Another request to postpone crane rule

Construction workers i may be interested to know that on June 20, 2017, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a proposal to postpone the enforcement date of its crane operator certification mandate to Nov. 10, 2018. OSHA also requested an extension to the same date for the existing requirement for employers to make sure that crane operators are able to safely operate equipment.

The proposal for an extension is the third request since the Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard was established by OSHA in 2010. The reactions to the OSHA request have been varied and have included qualified agreements as well as emphatic disagreements.

A representative of the Crane Institute of America stated that the current operator certification requirement that was established in 2010 is sufficient. He also asserted that the multiple extensions of the enforcement date have resulted in more accident-related injuries and deaths because operators are not receiving the training necessary to obtain certification and prevent accidents. The repeated postponements also create confusion within the industry and among employees and companies.

A representative of Florida Crane Inspections, LLC, stated that he disagrees that OSHA should be given another extension. His reasoning is that companies and individuals who have not obtained certification within the last seven years will fail to obtain it no matter how long they are given.

Workers who are injured in a construction accident should speak with a personal injury attorney. The attorney may advise clients of which legal options to pursue to obtain financial compensation. In some cases, the manufacturer of a defective piece of equipment might be financially responsible.