1926.1402: Ground Conditions for Cranes
Cranes must not be assembled or used unless the ground is firm, drained and graded enough that, with supporting materials if needed, the manufacturer's support and level specifications are met; draining does not apply in marshes or wetlands. The controlling entity must provide the needed ground preparation and tell the equipment user and operator about known hazards beneath the setup area, such as voids, tanks and utilities.
Key takeaways
- 1926.1402 is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart CC).
- OSHA cited it 10 times in the last 3 years, in 10 inspections, with $85,594 in current penalties.
- Most citations: FL (3), TX (2), NY (2).
- Most-cited part: 1926.1402(b) (9 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.1402, "Ground conditions", is an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart CC). It has 10 numbered 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
Show the full text of 1926.1402 (10 paragraphs)
(a) Definitions.
(1) “Ground conditions” means the ability of the ground to support the equipment (including slope, compaction, and firmness).
(2) “Supporting materials” means blocking, mats, cribbing, marsh buggies (in marshes/wetlands), or similar supporting materials or devices.
(b) The equipment must not be assembled or used unless ground conditions are firm, drained, and graded to a sufficient extent so that, in conjunction (if necessary) with the use of supporting materials, the equipment manufacturer's specifications for adequate support and degree of level of the equipment are met. The requirement for the ground to be drained does not apply to marshes/wetlands. Open (b) 9 citations
(c) The controlling entity must: Open (c) 1 citations
(1) Ensure that ground preparations necessary to meet the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section are provided. 1 citations
(2) Inform the user of the equipment and the operator of the location of hazards beneath the equipment set-up area (such as voids, tanks, utilities) if those hazards are identified in documents (such as site drawings, as-built drawings, and soil analyses) that are in the possession of the controlling entity (whether at the site or off-site) or the hazards are otherwise known to that controlling entity. Open (c)(2)
(d) If there is no controlling entity for the project, the requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section must be met by the employer that has authority at the site to make or arrange for ground preparations needed to meet paragraph (b) of this section.
(e) If the A/D director or the operator determines that ground conditions do not meet the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section, that person's employer must have a discussion with the controlling entity regarding the ground preparations that are needed so that, with the use of suitable supporting materials/devices (if necessary), the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section can be met. Open (e)
(f) This section does not apply to cranes designed for use on railroad tracks when used on railroad tracks that are part of the general railroad system of transportation that is regulated pursuant to the Federal Railroad Administration under 49 CFR part 213 and that comply with applicable Federal Railroad Administration requirements.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15.
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 4 |
Top states: FL (3), TX (2), NY (2), SC (1), MT (1)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| SARENS NUCLEAR AND INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, LLC | MIAMI, FL | $16,131 |
| U.S. CRANE & RIGGING, LLC | MONROE, NY | $14,895 |
| NEW YORK HOIST, LLC. | MONROE, NY | $14,895 |
| BLATTNER ENERGY INC. | MILES CITY, MT | $12,098 |
| ADCOCK CRANES INC | ORLANDO, FL | $12,000 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1926.1402, plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Clarification on cranes standard regarding railroad equipment controlling entity's duty to disclose known ground-condition hazards and about the process of communicating the location of subterranean hazards to operators. (2014-11-14)
- Clarification of the term controlling entity and responsibility for ground conditions for safe crane operations (2012-10-01)
Most-cited parts of this rule
- 1926.1402(b) 9 citations
- 1926.1402(c) 1 citations
- 1926.1402(c)(2)
- 1926.1402(e)
Get your crew competent
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Frequently asked questions
What ground conditions are needed before setting up a crane?
Ground must be firm, drained and graded enough that, with supporting materials if needed, the manufacturer's specifications for support and level are met.
Who is responsible for ground preparation?
The controlling entity, or if there is none, the employer with authority at the site to make or arrange ground preparations.
Must the operator be told about underground hazards?
Yes. The controlling entity must inform the user and operator of hazards such as voids, tanks and utilities identified in its documents or otherwise known to it.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.1402 (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 2026-10-19
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.