how the department specific crane/hoist program is implemented.
- Provide training to the designated person by a person/company qualified to train assigned crane/hoist operators.
- Ensure crane and hoist operators are trained by a competent person on proper use and operation of cranes and hoist and safe rigging practices.
- Ensure contractors adhere to crane, hoist, and rigging safety requirements.
- Report incidents to EH&S within 24 hours via the UW Online Accident Reporting System (OARS). Some incidents require immediate notification.
- Develop, coordinate, and maintain the UW Crane, Hoist, and Rigging Safety Program in accordance with WAC 296-24 Part D.
- Assign a UW Crane, Hoist, and Rigging Safety Program Administrator to maintain the overall program.
- Provide consultation and assistance to departments to comply with the requirements of this program.
- Inspect cranes, hoists, and rigging equipment during the periodic shop or area inspections.
- Perform an annual review of the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program for accuracy and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and current industry best practices.
- Audit a representative sample of department/unit/ organization procedures to ensure compliance in accordance with the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program Manual.
- Develops and maintains the unit/department crane, hoist, and rigging program.
- Trained by a qualified person on the operation, maintenance and inspection of cranes, hoists, and rigging equipment.
- Trained by a qualified person to train crane operators and is designated by their management to provide crane training to the crane operators on unit/department specific equipment.
- Evaluates and verifies the proficiency and skills of the crane operators.
- Revokes crane operator authorization, if required.
- Conducts an annual self-audit of the department/unit/organization Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program.
Incident reporting
UW personnel are required to submit an incident report to Environmental Health & Safety for any work-related event that results in an injury, illness, exposure to hazardous materials, or fire, regardless of the work location.
UW personnel are highly encouraged to submit work-related near-miss events. Visit the Incident Reporting page for more information.
More information
The requirements of the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program meet the requirements of Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Section 296-24-235 Overhead and gantry cranes, Section 296-24-237 Construction, operation, and maintenance—Chain and electric hoists, Section 296-24-238 Air Hoists, and Section 296-24-294 Rigging.
This program applies to all University personnel, researchers, and students who are designated to operate cranes, hoists, and rigging equipment for the purpose of work or research at all University owned and operated locations, including field locations.
There are many types of cranes and hoists used for materials handling in research, academics, and facilities. The scope of the UW program covers the following overhead cranes and hoists; bridge, gantry and jib cranes, and hoists on monorails or single anchors. This program applies to overhead and gantry cranes, hoists, and rigging requirements for material handling operations.
Information is added to this section following notifications from manufacturers.
Frequently asked questions
Contractors must comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Refer to the Contractors section of the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program Manual.
Yes, per the UW crane, Hoist, and Rigging Manual, Crane bridges and hoist monorails must be labeled on both sides with the maximum load capacity. If the crane has more than one hoisting unit, each hoist must have its rated load marked on the hoist or its load block so that the rated load marking must be legible from the ground or floor. The combined load on all hoists on the crane must not exceed the rated load of the crane.
No, winches are not the same as hoists and should not be used interchangeably. Winches are designed for pulling an object horizontally. Winches are designed with a lower safety factor than hoists. Unless a winch has been designed for vertical lifting and a safety factor of 5:1, winches should not be used for vertical lifting.
All crane/hoist operators must take the following training as outlined in the Training section of the UW Crane, Hoist and Rigging Manual.