2016

CRANE TECHNICAL
WORKING GROUP
REPORT
5.0 NATIONAL ANDINTERNATIONAL CRANEREGULATIONS. .............................................40
5.1 Crane regulations across the United States..............................................40
5.2 Model standards for cranes.......................................................................41
5.3 International crane regulations.................................................................42
5.4 United States Navy crane regulations.......................................................43

6.0 TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRIES...............................................................................47

7.0 RECOMMENDATIONS..............................................................................................48
The Technical Working Group?s 23 recom m endat ions include t he following provisions:
- That cranes be equipped wit h anem om et ers, dat a-logging devices (?black
boxes?), and GPS t racking so t hat cranes can be m ore closely m onit ored;

- Addit ional indust ry oversight ? bot h periodically and prior t o use each day,
sim ilar t o how airplanes are readied for flight ; and

- That t he Depart m ent of Buildings ret urn t o it s previous pract ice of issuing
advisories, rat her t han cease-operat ions orders, except in ext rem e weat her
event s, since:
- Forecast s are not sit e specific, and crane operat ors should not wait for
DOB guidance before t aking act ion;

- Cranes rat ed for lower wind speeds have already been prohibit ed from
Cit y st reet s; and

- The recom m endat ions in t his report great ly enhance DOB?s abilit y t o
m onit or com pliance wit h regulat ions.

When enact ed, t hese recom m endat ions will st rengt hen t he cit y?s already robust
regulat ory fram ework by applying em erging best pract ices wit h t echnological t ools,
crane engineering, and design enhancem ent s, ensuring t he operat ion of cranes in
New York Cit y rem ains t he safest in t he world.

Using t he l at est t echnol ogy

New York Cit y crane indust ry operat ions and oversight have always been paper
dependent , creat ing m issed opport unit ies for recording and reviewing crane
act ivit ies. The Depart m ent ?s abilit y t o regulat e t he crane indust ry, and t he
indust ry?s abilit y t o m it igat e hazards, will be im proved by em bracing t he lat est
t echnological innovat ions.

1. Dat a logger s. Data loggers, a technological enhancement that records activity

over time, should be required. Data recorded by the logger must be made
available to the Department at the Department?s discretion. The creation of this
data and its availability to the Department as well as to the crane owner,
operator, and other critical partners in crane operations will provide
transparency and accountability in crane operations. Data to be recorded can
include the crane configuration, radius of the load, status of limit switches, and
operator overrides. A mechanism to record the name and license number of
individual operating the crane should also be provided.

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 6 . A g e l i m i t . Int roduct ory Num ber 443 of 2014 is current ly pending before t he
New York Cit y Council. It is recom m ended t hat t his bill be advanced by t he
Cit y Council. This bill, if adopt ed, will im pose an age lim it on cranes
operat ing in New York Cit y. The phasing out of older cranes will facilit at e t he
ut ilizat ion of cranes wit h newer t echnology and safet y feat ures.

7 . Se l f -e r e ct i n g t o w e r cr a n e s. Self-erect ing t ower cranes represent a new

t ype of t echnology, which are increasingly ut ilized in Europe t o const ruct and
service low t o m id-rise buildings. Despit e t he sim ilar nam e, self-erect ing
t ower cranes are not assem bled or operat ed like a t radit ional high-rise t ower
crane. Self-erect ing t ower cranes are driven t o t he jobsit e and can be set up
in under an hour by unfolding in a cont rolled sequence. They provide good
reach and lift ing capacit y while having a sm all foot print , m aking t hem suit ed
t o operat ing wit hin t ight spaces. The Depart m ent ?s current crane
regulat ions do not address self-erect ing t ower cranes. It is recom m ended
t hat t he Depart m ent develop a regulat ory and licensing syst em specific t o
self-erect ing t ower cranes. This will enable indust ry t o ut ilize t he flexibilit y
and efficiencies offered by self-erect ing t ower cranes while ensuring safe
operat ion.

Adopt ing model st andar ds

The Am erican Societ y of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a nonprofit professional
associat ion of m echanical engineers, publishes a fam ily of m odel st andards (t he
B30 st andards) relat ing t o cranes and rigging. These st andards are collaborat ively
developed and periodically updat ed by volunt eer com m it t ees of crane expert s
operat ing under procedures developed by ASME and accredit ed by t he Am erican
Nat ional St andards Inst it ut e (ANSI).

8 . M o d e l st a n d a r d s f o r cr a n e s a n d r i g g i n g . It is recom m ended t hat t he

Depart m ent adopt relevant ASME st andards for cranes and rigging. This will
incorporat e t he lat est t hinking of t he nat ion?s t op crane expert s direct ly int o
t he cit y?s regulat ions. Appropriat e m odificat ions should be m ade t o account
for t he cit y?s charact erist ics.

Gr eat er indust r y account abil it y

The Depart m ent ?s Cranes and Derricks Unit has t hree prim ary roles ? issuing
perm it s, deem ing cranes fit t o operat e, and perform ing inspect ions t o verify
com pliance wit h cit y regulat ions. The Depart m ent should develop a regulat ory
fram ework t o shift t he responsibilit y for cert ain regulat ory act ivit ies t o qualified
and m onit ored privat e ent it ies. Equally, sim ilar t o t he sit e safet y m odel used in
high rise const ruct ion in New York Cit y, t he Depart m ent should creat e privat e
posit ions wit hin t he crane indust ry t o verify com pliance wit h cit y regulat ions at

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 Depart m ent . OSHA has developed t he posit ion of assem bly/disassem bly
supervisor. This regulat ory fram ework should be st udied and incorporat ed in
New York Cit y?s regulat ions. Appropriat e m odificat ions should be m ade t o
account for t he cit y?s charact erist ics.

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3 . Po st a sse m b l y i n sp e ct i o n . It is recom m ended t hat t he Depart m ent
m andat e t hat appropriat e personnel as defined by t he Depart m ent , for
exam ple, t he assem bly/disassem bly supervisor, crane operat or, or
professional engineer, inspect t he crane aft er it has been assem bled t o
verify t hat it has been properly assem bled. A record of such inspect ion m ust
be recorded.

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1 . Li f t d i r e ct o r. It is recom m ended t hat t he Depart m ent m andat e t hat a
specific person is present at t he jobsit e full t im e, charged wit h supervising
t he overall act ivit y of t he crane and m onit oring com pliance wit h cit y crane
regulat ions; t he crane operat or would st ill be responsible for t he safe
operat ion of t he crane, and t he rigger responsible for safe rigging. The
Am erican Societ y of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B30.5 st andard has
developed t he posit ion of lift direct or. The Unit ed St at es Navy ut ilizes a
Rigger-in-Charge. The regulat ory fram ework ut ilized in t hese ot her
jurisdict ions should be st udied and used as a basis for a syst em in New York
Cit y. Appropriat e m odificat ions should be m ade t o account for t he cit y?s
charact erist ics. The dut ies of t he relat ed ASME posit ion of sit e supervisor
and t he current New York Cit y posit ion of crane safet y coordinat or should
also be reviewed t o det erm ine how t hey best fit int o t he fram ework of a lift
direct or.

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1 . Pr e -sh i f t m e e t i n g a n d i n sp e ct i o n . It is recom m ended t hat t he
Depart m ent m andat e t hat t he crane operat or, assem bly/disassem bly
supervisor, lift direct or, rigging supervisor, and ot her personnel, as
appropriat e, m eet prior t o t he st art of each shift and review t he day?s
planned act ivit ies, pedest rian and t raffic cont rols, weat her condit ions and
forecast s, wind speed t hresholds for t he crane configurat ion, sequence t o
secure t he crane if high winds occur, hazards specific t o t he jobsit e or t he
crane configurat ion, and any ot her appropriat e it em s. An inspect ion of t he
crane and rigging hardware m ust also be conduct ed t o verify t hat t hey are in
a safe condit ion and in accordance wit h t he approved plans and perm it s.
Meet ing at t endance, subject s covered, and t he result s of t he inspect ion m ust
be recorded.

1 . M o n i t o r i n g w e a t h e r co n d i t i o n s d u r i n g w o r k . Cit y regulat ions assign

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responsibilit y t o t he crane operat or t o m onit or wind speed and t o st op work

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 zone, or if a plan for m onit oring and securing t he crane is subm it t ed t o t he
cit y and approved by appropriat e cit y agencies. The plan for m onit oring and
securing t he crane m ust be sit e specific, det ail t he safeguards t o be provided
for t he public and adjoining propert y, m onit oring prot ocols and t hresholds for
wind and ot her condit ions, em ergency response procedures, and not ificat ion
requirem ent s t o t he cit y.

2 1 . Fo cu se d ci t y co o r d i n a t i o n . The Com m issioner?s Order of March 15, 2016,

requires cont ract ors t o not ify t he Depart m ent of cert ain crawler crane
act ivit ies, regardless of t he size or locat ion of t he crane. Based on t his
not ificat ion, t he Depart m ent coordinat es wit h t he Office of Em ergency
Managem ent (OEM), which dispat ches Fire Depart m ent resources as
appropriat e. The Depart m ent should rescind t his blanket approach and
inst ead work wit h t he Office of Em ergency Managem ent , t he Depart m ent of
Transport at ion, and t he Fire Depart m ent t o develop t ailored not ificat ion and
response prot ocols focused on cranes t hat m eet cert ain t hresholds
est ablished by t he Depart m ent (e.g. size of t he crane, locat ion in high t raffic
areas, cranes t hat have a low wind speed operat ional lim it , or in ant icipat ion
of a blizzard, t ropical syst em , or sim ilar ext rem e weat her). This will enable
t he cit y t o focus resources on cranes and scenarios t hat will benefit from an
enhanced level of coordinat ion wit h governm ent agencies.

Tr aining and l icensing enhancement s

To operat e a crane in New York Cit y, one m ust possess a Hoist ing Machine
Operat ors license (HMO). The cit y?s current licensing fram ework is a com binat ion
of t wo syst em s graft ed on t op of one anot her. The older syst em , dat ing t o t he
1960s, is divided int o t hree classes ? A, B, and C. Depending on t he class,
operat ors are allowed t o operat e cranes (of any t ype) wit h a cert ain capacit y and
boom lengt h. The newer syst em , im plem ent ed in t he lat e 2000s, incorporat es an
OSHA m andat e for crane operat ors t o be cert ified as t o t he t ype of equipm ent (e.g.
t ower crane vs. crawler crane). The following recom m endat ions are aim ed at
providing m ore specific t raining.

1 . Or i e n t a t i o n f o r cr a n e s w i t h a l o n g b o o m /j i b co n f i g u r a t i o n . Prior t o t he
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operat ion of a crane wit h a long boom /jib com binat ion, it is recom m ended
t hat t he Depart m ent m andat e t hat t he operat or, assem bly/disassem bly
supervisor, and lift direct or com plet e an orient at ion process specific t o t he
crane configurat ion. The orient at ion should be provided by appropriat e
ent it ies, as det erm ined by t he Depart m ent , prior t o t he use of t he crane.
Appropriat e ent it ies could include t he crane owner or crane m anufact urer. A
record of t he orient at ion m ust be kept at t he jobsit e and provided t o t he
Depart m ent upon request .

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1.0 ACCIDENT SUMMARY
On February 5, 2016, a Liebherr LR1300 crawler crane collapsed at 60 Wort h
St reet , Manhat t an (?t he accident ?). The accident killed one m em ber of t he
public and seriously injured anot her. At t he t im e of t he accident , t he crawler
crane was set up t o inst all a new generat or and cooling t ower ont o a building at
60 Hudson St reet , Manhat t an.
The cause of t he accident rem ains under invest igat ion.

2.0 CRANETECHNICAL WORKINGGROUP

On February 24, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Commissioner Rick Chandler
established the Crane Safety Technical Working Group (?working group?). The
working group was charged to ?review and recommend new City policies to
improve crane safety? and ?evaluate the circumstances surrounding the
(accident) and propose additional best practices and regulations to make cranes
operating in New York City the safest in the world.?1 The working group was
tasked to report its findings and recommendations within 90 days.

2.1 Wor king Gr oup M ember ship

The m em bers of t he working group are:
- M a r y C. Bo y ce , Dean of Engineering at The Fu Foundat ion School of
Engineering and Applied Science at Colum bia Universit y

- W ay n e A . Cr e w , General Secret ary of t he Nat ional Academ y of

Const ruct ion

- Bi l l Go l d st e i n , who m ost recent ly served as Senior Advisor t o t he Mayor

for Recovery, Resiliency, and Infrast ruct ure

- Pe t e r J. M a d o n i a , Chief Operat ing Officer of t he Rockefeller Foundat ion

- K a t e p a l l i R. Sr e e n i v a sa n , President of NYU Polyt echnic School of

Engineering and Dean of Engineering at New York University

1 Press release, February 24, 2016. Mayor de Blasio's Buildings Crane Technical Working Group

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We recom m end t hat t he Depart m ent work t hrough it s exist ing crane rule
advisory com m it t ee t o develop specific t ext t o adopt t hese recom m endat ions
via rule or legislat ion. The Depart m ent should supplem ent t his work via t he
issuance of Com m issioners Orders and providing t raining t o t he indust ry, as
necessary.

When enact ed, t hese recom m endat ions will st rengt hen t he cit y?s already robust
regulat ory fram ework by applying em erging best pract ice wit h t echnological
t ools, crane engineering, and design enhancem ent s, ensuring t he operat ion of
cranes in New York Cit y are t he safest in t he world.

3.0 CRANEOVERVIEW
Cranes ut ilized in t he New York Cit y const ruct ion indust ry are broadly divided
int o t wo t ypes ? m obile cranes and t ower cranes. New York Cit y also regulat es
ot her t ypes of hoist ing m achines, including derricks, m at erial hoist s, personnel
hoist s, and pile drivers; t hese are beyond t he scope of t his report . The t ype of
equipm ent ut ilized is a choice m ade by t he cont ract or perform ing t he work
dependent upon job-specific needs.

3.1 M obile cr a nes

Mobile cranes are self-propelled and capable of t ravel. They are divided int o
t hree general cat egories:

Fi g u r e 1 : Tr u ck m o u n t e d cr a n e
A m obile crane in which t he boom is
at t ached t o a com m ercial t ruck
chassis equipped wit h wheels for
t ravel.

Im age: ASME

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Mobile cranes consist of a series of com ponent s; depending on t he m ake and
m odel of crane, t hese com ponent s can be int erchangeable. Major com ponent s
consist of t he:
- Bo o m ? The m ain arm of t he crane.

- Ji b ? A com ponent t hat can be at t ached t o t he end of t he boom ; ext ends

t he height and reach of t he crane.

- Co u n t e r w e i g h t s ? Blocks of st eel or concret e locat ed on t he crane; t he

weight count erbalances t he weight of t he it em being lift ed and prevent s
t he crane from overt urning.

- Bo o m g u y l i n e s ? Cables t hat provide ext ra support t o t he boom .

- H o i st l i n e ? The m ain cable of t he crane; used t o lift and lower a load.

- H o o k ? Locat ed at t he end of t he hoist line; loads are rigged and

at t ached t o t he hook.

- Op e r a t o r ?s ca b ? Where t he operat or sit s; cont ains t he cont rols and

displays for t he crane.

Fi g u r e 4 : M a j o r co m p o n e n t s
o f a m o b i l e cr a n e

Im age: ASME

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cranes arrive in pieces and m ust be assem bled at t he jobsit e, an operat ion which
can t ake a day or m ore. Like t ruck m ount ed cranes, wheel m ount ed cranes can
be driven t o t he jobsit e; however, if t he crane ut ilizes a lat t ice boom or jib, t hese
com ponent s t ypically have t o be inst alled on t he crane at t he jobsit e, which can
t ake several hours.

3.2 Tower cr a nes

Tower cranes are m ount ed on a m ast and fixed in place. They are divided int o
t wo general cat egories:
- Lu f f i n g b o o m ? A tower crane with a boom that can be raised or lowered

- H a m m e r h e a d ? A t ower crane wit h a horizont al boom equipped wit h a

t rolley t hat can t raverse t he boom .

Fi g u r e 6 : Lu f f i n g b o o m t o w e r
cr a n e

Im age: ASME

Fi g u r e 7 : H a m m e r h e a d t o w e r
cr a n e

Im age: ASME

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As t he building under const ruct ion rises, new m ast sect ions can be added t o t he
t ower crane t o increase it s height , a process known as jum ping. A jum p can t ake
up t o a day.

Separat e from t he t radit ional t ypes of t ower cranes described above,

m anufact urers are int roducing a new t echnology ? t he self-erect ing t ower crane.
Despit e t he sim ilar nam e, self-erect ing t ower cranes are not assem bled or
operat ed like a t radit ional high-rise t ower crane. Self-erect ing t ower cranes are
driven t o t he jobsit e and can be set up in a short am ount of t im e by unfolding in
a cont rolled sequence. They provide good reach and lift ing capacit y while
having a sm all foot print , m aking t hem suit ed t o operat ing wit hin t ight spaces.
Unlike t radit ional t ower cranes, current ly available m odels of self-erect ing t ower
cranes are lim it ed in height and cannot be jum ped t o a newer height .
Self-erect ing t ower cranes are not com m on in t he Unit ed St at es, but are
increasingly ut ilized in Europe t o const ruct and service low t o m id-rise buildings.

Fi g u r e 9 : Se l f -e r e ct i n g t o w e r
cr a n e
Im age: ASME

3.3 Cr a ne jobsite use a nd per sonnel

The use of a crane at a jobsit e is broken int o t wo dist inct phases ? t he
assem bly/disassem bly phase, and t he operat ional phase.

3.3.1 Assembly/disassembly phase

When t he crane arrives at t he jobsit e, it m ust be prepared for operat ion. For a
t ower crane or larger m obile crane, crane com ponent s m ust be assem bled
t oget her. For a sm aller m obile crane, no act ual assem bly work has t o occur;

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3.3.2 Operational phase
The operat ional phase covers t he ent ire life cycle of t he crane at t he jobsit e bet ween
t he t im e it has been assem bled and unt il it leaves t he jobsit e. This includes t im es
t he crane is act ively being ut ilized t o lift or lower loads, as well as t im es (t ypically
overnight ) t hat t he crane has been shut down and secured.

Personnel associat ed wit h t he assem bly/disassem bly of a crane include:

- N e w Yo r k St a t e p r o f e ssi o n a l e n g i n e e r ? A New York St at e licensed

professional engineer is required by cit y regulat ions t o subm it plans relat ed t o
t he crane?s assem bly and operat ions at t he jobsit e. The engineer?s design
m ust be subm it t ed t o and approved by t he Depart m ent .

- Si t e su p e r v i so r ? The individual who exercises overall planning and

coordinat ion of crane act ivit y. This individual, however, does not have t o be at
t he jobsit e full t im e. In New York Cit y, t he individual is known as t he Crane
Safety Coordinator.

- Li f t d i r e ct o r ? The individual who oversees crane act ivit y at t he jobsit e. The

posit ion of lift direct or and it s ent ailed dut ies are spelled out in nat ional m odel
st andards. While t he dut ies of t he lift direct or are t oday generally assigned in
New York Cit y t o t he cont ract or ut ilizing t he crane, cit y regulat ions do not
ident ify a specific individual responsible for perform ing t he dut ies.

- Cr a n e o p e r a t o r ? The individual who physically cont rols t he operat ion of t he

crane; t he crane operat or is required t o possess a Hoist ing Machine Operat or
(HMO) license issued by t he cit y.

- Ri g g i n g Su p e r v i so r ? The individual who supervises t he preparat ion and

at t achm ent /det achm ent of loads from t he hook of t he crane. New York Cit y
requires cert ain work t o be overseen by a rigger licensed by t he cit y; for
exam ple, t he hoist ing or lowering of a boiler or t ank. In all ot her cases, cit y
regulat ions require t he rigging supervisor t o have com plet ed a Depart m ent
approved t raining course, or hold a Depart m ent recognized rigging
cert ificat ion.

- Ri g g i n g Cr e w ? Individuals who prepare, at t ach, and det ach loads from t he

hook of t he crane. Where a licensed rigger is required, t hese individuals m ust
be em ployed by t he licensee. In all ot her cases, cit y regulat ions require t he
m em bers of t he rigging crew t o have com plet ed a Depart m ent al approved
t raining course, or hold a Depart m ent recognized rigging cert ificat ion cit y.

- Si g n a l p e r so n s ? Individuals who com m unicat e wit h t he crane operat or and

riggers. They m ust be em ployed by a licensed rigger or possess t he sam e
t raining/cert ificat ion as a m em ber of t he rigging crew r (HMO) license issued by
t he cit y.
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4.0 NEWYORK CITY CRANEREGULATIONS ANDENFORCEMENT SCHEME
This sect ion exam ines New York Cit y?s current crane regulat ions and
enforcem ent schem e. It provides an overview of t opical areas regulat ed by t he
cit y, as well as current st affing and inspect ion levels at t he Depart m ent relat ed
t o crane enforcem ent . It also exam ines ot her cit y agencies t hat play a role in
crane regulat ion.

4.1 Summa r y of New Yor k City cr a ne r egulations

New York Cit y has in place an ext ensive body of crane regulat ions, which are
am ong t he m ost com prehensive in t he world. They cover all phases of a
crane?s lifecycle ? from design and m anufact uring at t he fact ory; t o
m aint enance, repair, and inspect ion in t he crane yard; t o inst allat ion and
operat ion at a const ruct ion sit e.

New York Cit y?s crane regulat ions are largely cont ained in Sect ion 3319 of t he
New York Cit y Building Code (?BC 3319?) and Rule 3319-01 of Tit le 1 of t he
Rules of t he Cit y of New York (?1 RCNY 3319-01?) (form ally Reference St andard
RS 19-2). BC 3319 est ablishes t he general fram ework for crane regulat ion by
t he Depart m ent . 1 RCNY 3319-01 set s fort h t he specific det ails concerning
crane design, perm it t ing, inspect ion, operat ion, m aint enance, and repair.
Relat ed provisions exist in ot her sect ions of law, including Chapt er 4 of Tit le 28
of t he New York Cit y Adm inist rat ive Code and Chapt er 100 of Tit le 1 of t he Rules
of t he Cit y of New York, which est ablish licensing requirem ent s for hoist ing
m achine operat ors (?HMO?) and riggers, and Sect ion 3316 of t he New York Cit y
Building Code, which est ablishes t raining and supervisory requirem ent s for
workers engaged in rigging work. Over t he years, t he Depart m ent has also
published Technical and Policy Procedure Not es, Buildings Bullet ins, and Service
Not ices which int erpret and clarify cit y regulat ions as t hey relat e t o cranes.

New York Cit y?s crane regulat ions cover t he following t opics :

- M a n u f a ct u r e r r e q u i r e m e n t s. Crane m anufact urers are required by

New York Cit y t o m eet cert ain baseline requirem ent s, including holding an
Int ernat ional Organizat ion for St andardizat ion (ISO) 9001 cert ificat ion,
possessing a 24/7 t echnical hot line, and having a m anufact urer
aut horized service cent er, dist ribut or, or aut horized service provider
locat ed wit hin a four hour t ravel window of New York Cit y.

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- A p p r o v a l o f r e p a i r s. St ruct ural repairs m ade t o a crane regist ered wit h
t he Depart m ent m ust be approved by t he Depart m ent . Once a st ruct ural
repair is needed, t he crane cannot operat e in New York Cit y unt il t he
Depart m ent has approved t he repair.

- Jo b si t e sp e ci f i c d e si g n . Before a crane can be ut ilized at a specific

jobsit e, a New York St at e licensed professional engineer m ust develop plans.
These plans indicat e t he proposed locat ion and configurat ion of t he crane,
and dem onst rat e t hat t he crane will be st able and able t o clear all
obst ruct ions. The plans also det ail any support or reinforcem ent required t o
t he ground or t o a building t o support loads im posed by t he crane. Where
t he crane at t aches t o a building or st ruct ure, det ails of t hese connect ions
are also shown on t he plans.

- Jo b si t e sp e ci f i c p e r m i t . Jobsit e specific design plans (see above) m ust be

subm it t ed t o t he Depart m ent for review and approval. Aft er t he plans are
approved, t he crane can be inst alled at t he jobsit e. Upon an inspect ion t hat
t he crane has been inst alled according t o plan (see below), t he Depart m ent
issues a Cert ificat e of On-Sit e Inspect ion (aka ?CN?), which aut horizes t he
crane t o operat e at t he specific jobsit e.

- In sp e ct i o n t o v e r i f y co m p l i a n ce w i t h j o b si t e p e r m i t . The inspect ion t o

verify t he crane has been inst alled according t o plan is conduct ed by a
Depart m ent inspect or; except t hat a m obile crane t hat has a boom of 250
feet or less is inspect ed by t he engineer who developed t he plans.

- Co m p r e h e n si v e i n sp e ct i o n . A Depart m ent inspect or will inspect t he

crane and review repair and m aint enance records t o det erm ine if t he crane
is well m aint ained, properly repaired, and fit t o operat e. For a t ower crane,
t he crane m ust also pass an inspect ion and a review of repair and
m aint enance records conduct ed by a t hird part y licensed New York St at e
professional engineer. In New York Cit y, t he com prehensive inspect ion is
required in order t o regist er t he crane and receive a Cert ificat e of Operat ion
(CD).

- Li ce n si n g o f cr a n e o p e r a t o r s. The Depart m ent licenses crane operat ors

t hrough t he issuance of Hoist ing Machine Operat or (?HMO?) licenses.
Licenses are divided int o t hree classes ? A, B, and C. The class C license
aut horizes t he operat ion of wheel m ount ed cranes and boom t ruck cranes
(subset s of m obile cranes) t hat have a capacit y of 50 t ons or less and a
boom of 200 feet or less. The Class A license aut horizes t he operat ion of
any crane (m obile or t ower) wit h a boom of 200 feet or less. The Class B
license is an unlim it ed license t hat allows t he operat ion of any t ype of
hoist ing m achine. To obt ain a license, an individual m ust obt ain a
prerequisit e num ber of years of experience as a t rainee under t he

28
 - A sse m b l y /d i sa sse m b l y su p e r v i si o n . Cit y regulat ions require a licensed
rigger t o supervise t he erect ion, jum ping, or dism ant ling of a t ower crane.
There is no specific requirem ent relat ed t o t he assem bly or disassem bly of a
m obile crane.

- Jo b si t e cr a n e su p e r v i so r. In inst ances where a licensed rigger is required,

t he licensed rigger, or a forem an designat ed by t he licensee, provides
overall jobsit e supervision of t he crane. In ot her cases, t he cont ract or using
t he crane ident ifies a ?crane safet y coordinat or ? who has a general
supervisory responsibilit y for t he crane, but is not required t o be at t he
jobsit e on a full t im e basis.

4.2 Exemptions fr om New Yor k City cr a ne r egulations

Not all cranes operat ing in New York Cit y are subject t o t he cit y?s regulat ions.

Cranes ut ilized in conjunct ion wit h st at e, bi-st at e, or federal project s are exem pt
as of right , alt hough som e agencies have volunt arily ent ered int o special
agreem ent wit h t he Depart m ent t o follow som e or all of t he cit y?s crane
regulat ions. Cranes ut ilized in fact ories, com m ercial yards, and m arit im e
facilit ies are also exem pt .

Sm aller cranes are also exem pt from som e or all New York Cit y regulat ions. For
exam ple, m obile cranes wit h a capacit y of 3 t ons or less are exem pt from cit y
regulat ions if t he boom is 50 feet or less; if t he boom is bet ween 50 feet and 135
feet in lengt h, t he crane requires a Cert ificat e of Operat ion, but does not require
a Cert ificat e of Approval or a Cert ificat e of On-Sit e Inspect ion. Cranes on
delivery t rucks are exem pt from cit y regulat ions, as are art iculat ing boom cranes
used for delivery purposes, provided t he boom is 135 feet or less in lengt h, and
t he m at erial is not raised m ore t han 100 feet in t he delivery process.

4.3 Enfor cement of city r egulations

The Depart m ent ?s Cranes and Derricks Unit enforces t he cit y?s crane
regulat ions. The Unit is current ly st affed by 24 individuals ? t his includes
supervisors, engineers, inspect ors, and adm inist rat ive personnel. Enforcem ent
m echanism s of t he Cranes and Derricks Unit are divided int o t wo areas ? plan
exam inat ion and inspect ion.

4.3.1 Plan Examination

Plan exam inat ion by t he Depart m ent encom passes t he engineering reviews and

30
4.3.2 Inspection
Inspect ions conduct ed by t he Depart m ent fall int o t wo areas ? signoff inspect ions
required t o operat e a crane (e.g. t he signoffs required t o obt ain a Cert ificat e of
Operat ion (CD) and Cert ificat e of On-Sit e Inspect ion (CN)), and inspect ions t o
verify com pliance wit h cit y regulat ions (e.g. audit s, sweeps, com plaint inspect ions,
and ot her inspect ions). 4

2015 Inspection Numbers

- Cert ificat e of Operat ion/Cert ificat e of On-Sit e Inspect ion
- Annual com prehensive inspect ion: 573
- Unassem bled/assem bled inspect ion at t he jobsit e: 511
- Sweeps: 1319
- Audit inspect ions: 840
- Com plaint inspect ions: 228
- Re-inspect ions: 82
- Ot her: 9

During an inspect ion, an inspect or t ypically checks:

- Com pliance wit h approved plans
- License of operat or
- Conform ance wit h operat ion and rigging regulat ions
- Crane for any signs of wear or dam age

Failing an inspect ion can result in t he issuance of a st op work order or violat ions.
In 2015, t he Cranes and Derricks unit issued:

- 198 st op work orders

- 153 violat ions

4.4 New Yor k City cr a ne a ctivity

Crane act ivit y in New York Cit y is bot h seasonal and cyclical. There are upt icks in
t he spring as t he weat her im proves, and in t he lat e aut um n. The aut um n surge is

4 Separat e from inspect ions perform ed by t he Depart m ent , t he cit y?s crane regulat ions require
crane owners, cont ract ors, and ot her personnel associat ed wit h cranes t o perform inspect ions, and
m aint ain records of t heir inspect ions, which are t o be m ade available t o t he Depart m ent upon
request .

32
While New York Cit y st rives t owards zero crane incident s, t he decreasing t rend of
crane relat ed injuries is encouraging, even given t he recent upt ick in const ruct ion
act ivit y. (See Table 2 and Figure 10) Hist orically, dropped or m ishandled loads,
and ot her errors during crane operat ion (e.g. st riking a building) have been t he
largest cause of crane incident s in New York Cit y. Crane accident s associat ed
wit h t he assem bly and disassem bly of a crane (including t he clim bing or jum ping
of a t ower crane) and t he dropping or m ishandling of a load hist orically have
caused t he highest num ber of injuries/fat alit ies. (See Tables 3 and 4, and Figures
11 and 12).

The dat a reflect ed in t he following t ables and figures covers t he years 2006
t hrough 2015.

Table 2: New Ta b l e 2 : N e w Yo r k Ci t y cr a n e i n ci d e n t s
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

In ci d e n t 14 19 27 18 21 9 15 15 10 16

A cci d e n t
(incident wit h an 4 7 7 2 6 0 4 6 4 4
injury or fat alit y)

# In j u r i e s 9 8 29 2 6 0 4 12 5 10

# Fa t a l i t i e s 2 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

34
Ta b l eTa
4 :bIn
l ej u4r:i eIn
s jaunrdi efsa taanl idt i ef a
s tbayl i t i e s b y ca u se ( 2 0 0 6 -2 0 1 5 )

In ju r ies Fa t a l i t i e s

A sse m b l y /d i sa sse m b l y 31 7

Bo o m /j i b co l l a p se 11 2

Co n cr e t e p u m p i n g 1 0

Lo a d d r o p p e d /m i sh a n d l e d 28 2

M a l f u n ct i o n ( m e ch , e l e ct ) 0 0

Op e r a t i o n 3 0

Ot h e r 7 0

Ov e r t u r n e d /t o p p l e d 4 0

W ind 0 0

36
4.7 FDNY a nd OEM
In t he wake of t he February 5 accident , t he cit y began working wit h t he Fire
Depart m ent (FDNY) and Office of Em ergency Managem ent (OEM) as part of it s
crane safet y enforcem ent .

OEM current ly provides weat her forecast s t o t he Depart m ent every t hree hours.
Based on forecast s and Nat ional Weat her Service (NWS) dat a from local report ing
st at ions (JFK, LaGuardia, Newark Airport s, and Cent ral Park), t he Depart m ent has
been issuing cease work orders t o crane cont ract ors when winds are forecast t o
exceed 30m ph or have been m easured at a NWS report ing st at ion as exceeding
30m ph.

Crawler crane cont ract ors are required t o not ify t he Depart m ent whenever t hey
t ake cert ain act ions wit h t heir crane, including assem bling t he crane,
disassem bling t he crane, or lowering t he boom /jib of t he crane. The Depart m ent
forwards t hese not ificat ions t o OEM; if t he crawler crane act ivit y t akes place on or
over a st reet or sidewalk, OEM will dispat ch FDNY t o close t he st reet or sidewalk.

4.8 High Risk Constr uction Over sight (HRCO) study

Bet ween 2008 and 2009, a t eam of independent expert s evaluat ed t he cit y?s
crane regulat ions and New York Cit y const ruct ion indust ry pract ice. The final
report , known as t he High Risk Const ruct ion Oversight (HRCO) st udy, 8 provided 23
crane relat ed recom m endat ions. In t he years since, t he Depart m ent has worked
t o im plem ent t hese recom m endat ions via rulem aking and operat ional changes.
Where a recom m endat ion in t his st udy is relat ed t o a previous HRCO
recom m endat ion, it is not ed in sect ion 7 of t his report .

4.9 Ongoing Depa r tment r ulema king sur r ounding cr a nes

In March 2015, t he Depart m ent launched a m ult i-phase effort t o revise RS 19-2
(now 1 RCNY 3319-01) of t he cit y?s crane regulat ions, wit h an eye t owards
codifying t he HRCO crane recom m endat ions and adopt ing ASME st andards (see
sect ion 5.2). RS 19-2 had last been updat ed in 2006. To assist in t his effort , t he

8The HRCO report can be found online at : ht t p://www1.nyc.gov/asset s/buildings/pdf/hrco_report .pdf

The crane relat ed recom m endat ions are cont ained in Sect ion C. The HRCO st udy also reviewed
high-rise concret e const ruct ion, excavat ions, and hoist s

38
- The Depart m ent m ust be not ified of cert ain crawler crane act ivit ies
- The not ificat ion m ust indicat e if t he act ivit y will occur over, or require
t he closure of, a public st reet or sidewalk
-
- If t he crawler crane boom /jib configurat ion is not rat ed for a wind ?
sust ained or gust ? in excess of 30m ph
- A PE m ust be on sit e while t he crane is being ut ilized
- The PE does not have t o be t he crane applicant of record or
em ployed by t he applicant
-

- The PE needs t o verify crane operat ions cease when t he winds

reach t he t hreshold for t he crane, and also verify t hat t he crane
-
was properly secured
- The crane boom /jib m ust be laid down or jackknifed each night
- In addit ion, if t he crawler crane boom /jib configurat ion is not rat ed for
a wind ? sust ained or gust ? in excess of 20m ph, t he crane can only be
ut ilized wit hin a safet y zone
- The public is not perm it t ed wit hin t he safet y zone;
-

- The dist ance from t he crane t o t he boundary of t he safet y zone

m ust , at a m inim um , be equal t o t he lengt h of t he boom /jib and
any ot her at t achm ent s;
-

- The safet y zone shall be est ablished so as not t o im pact t he

public right -of-way or adjacent propert ies; and The safet y zone
shall be m anaged in such a m anner t hat it can be evacuat ed in
case of em ergencies.

5.0 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CRANE REGULATIONS

This sect ion exam ines nat ional and int ernat ional crane regulat ions t o ident ify
t opical areas t hat are not account ed for in New York Cit y exist ing regulat ions.

5.1 Cr a ne Regulations a cr oss the United States

The Occupat ional Safet y and Healt h Adm inist rat ion (OSHA), a federal agency
t hat is part of t he Unit ed St at es Depart m ent of Labor (DOL), regulat es cranes.
In t he m ajorit y of t he Unit ed St at es, OSHA crane regulat ions (29 CFR Part 1926,
Subpart CC) are enforced by federal OSHA, or by a st at e agency t hat has
ent ered int o an agreem ent wit h OSHA t o enforce OSHA regulat ions wit hin t he
st at e.

40
- B30.1 Jacks, Indust rial Rollers, Air - B30.15 Mobile Hydraulic Cranes
Cast ers, and Hydraulic Gant ries (wit hdrawn 1982 ? requirem ent s
- B30.2 Overhead and Gant ry Cranes found in lat est revision of B30.5)
(Top Running Bridge, Single or - B30.16 Overhead Hoist s
Mult iple Girder, Top Running Trolley (Underhung)
Hoist ) - B30.17 Overhead and Gant ry Cranes
- B30.3 Tower Cranes (Top Running Bridge, Single Girder,
- B30.4 Port al and Pedest al Cranes Underhung Hoist )
- B30.5 Mobile and Locom ot ive Cranes - B30.18 St acker Cranes (Top or Under
- B30.6 Derricks Running Bridge, Mult iple Girder Wit h
- B30.7 Winches Top or Under Running Trolley Hoist )
- B30.8 Float ing Cranes and Float ing - B30.19 Cableways
Derricks - B30.20 Below-t he-Hook Lift ing
- B30.9 Slings Devices
- B30.10 Hooks - B30.21 Lever Hoist s
- B30.11 Monorails and Underhung - B30.22 Art iculat ing Boom Cranes
Cranes - B30.23 Personnel Lift ing Syst em s
- B30.12 Handling Loads Suspended - B30.24 Cont ainer Cranes
From Rot orcraft - B30.25 Scrap and Mat erial Handlers
- B30.13 St orage/Ret rieval (S/R) - B30.26 Rigging Hardware
Machines and Associat ed Equipm ent - B30.27 Mat erial Placem ent Syst em s
- B30.14 Side Boom Tract ors - B30.28 Balance Lift ing Unit s

At present , New York Cit y has adopt ed t hose sect ions t hat relat e t o t he design and
m anufact uring of cranes from ASME B30.3, B30.5, B30.6, B30.22, and B30.29.

5.3 I nter nationa l cr a ne r egulations

Cranes are regulat ed by jurisdict ions around t he world. In general, t hey cover t he
sam e t opics as New York Cit y and Am erican regulat ions; however, int ernat ional
jurisdict ions do also cover areas not considered by New York Cit y or Am erican
regulat ions:

- A g e l i m i t s f o r cr a n e s. Singapore has est ablished an age lim it for cranes;

from 20 t o 30 years, depending on t he t ype of crane. While not set t ing a
hard lim it , Aust ralian st andards require cranes undergo a Cert ificat ion and
Refurbishm ent process once t hey reach t he end of t heir design life. 13

12 OSD/ ENG CIR/ LE 3/02.

13 AS 2550: Cranes, hoists and winches ? Safe use series

42
 assigning anot her rigger or signal person t o provide t he signals; and
conduct ing t he operat ion in a safe m anner. The RIC coordinat es t he act ivit ies
of ot her crane t eam m em bers.

- Su p e r v i si o n o f a sse m b l y /d i sa sse m b l y. The Navy requires t he assem bly

or disassem bly of a crane t o be supervised; as part of t he
assem bly/disassem bly process, t he supervisor is responsible for addressing
specific hazards (e.g. sit e and ground condit ions, weat her condit ions, et c.)
and reviewing assem bly/disassem bly procedures wit h crewm em bers prior t o
t he com m encem ent of work.

Table 5: Com par ison of New Yor k Cit y cr an e r egu lat ion s t o ot h er ju r isdict ion s
Table 5 com pares New York Cit y?s crane regulat ions against t hat of OSHA, ASME,
t he Unit ed St at es Navy, ot her jurisdict ions wit hin t he Unit ed St at es t hat have
developed t heir own com prehensive set of crane regulat ions, and select
int ernat ional jurisdict ions highlight ed in sect ion 5.3. Except where ot herwise not ed
in t he foot not es, t he cat egories in t he t able m irror t hose described in sect ion 4.1.

44
35 The Aust ralian crane indust ry has developed a volunt ary program t hat accredit s crane cert ifiers and
encourages crane owners t o ut ilize a cert ified crane inspect or t o annually inspect and cert ify t heir cranes.
ht t p://cranesafe.com .au/about /cranesafe-assessm ent -program
36 Repairs m ust be report ed t o t he Minist ry of Manpower.
37Navy regulat ions do not speak t o jobsit e design or perm it ; however, t he Navy cont rols t he sit es where it s
cranes are ut ilized, and it is likely an analogous planning and approval process exist s.
38 Does not include DOT perm it s t o close st reet s or sidewalks.
39Connect icut , Hawaii, Massachuset t s, Mont ana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York st at e, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, and West Virginia require crane operat ors t o possess a license issued by t he st at e.
40 Licenses are issued by Aust ralian st at es. See New Sout h Wales (Sydney) as an exam ple:
ht t p://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-regist rat ions/licences/high-risk-work-licences/crane-licences
41 ht t p://www.m om .gov.sg/workplace-safet y-and-healt h/wsh-professionals/crane-operat or
42A requirem ent by t he jurisdict ion t hat requires crane operat ors t o possess a specified level of t raining or
hold an independent cert ificat ion in order t o operat e a crane

46
7.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on our review of t he Depart m ent ?s crane regulat ions and enforcem ent
schem e, nat ional and int ernat ional crane regulat ions, best pract ices from t he
t ransport at ion indust ry, and com m ent s received from t he public and indust ry
st akeholders, t he working group offers 23 recom m endat ions divided int o 4
t opical areas. These recom m endat ions reflect regulat ions or best pract ices t hat
are current ly not account ed for in New York Cit y, as well as enhancem ent s t hat
can be m ade t o t he cit y?s already robust regulat ory fram ework.

We recom m end t hat t he Depart m ent work t hrough it s exist ing crane rule
advisory com m it t ee t o develop specific t ext t o adopt t hese recom m endat ions
via rule or legislat ion. The Depart m ent should supplem ent t his work via t he
issuance of Com m issioners Orders and providing t raining t o t he indust ry, as
necessary.

When enact ed, t hese recom m endat ions will st rengt hen t he cit y?s already robust
regulat ory fram ework by applying em erging best pract ices wit h t echnological
t ools, crane engineering, and design enhancem ent s, ensuring t he operat ion of
cranes in New York Cit y rem ain t he safest in t he world.

Using t he l at est t echnol ogy

New York Cit y crane indust ry operat ions and oversight have always been paper
dependent , creat ing m issed opport unit ies for recording and reviewing crane
act ivit ies. The Depart m ent ?s abilit y t o regulat e t he crane indust ry, and t he
indust ry?s abilit y t o m it igat e hazards, will be im proved by em bracing t he lat est
t echnological innovat ions.

1 . D a t a l o g g e r s. Dat a loggers, a t echnological enhancem ent t hat records

act ivit y over t im e, should be required. Dat a recorded by t he logger m ust
be m ade available t o t he Depart m ent at t he Depart m ent ?s discret ion.
The creat ion of t his dat a and it s availabilit y t o t he Depart m ent as well as
t o t he crane owner, operat or, and ot her crit ical part ners in crane
operat ions will provide t ransparency and account abilit y in crane
operat ions. Dat a t o be recorded can include t he crane configurat ion,
radius of t he load, st at us of lim it swit ches, and operat or overrides. A
m echanism t o record t he nam e and license num ber of individual
operat ing t he crane should also be provided. The Depart m ent should
priorit ize im plem ent at ion of t his recom m endat ion based on available

48
 t ake precedence over Nat ional Weat her Service m easurem ent s. Singapore
and New Zealand current ly require t ower cranes t o be equipped wit h an
anem om et er, and t he Unit ed St at es Navy requires cranes under it s cont rol
t o be equipped wit h an anem om et er.

5 . Pi n p o i n t f o r e ca st i n g . Forecast s are an im port ant planning t ool. Where

t he forecast indicat es winds will exceed t he operat ing t hreshold for t he
crane, t he crane should be secured in advance. Nat ional Weat her Service
forecast s are issued on a regional level; however, wind condit ions can vary
across t he cit y. Em erging t echnology is increasingly able t o m erge regional
forecast s and block by block t opology t o provide jobsit e specific forecast s. It
is recom m ended t hat t he depart m ent m andat e t hat cont ract ors at large
jobsit es, or where ut ilizing a crane wit h a long boom /jib com binat ion, engage
a privat e m et rological service t o provide pinpoint forecast ing.

6 . A g e l i m i t . Int roduct ory Num ber 443 of 2014 is current ly pending before t he
New York Cit y Council. It is recom m ended t hat t his bill be advanced by t he
Cit y Council. This bill, if adopt ed, will im pose an age lim it on cranes
operat ing in New York Cit y. The phasing out of older cranes will facilit at e t he
ut ilizat ion of cranes wit h newer t echnology and safet y feat ures. Singapore
current ly lim it s t he age of cranes. Adopt ion of t his m easure was also
recom m ended by t he HRCO st udy; specifically HRCO recom m endat ion C-14.
Int roduct ory Num ber 443 of 2014 also m andat es t hat cranes be out fit t ed
wit h a load cycle count er; im plem ent at ion of t his m easure will part ially fulfill
recom m endat ion 1.

7 . Se l f -e r e ct i n g t o w e r cr a n e s. Self-erect ing t ower cranes represent a new

t ype of t echnology, which are increasingly ut ilized in Europe t o const ruct
and service low t o m id-rise buildings. Despit e t he sim ilar nam e, self-erect ing
t ower cranes are not assem bled or operat ed like a t radit ional high-rise t ower
crane. Self-erect ing t ower cranes are driven t o t he jobsit e and can be set up
in under an hour by unfolding in a cont rolled sequence. They provide good
reach and lift ing capacit y while having a sm all foot print , m aking t hem suit ed
t o operat ing wit hin t ight spaces. The Depart m ent ?s current crane
regulat ions do not address self-erect ing t ower cranes. It is recom m ended
t hat t he Depart m ent develop a regulat ory and licensing syst em specific t o
self-erect ing t ower cranes. This will enable indust ry t o ut ilize t he flexibilit y
and efficiencies offered by self-erect ing t ower cranes while ensuring safe
operat ion.

-
50
 inspect and signoff cranes as fit t o operat e. Crane cert ifiers are only
aut horized t o inspect t he t ypes of cranes for which t hey have dem onst rat ed
knowledge and experience. The regulat ory fram ework ut ilized in t hese ot her
jurisdict ions should be st udied and used as a pot ent ial basis for a syst em in
New York Cit y. Appropriat e m odificat ions should be m ade t o account for t he
cit y?s charact erist ics. Adopt ion of t his m easure was also recom m ended by
t he HRCO st udy; specifically HRCO recom m endat ion C-3.

10
1 . Ri sk -b a se d p l a n e x a m i n a t i o n . It is recom m ended t hat t he Depart m ent
evaluat e t he plan exam funct ions of t he Depart m ent ?s Cranes and Derricks
unit ut ilizing a risk-based m odel t o ident ify areas of review t o best ut ilize t he
Depart m ent ?s resources. A syst em t o audit applicat ions or spot check
cert ain t opical areas should be developed. This will allow t he Depart m ent t o
m ore efficient ly focus it s engineering resources.

1 1 . A d j u st st a f f i n g m o d e l s t o a d d r e ss cy cl i ca l w o r k a n d n e e d f o r
sp e ci a l i ze d e x p e r t i se . The Depart m ent should explore t he possibilit y of
adjust ing it s st affing m odel in order t o accom m odat e fluct uat ing applicat ion
volum es and t he need for m ore specialized crane expert ise. This could
include an evaluat ion of supplem ent ing plan exam inat ion and inspect ion
act ivit ies wit h out side review. It m ight also include cont ract ing wit h an
out side engineering firm or aut horizing t hird part y ent it ies who m eet crit eria
est ablished by t he Depart m ent . For part icularly specialized or com plex
applicat ions, such a syst em could allow t he Depart m ent t o leverage out side
expert ise. The volum e of crane applicat ions varies over t he course of a year
? wit h spikes in t he spring and lat e aut um n. Adjust ing st affing st ruct ures or
ret aining out side expert ise could enable t he Depart m ent t o m ore efficient ly
process applicat ions during peak t im es.

121 . A sse m b l y /d i sa sse m b l y su p e r v i si o n . It is recom m ended t hat t he

Depart m ent m andat e t hat a specific person be responsible for supervising
t he assem bly or disassem bly of a m obile crane. This will ensure a proper
chain of com m and is in place during t his work. The individual should
possess appropriat e t raining or experience, as det erm ined by t he
Depart m ent . OSHA has developed t he posit ion of assem bly/disassem bly
supervisor. This regulat ory fram ework should be st udied and incorporat ed in
New York Cit y?s regulat ions. Appropriat e m odificat ions should be m ade t o
account for t he cit y?s charact erist ics.
2.
1 3 . Po st a sse m b l y i n sp e ct i o n . It is recom m ended t hat t he Depart m ent
m andat e t hat appropriat e personnel as defined by t he Depart m ent , for
exam ple, t he assem bly/disassem bly supervisor, crane operat or, or
professional engineer, inspect t he crane aft er it has been assem bled t o

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1 17 . D e p a r t m e n t i ssu e d a d v i so r i e s i n a d v a n ce o f i n cl e m e n t w e a t h e r.
Cont ract ors should m onit or weat her condit ions at t heir jobsit e (see
recom m endat ion # 16). The Depart m ent should issue weat her
advisories wit h t he goal of put t ing cont ract ors on not ice of pot ent ial
condit ions. The Depart m ent should reserve it s aut horit y t o issue orders
t o cease operat ion only in ant icipat ion of ext rem e weat her (e.g. a
blizzard, t ropical syst em , or sim ilar ext rem e weat her.
2.
1 38 . Po st -sh i f t ch e ck . It is recom m ended t hat t he Depart m ent m andat e t hat
t he crane operat or and lift direct or, at t he end of each shift , review t he lat est
forecast and verify and record t hat t he crane has been properly secured for
forecast ed overnight or weekend condit ions. This recom m endat ion will
codify sim ilar provisions t o t he Com m issioner?s Order of March 15, 2016, and
apply t hem t o all cranes.
4.
1 59 . Cl e a r l y i n d i ca t e w i n d sp e e d t h r e sh o l d s a n d se cu r i n g se q u e n ce . It is
recom m ended t hat t he Depart m ent m andat e t hat t he wind speed t hreshold
for t he crane configurat ion, as well as t he sequence t o secure t he crane in
ant icipat ion of high winds, be subm it t ed t o t he Depart m ent as part of t he
Cert ificat e of On-Sit e Inspect ion (CN) applicat ion. Such subm it t al m ust be
kept in t he crane cab for easy access by t he crane operat or and ot her
appropriat e personnel as defined by t he Depart m ent . This recom m endat ion
will codify sim ilar provisions in t he Com m issioner?s Order of March 15, 2016,
and apply t hem t o all cranes.
6.
2 70 . Re st r i ct i o n s o n cr a n e s w i t h l o w e r w i n d t h r e sh o l d s. New York Cit y?s
current regulat ions set a wind speed operat ional lim it of 30m ph. This is an
appropriat e st andard, and should be m easured at t he jobsit e via an
anem om et er inst alled on t he crane (see recom m endat ion # 4). However, a
sm all percent age of cranes wit h a long boom /jib com binat ion are required by
t he crane m anufact urer t o cease operat ions and be lowered t o t he ground at
a wind speed under 30m ph. In t he event such a t hreshold is 20m ph or less,
it is recom m ended t hat t he Depart m ent codify t he safet y zone rest rict ion in
t he Com m issioner?s Order of March 15, 2016, and rest rict t hese crane
configurat ions t o a safet y zone t hat is closed t o t he public and sufficient ly
set back from t he public, open st reet s/sidewalks, and occupied buildings. In
t he event t he t hreshold is above 20m ph but below 30m ph, t he Depart m ent
should only allow such a configurat ion if t he crane is ut ilized in such a safet y
zone, or if a plan for m onit oring and securing t he crane is subm it t ed t o t he
cit y and approved by appropriat e cit y agencies. The plan for m onit oring and
securing t he crane m ust be sit e specific, det ail t he safeguards t o be
provided for t he public and adjoining propert y, m onit oring prot ocols and
t hresholds for wind and ot her condit ions, em ergency response procedures,

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wit h a long boom /jib configurat ion, as det erm ined by t he Depart m ent , unless
t hey hold a specific licensing endorsem ent for such a crane. The
Depart m ent should det erm ine t he appropriat e m echanism t o earn t he
endorsem ent ? t raining, hands on experience, sim ulat or experience,
exam inat ion, or som e com binat ion t hereof st udied and incorporat ed in New
York Cit y?s regulat ions. Appropriat e m odificat ions should be m ade t o
account for t he cit y?s charact erist ics.

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