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A crane is designed to lift and lower a load and move it horizontally. Overhead and gantry cranes have a horizontal bridge across which a trolley and hoist travel. Materials being moved by overhead cranes are attached to a hoisting mechanism on the trolley. These cranes are useful in general machine shops, fabricating assemblies, printing operations, and warehousing. They can be purchased “as is” or custom-built by the manufacturer.
The OSHA rule applies to overhead and gantry cranes, including semi-gantry, cantilever gantry, wall cranes, storage bridge cranes, and others having the same fundamental characteristics. These cranes are grouped because they all have trolleys and similar travel characteristics. The rule covers the safe operation of overhead and gantry type cranes by setting down manufacturer’s design criteria, as well as the safe procedures employers must follow pertaining to crane and rope inspections, equipment maintenance, load handling, and operator training.
Case 1: A warehouse employee was unloading coils from a truck using an overhead crane and was injured when his finger was crushed between the rigging coil tongs and the coils that were being picked up by the rigging.
Case 2: An employee was using a hoist and two hooks to lift an axle onto a stand when the axle shifted and contacted the employee’s right little finger, partially amputating it.
Case 3: A warehouse employee was attempting to move a piece of carbon steel with a crane when the steel fell off the crane hook and landed on his left hand, resulting in a pinky fingertip amputation.
Case 4: A warehousing employee was operating an overhead crane to lift a forklift battery for cleaning when his left middle finger was caught in the crane clamp, resulting in a left middle fingertip amputation.
In general, the standard requires covered employers to: