Overhead and Gantry Crane Safety (General Industry)
For operators of overhead and gantry cranes, including pendant-operated bridge cranes: designated operators, rated load markings, frequent and periodic inspections, rope inspection, maintenance lockout, handling the load safely and the shift limit switch check.
Based on OSHA 29 CFR 1910.179 · about 4 min read
Need proof of training? The full course (30 min) adds practice questions, a job scenario, the final quiz and a certificate your employer can verify.
New and altered cranes are inspected before initial use.
Frequent inspections include, among others: operating mechanisms for maladjustment (daily); air or hydraulic system leaks (daily); hooks for deformation or cracks (visual daily, monthly with a signed certification record); and hoist chains for wear, twist, distortion or stretch (visual daily, monthly with a certification record).
Periodic inspections add checks such as deformed, cracked or corroded members; loose bolts or rivets; cracked or worn sheaves and drums; worn pins, bearings and gears; brake wear; and indicator accuracy.
A crane idle 1 month or more but less than 6 months gets a frequent-type inspection (plus rope inspection) before use; idle over 6 months, a complete inspection. Standby cranes are inspected at least semi-annually.
All running ropes get a thorough inspection at least once a month, with a certification record (date, inspector's signature and rope identifier). Conditions that can mean appreciable loss of strength include reduced diameter, broken outside wires, worn outside wires, corroded or broken wires at end connections, damaged end connections, and severe kinking, crushing, cutting or unstranding.
Rope idle for a month or more is thoroughly inspected by an appointed person before it is used.
A preventive maintenance program based on the manufacturer's recommendations is established. Before adjustments and repairs:
Run the crane to where it will cause the least interference.
Put all controllers in the off position.
Open and lock the main or emergency switch in the open position.
Place warning or out of order signs on the crane, and on the floor beneath or on the hook where visible from the floor.
Where other cranes run on the same runway, use rail stops or other means to prevent interference.
Unsafe conditions found in inspection are corrected before operation resumes, by designated personnel only. After repairs, the crane is not operated until guards are reinstalled, safety devices reactivated and maintenance equipment removed.
Do not load the crane beyond its rated load (except for test purposes as provided in paragraph (k)).
The hoist chain or rope must be free of kinks or twists and not wrapped around the load. Attach the load with slings or other approved devices, and make sure slings clear obstacles.
Secure and balance the load before lifting it more than a few inches. Bring the hook over the load to prevent swinging.
Avoid sudden acceleration or deceleration, and keep the load clear of obstructions.
No side pulls unless specifically authorized by a responsible person who has determined that the stability of the crane is not thereby endangered and that various parts of the crane will not be overstressed.
No hoisting, lowering or traveling while anyone is on the load or hook.
Test the brakes each time a load approaching the rated load is handled, by raising it a few inches and applying the brakes.
Keep at least two full wraps of rope on the hoisting drum.
Do not leave the controls while the load is suspended.
Sound the warning signal when starting the bridge and when the load or hook approaches near or over personnel.
For a lift with two or more cranes, one qualified responsible person is in charge.
At the start of each shift, try out the upper limit switch of each hoist under no load, inching the block into the limit or running it in at slow speed. If it does not work properly, notify the appointed person immediately.
The upper limit switch must never be used as an operating control.
Fact-checked against the regulation text on October 09, 2026. This certificate records completion of awareness training based on OSHA 29 CFR 1910.179(b)(1), (b)(5), (b)(8), (g)(1)(v), (g)(3)(vii), (i), (j), (l), (m) and (n). It is not an OSHA card or license, and it does not designate anyone to operate a crane. Section 1910.179 has no general operator training requirement. Instead, your employer must permit only designated personnel to operate a crane covered by the section (1910.179(b)(8)), meaning people selected or assigned by the employer or the employer's representative as being qualified to perform specific duties (1910.179(a)(35)), and must insure that operators are familiar with the operation and care of fire extinguishers provided (1910.179(o)(3)). When two or more cranes lift one load, one qualified responsible person must instruct all personnel involved in the proper positioning, rigging of the load, and the movements to be made (1910.179(n)(3)(ix)).
This guide explains the rule in plain words. Always read the regulation itself and your employer's site-specific procedures.