Man Cages OSHA & 6 Essential Crane Man Basket Safety Tips

OSHA Regulations for Personnel and Man Baskets

Posted in Materials Handling

When it comes to purchasing crane or personnel baskets, are you familiar OSHA compliance regulations so that you can be sure you buy one that meets OSHA’s stipulations?

Read below for an overview of OSHA’s compliance requirements.

Any personnel or man basket must have been designed by a certified engineer because OSHA requires that personnel baskets be able to support their own weight as well as five times the weight of the maximum intended load. Both of these weight loads must be marked clearly on the basket itself.

Personnel baskets should be equipped with a guard rail that encompasses the entire rim of the basket. The rail’s height should be solid to mid-rail in order to prevent personnel falls and also to help prevent tools from falling on anyone below the basket. The basket’s access gates must open toward the inside of the basket and must have safety latches that will keep the gate from opening accidentally. In addition, the basket’s design should provide enough headroom for personnel.

When it comes to the basket’s bridles that attach the personnel basket to the derrick or crane should allow for the basket’s load to be positioned evening among bridle legs so that disproportionate strain on one leg can be avoided. The rigging system – which is comprised of the aforementioned bridles, as well as by links and shackles – that support the personnel basket must be used only to support the basket. All attachment mechanisms and hooks must be able to close and lock in order to ensure that a hook won’t open by accident.

When it comes to load restrictions, they must not exceed the maximum load that’s designated (marked) on the personnel basket. Lines that support the basket must be able to support at least seven times the intended load. In addition, OSHA demands that materials as well as tools are secured and spread uniformly on the basket’s floor in order to avoid tipping. Only those personnel members who are trained in the task to be performed should be allowed in the personnel basket when it is raised.

When it comes to inspecting and testing the basket, OSHA stipulates that the basket should be loaded to its expected weight before the approaching job. It also should be raised to the anticipated height of each location where work will be made. All safety devices as well as controls on the basket as well as the crane/derrick also should be checked.

In addition, the basket should be lifted slightly (a few inches) whenever a worker enters the basket, but before the basked is lifted fully, in order to make sure the rigging lines aren’t kinked and are clear of any impediments.

OSHA stipulates that employers are responsible for getting together with employees and reviewing safety regulations before basket lifting starts as well as notifying/training new workers on safety regulations whenever they join a job location.

 

Six Essential Crane Man Basket Safety Tips

Posted in News & Press, Products, Safety Equipment

When operating a crane-mounted man basket, it is imperative to follow the latest OSHA/ASME regulations, employ quality equipment and last but not least, use common sense. Some vital crane man basket safety tips include:

1. Be Sure It’s Certified

The first and most crucial safety tip for use of a crane man basket is to ensure the crane being used is stable, certified and prepared to perform the lift, as per OSHA/ASME regulations. Our crane man baskets feature 42”-high mesh on the sides, a self-closing swing-in front door with latch, a re-enforced mesh roof and four hook points on top, to attach the basket to an overhead lifting device. Remember to keep the crane operator’s manual on hand at the job site, and if you’re working with more than one crane, have a lift plan prepared in advance.

2. Gear Up

The employee who will be working inside the basket should be outfitted with all the necessary safety gear, including a hard hat, safety glasses, harness and lanyard for tying off to the basket. At the work site, install a barricade covering the full swing radius. Set the crane’s brakes and place the outriggers on pads or a solid surface. If using on a mounted platform, install wheel chocks to prevent motion. All hooks and attachment mechanisms must close and lock, to prevent accidental opening.

3. Test it

It is mandatory to test the crane basket every time before a lift is performed. This is why our crane baskets also come standard with a test weight. Test weights should be rated 1.25 times the capacity for the basket. Just remember to detach the weight after the test, so that you’re not lifting both the weight and a human together. Be sure to also check the crane controls and all other safety devices. And once a worker enters the basket, raise the basket several inches and inspect to ensure rigging lines are clear and undamaged, primary rigging is centered, weight is evenly spaced inside the basket, and the crane remains stable.

4. Tie It Off

OSHA/ASME rules state the basket must also have a separate grab rail to tie off to. Our crane man baskets feature a full-perimeter safety harness hook-up, which allows personnel to be attached almost anywhere inside the basket. Never tie off to an adjoining structure. Harnesses must be worn and attached by lanyards to designated anchoring points at all times.

5. Delegate to Trained Workers

Be sure your crane driver is properly trained and licensed. It is also essential to have a trained ground standby person to guide travel and operation of any mobile crane, whether working indoors or outdoors. Also, the worker in the basket and the crane driver should be in constant contact (visually, walkie talkies, etc.).

6. Err on the Side of Caution

Do not move the crane or outriggers when the boom is elevated for use, regardless of whether or not someone is in the basket. Also, do not raise the basket in windy or poor weather conditions, such as rain, sleet and snow. Workers should keep all body parts inside the basket when it is being lifted. Never climb onto the guardrails while the basket is in a lifted position.

Explore more of our website to learn more about our crane man baskets today!

Thanks for the share, PK!