The lift plan is documented in writing and made accessible to all parties associated with the lift. Before making every critical lift, a critical lift plan should be prepared by a qualified person such as the crane operator, supervisor, or rigger.

However, how a critical lift is defined is not as important as the plan that needs carrying to ensure a safe lift. Many other government agencies and industry associations such as NIOSH, the US Army Corp of Engineer, and the Department of Energy use different criteria to classify a critical lift such as the lifting of personnel load suspension above rigging personnel loads not in view of the crane operator (blind lift) loads of exceptional value and loads that have the potential for becoming unstable during rigging. Collision with obstacles: Blind lifting or making a lift in difficult situations without cautions will lead to a collision with other objects or even people who work nearby the crane.Īccording to OSHA, a critical lift was defined as one that exceeds 70% of the rated capacity of the crane or derrick or requires the use of more than one crane or derrick.The reason for these accidents simply, in many cases, is that the load has not been rigged and balanced properly. Even small pieces of steel dropped can cause fatal injury if it strikes a person.

Falling objects: Objects falling from the load or dropped during crane assembly operations create a potential hazard.

In this situation, the crane operators may get shocked and even electrocuted by the high voltage electric.

Touching overhead power lines: when the working environment is not taken into account, the boom may get stuck with the unnoticed overhead power lines.

Breaking the boom sling: the same consequence when the crane’s capacity is smaller than the load’s weight causing damage to the boom sling or even can break it.

Overturning of the crane: when the load is heavier than the crane’s capacity making the truck turn onto its side.

There are certain potential risks related to lifting operations, the common ones include: Critical lifts are much more tricky than the other 2, they require more extensive and comprehensive planning. Ordinary lifts are routine lifts that require only rigging basics and minimal safety precautions. A pre-engineered lift is a common one, the objects are the same, they need lifting repeatedly in the same environment so a lift plan is not necessary every time a lift is performed. However, the plan is not always the same with every kind of lift which is categorized as ordinary, pre-engineered lifts, and critical. Lifting plan is one of the critical parts of the Crane Use Planning Process, it’s carried to figure out the load weight, capacity, site conditions, and crane configuration.

Crane critical lift plan osha