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Crane signals by radio: one voice, clear words

Crane signals by radio: one voice, clear words

Cranes and rigging 5 min 29 CFR 1926.1420 · 29 CFR 1926.1419

Ironwork

Why it matters

On a blind lift the operator can't see the load. The radio is the only thing between a smooth pick and a load swinging into a wall or a worker. Dead batteries, a crowded channel, or two people talking at once can turn a simple lift into a wreck.

The talk

Picture a load going up and over a building to a roof the operator can't see. The signal person is on the roof with a radio. Halfway through the swing, another crew on the same channel starts calling for a delivery truck. The operator hears half a word. Or the radio battery dies in the middle of the lift, and the operator keeps booming down because the last thing he heard was down. Or the signal person says swing left, meaning his left, and the load goes the other way. Every one of these has happened on real jobs.

The standard covers radio signals closely. Test the radios on site before the lift starts. Use a dedicated channel for the crane. Several cranes and signal persons may share a channel to coordinate, but not with the rest of the job's chatter. The operator receives signals hands-free, so both hands stay on the controls. Only one person signals the crane at a time. Directions are given from the operator's point of view, not yours. If one signal person is talking to more than one crane, say which crane first, every time. If the signal is lost for any reason, the operator safely stops and waits until signals are back and understood.

Here is what that looks like for us. Charge the radios the night before and carry a spare. Agree on the words before the pick: who talks, what the stop word is, and how to say which crane. Keep calls short and keep talking during a move, so silence means trouble. If the operator hears nothing, he stops. Anyone on the job who sees a problem can call stop, and the operator stops. That includes you, even if you are not the signal person. After the stop, nobody moves the load until the operator and the signal person agree the problem is fixed.

Key points

  1. Test the radios on site before the lift.
  2. Use a dedicated channel for crane signals.
  3. The operator listens hands-free.
  4. Only one person signals the crane at a time.
  5. Give directions from the operator's point of view.
  6. Name the crane first when one signal person runs more than one.
  7. If signals are lost, the operator stops until they are back.
  8. Anyone can call stop, and the operator must stop.

Do this

  • Charge radios and carry a spare battery.
  • Agree on the stop word and who talks before the pick.
  • Keep talking during the move so silence means stop.
  • Say left and right the way the operator sees it.
  • Call stop the second you see a problem.

Do not do this

  • Do not run crane signals on the same channel as job chatter.
  • Do not let two people give signals to the crane at once.
  • Do not keep moving a load when the radio goes quiet.
  • Do not give directions from your own point of view.
  • Do not restart the lift until the operator and signal person agree it is fixed.

Talk about it

  1. What is our stop word, and does every person on this lift know it?
  2. Which channel is the crane on today, and who else might be on it?

This is a short crew briefing. It does not replace a competent person, training, or the law.

Training aid only. This talk is not legal advice. It does not replace your company's safety program, a competent person, the equipment maker's instructions, or the OSHA standard itself.

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