1926.1434: Crane Modifications
Modifications or additions that affect the capacity or safe operation of equipment are prohibited unless conditions in the rule are met, such as written manufacturer approval with updated load charts and manuals and no reduced safety factor. If the manufacturer refuses, is unavailable or does not respond in the stated time, a registered professional engineer who is a qualified person may approve under listed conditions.
Key takeaways
- 1926.1434 is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart CC).
- OSHA cited it 3 times in the last 3 years, in 3 inspections, with $13,571 in current penalties.
- Most-cited part: 1926.1434(a) (3 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.1434, "Equipment modifications", is an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart CC). It has 15 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 1926.1434 (15 paragraphs)
(a) Modifications or additions which affect the capacity or safe operation of the equipment are prohibited except where the requirements of paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(4), or (a)(5) of this section are met. Open (a) 3 citations
(1) Manufacturer review and approval. 1 citations
(i) The manufacturer approves the modifications/additions in writing.
(ii) The load charts, procedures, instruction manuals and instruction plates/tags/decals are modified as necessary to accord with the modification/addition.
(iii) The original safety factor of the equipment is not reduced.
(2) Manufacturer refusal to review request. The manufacturer is provided a detailed description of the proposed modification/addition, is asked to approve the modification/addition, but it declines to review the technical merits of the proposal or fails, within 30 days, to acknowledge the request or initiate the review, and all of the following are met:
(i) A registered professional engineer who is a qualified person with respect to the equipment involved:
(A) Approves the modification/addition and specifies the equipment configurations to which that approval applies, and
(B) Modifies load charts, procedures, instruction manuals and instruction plates/tags/decals as necessary to accord with the modification/addition.
(ii) The original safety factor of the equipment is not reduced.
(3) Unavailable manufacturer. The manufacturer is unavailable and the requirements of paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section are met. Open (a)(3)
(4) Manufacturer does not complete the review within 120 days of the request. The manufacturer is provided a detailed description of the proposed modification/addition, is asked to approve the modification/addition, agrees to review the technical merits of the proposal, but fails to complete the review of the proposal within 120 days of the date it was provided the detailed description of the proposed modification/addition, and the requirements of paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section are met.
(5) Multiple manufacturers of equipment designed for use on marine work sites. The equipment is designed for marine work sites, contains major structural components from more than one manufacturer, and the requirements of paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section are met.
(b) Modifications or additions which affect the capacity or safe operation of the equipment are prohibited where the manufacturer, after a review of the technical safety merits of the proposed modification/addition, rejects the proposal and explains the reasons for the rejection in a written response. If the manufacturer rejects the proposal but does not explain the reasons for the rejection in writing, the employer may treat this as a manufacturer refusal to review the request under paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(c) The provisions in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section do not apply to modifications made or approved by the U.S. military.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15.
Where and how often it was cited
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Most-cited parts of this rule
- 1926.1434(a) 3 citations
- 1926.1434(a)(3) Unavailable manufacturer
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Frequently asked questions
Can a crane be modified?
Only when the requirements in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(5) are met.
What does manufacturer approval require?
Written approval, updated load charts, procedures, manuals and plates, and no reduction of the original safety factor.
What if the manufacturer does not respond?
If it fails within 30 days to acknowledge or start the review, a registered professional engineer who is a qualified person may approve under the listed conditions.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.1434 (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.