1910.180(g): Crane Rope Inspection
All ropes in use on crawler, locomotive and truck cranes must get a thorough inspection at least once a month by an appointed or authorized person, with a certification record of the date, inspector's signature and rope identifier kept on file. Deterioration must be judged for safety, watching for reduced diameter, broken or worn wires, and damaged end connections or kinking. Rope idle a month or more must be thoroughly inspected before use.
Key takeaways
- 1910.180(g) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart N).
- OSHA cited it 6 times in the last 3 years, in 6 inspections, with $13,215 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Related part: 1910.180(g)(1) Running ropes (6 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.180(g) ("Rope inspection") is one requirement inside 1910.180 Crawler locomotive and truck cranes, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart N). It includes 11 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(g) Rope inspection — 6 citations
(1) Running ropes. A thorough inspection of all ropes in use shall be made at least once a month and a certification record which includes the date of inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection and an identifier for the ropes shall be prepared and kept on file where readily available. All inspections shall be performed by an appointed or authorized person. Any deterioration, resulting in appreciable loss of original strength shall be carefully observed and detemination made as to whether further use of the rope would constitute a safety hazard. Some of the conditions that could result in an appreciable loss of strength are the following: Open (g)(1) 6 citations
(i) Reduction of rope diameter below nominal diameter due to loss of core support, internal or external corrosion, or wear of outside wires.
(ii) A number of broken outside wires and the degree of distribution of concentration of such broken wires.
(iii) Worn outside wires.
(iv) Corroded or broken wires at end connections.
(v) Corroded, cracked, bent, worn, or improperly applied end connections.
(vi) Severe kinking, crushing, cutting, or unstranding.
(2) Other ropes.
(i) Heavy wear and/or broken wires may occur in sections in contact with equalizer sheaves or other sheaves where rope travel is limited, or with saddles. Particular care shall be taken to inspect ropes at these locations.
(ii) All rope which has been idle for a period of a month or more due to shutdown or storage of a crane on which it is installed shall be given a thorough inspection before it is used. This inspection shall be for all types of deterioration and shall be performed by an appointed or authorized person whose approval shall be required for further use of the rope. A certification record which includes the date of inspection, the signature of the person who performed the inspection, and an identifier for the rope which was inspected shall be prepared and kept readily available.
(iii) Particular care shall be taken in the inspection of nonrotating rope.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.180.
Export the list: 6 inspections cited 1910.180(g) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moInjuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.180(g).
At 11:15 a.m. on March 25, 2024, an employee was rigging trees/brush with a sling. The crane cable contacted the overhead power line while the employee's hand was on the crane hook. The employee was killed via electrocution.
Where and how often it was cited
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OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.180(g).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.180(g)(1) Running ropes 6 citations
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Frequently asked questions
How often must crane ropes be inspected?
A thorough inspection of all ropes in use at least once a month.
What must the inspection record show?
The date of inspection, the signature of the inspector, and an identifier for the ropes.
What about rope that has been idle?
Rope idle for a month or more must get a thorough inspection before use, by an appointed or authorized person whose approval is required.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.180 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-11-06
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.