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Subchapter 7. General Industry Safety Orders
Group 13. Cranes and Other Hoisting Equipment
Article 98. Operating Rules
§5004. Crane or Derrick Suspended Personnel Platforms.
(a) Scope. These Orders apply to the design, construction, testing, use and maintenance of personnel platforms, and the hoisting of personnel platforms on load lines of cranes and derricks.
(b) Definitions. For the purpose of section 5004 of these Orders the following definitions apply:
Failure. Failure means load refusal, breakage, or separation of components. Hoist (Hoisting). Hoist means all crane or derrick functions such as lowering, lifting, swinging, booming in and out or up and down, or suspending a personnel platform.
Load Refusal. Load refusal means the point where the ultimate strength is exceeded.
(c) General Requirements. The use of a crane or derrick to hoist employees on a personnel platform is prohibited, except when the erection, use, and dismantling of conventional means of reaching the worksite, such as a personnel hoist, ladder, stairway, aerial lift, elevating work platform or scaffold, would be more hazardous or is not possible because of structural design or worksite conditions.
(d) Operational Criteria.
(1) Hoisting of the personnel platform shall be performed in a slow, controlled, cautious manner with no sudden movements of the crane or derrick, or the platform.
(2) Load lines shall be capable of supporting, without failure, at least seven times the maximum intended load, except that where rotation resistant rope is used, the lines shall be capable of supporting without failure, at least ten times the maximum intended load. The required design factor is achieved by taking the current safety factor of 3.5 [required under section 4884(b) of these Orders] and applying the 50 percent derating of the crane capacity which is required by section 5004(d)(5) of these Orders.
(3) Load and boom hoist drum brakes, swing brakes, and operator actuated secondary braking and locking devices such as pawls or dogs or automatic secondary brakes shall be engaged when the occupied personnel platform is in a stationary working position.
(4) The crane shall be uniformly level in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, not to exceed one percent of level grade, and located on footing that a qualified person has determined to be firm and stable. Cranes equipped with outriggers or stabilizers shall have them all fully deployed following manufacturer's specifications, insofar as applicable, when hoisting employees.
(5) Capacity:
(A) Use of suspended personnel platforms. The total weight of the loaded personnel platform and related rigging shall not exceed 50 percent of the rated capacity for the radius and configuration of the crane or derrick, except during proof testing.
(B) Use of boom-attached personnel platforms, when approved by the crane manufacturer or certified agent. The total weight of the loaded personnel platform shall not exceed 50 percent of the rated capacity for the radius and configuration of the equipment, except during proof testing.
(C) Hoisting personnel without a personnel platform. When hoisting personnel without a personnel platform pursuant to exceptions to subsection (k)(10), the total load shall not exceed 50 percent of the rated capacity for the radius and configuration of the equipment, except during proof testing.
(6) The use of machines having live booms (booms in which lowering is controlled by a brake without aid from other devices which slow the lowering speeds) is prohibited.
(7) Only wire rope or steel chain slings and pendants shall be used for suspending personnel platforms.
(8) Proper operation required. Personnel hoisting operations shall not begin unless the devices listed in this section are in proper working order. If a device stops working properly during such operations, the operator shall safely stop operations. Personnel hoisting operations shall not resume until the device is again working properly. Alternative measures are not permitted. (See Section 3314 for tag-out and related requirements.)
(e) Instruments and Components.
(1) Cranes, except articulating boom cranes, and derricks with variable angle booms shall be equipped with the following:
(A) A boom angle indicator, readily visible to the operator.
(B) A boom hoist limiting device.
(2) Cranes with telescoping booms shall be equipped with a device to indicate clearly to the operator, at all times, the boom's extended length, or an accurate determination of the load radius to be used during the lift shall be made prior to hoisting personnel.
(3)(A) An anti-two-block device shall be used which when activated, disengages all crane functions that can cause two-blocking.
(B) When a derrick is used to hoist personnel platforms, limiting devices shall be installed to prevent two-blocking.
Exception: This device is not required when hoisting personnel in pile driving operations. Instead, subsection (p)(2) of this section specifies how to prevent two-blocking during such operations.
(4) The load line hoist drum shall have a system or device on the power train, other than the hoist brake, which regulates the lowering rate of speed of the hoist mechanism (controlled load lowering).
Note: Free fall of the load line hoist in use is prohibited; the use of equipment in which the boom hoist mechanism can free fall is also prohibited.
(5) Articulating boom cranes shall be equipped with a properly functioning automatic overload protection device.
(6) Equipment with a luffing jib shall be equipped with:
(A) A jib angle or radius indicator, readily visible to the operator, and
(B) A jib hoist limiting device.
(f) Personnel Platforms -- Design Criteria.
(1) The personnel platform and suspension system shall be designed by a register engineer.
(2) The suspension system shall be designed to minimize tipping of the platform due to movement of employees occupying the platform.
(3) The personnel platform itself, except the guardrail system and body belt/harness anchorages, shall be capable of supporting, without failure, its own weight and at least five times the maximum intended load. Criteria for guardrail systems and body belt/harness anchorages are contained in article 2 of the General Industry Safety Orders and article 24 of the Construction Safety Orders respectively.
(4) The system used to connect the personnel platform to the equipment shall limit the platform to within 10 degrees of level, regardless of boom/jib angle.
(g) Platform Specifications.
(1) Each personnel platform shall be equipped with a guardrail system which meet the requirements of article 2 of the General Industry Safety Orders and shall be enclosed at least from the toeboard to mid-rail with either solid construction or expanded metal having openings no greater than ½ inch.
(2) A grab rail shall be installed inside the entire perimeter of the personnel platform.
(3) Access gates, if installed, shall not swing outward during hoisting.
(4) Access gates, including sliding or folding gates, shall be equipped with a restraining device to prevent accidental opening.
(5) Headroom shall be provided which allows employees to stand upright in the platform.
(6) In addition to the use of hard hats, employees shall be protected by overhead protection on the personnel platform when employees are exposed to falling objects.
(7) All rough edges exposed to contact by employees shall be surfaced or smoothed in order to prevent injury to employees from punctures or lacerations.
(8) All welding of the personnel platform and its components shall be performed by a certified welder familiar with the weld grades, types and material specified in the platform design.
(9) The personnel platform shall be conspicuously posted with a plate or other permanent marking which indicates the weight of the platform and its rated load capacity.
(h) Personnel Platform Loading.
(1) The personnel platform shall not be loaded in excess of its rated load capacity.
(2) The number of employees occupying the personnel platform shall not exceed the number required for the work being performed.
(3) Personnel platforms shall be used only for employees, their tools, and the materials necessary to do their work, and shall not be used to hoist only materials or tools when not hoisting personnel.
(4) Materials and tools for use during a personnel lift shall be secured to prevent displacement.
(5) Materials and tools for use during a personnel lift shall be evenly distributed within the confines of the platform while the platform is suspended.
(i) Rigging.
(1) When a wire rope bridle is used to connect the personnel platform to the load line, each bridle leg shall be connected to a master link or shackle in such a manner to ensure that the load is evenly divided among the bridle legs.
(2) Hooks and other detachable devices.
(A) Hooks used in the connection between the hoist line and the personnel platform (including hooks on overhaul ball assemblies, lower load blocks, or other attachment assemblies or components) shall be:
1. Of a type that can be closed and locked, eliminating the hook throat opening.
2. Closed and locked when attached.
(B) Shackles used in place of hooks shall be of the alloy anchor type, with either:
1. A bolt, nut and retaining pin, in place; or
2. Of the screw type, with the screw pin secured from accidental removal.
(C) Where other detachable devices are used, they shall be of the type that can be closed and locked to the same extent as the devices addressed in subsections (i)(2)(A) and (B). Such devices shall be closed and locked when attached.
(3) Rigging hardware (including wire rope slings, shackles, rings, master links, and other rigging hardware) shall be capable of supporting, without failure, at least five times the maximum intended load applied or transmitted to that component.
(A) Rotation resistant wire rope slings and slings made of synthetic or natural fibers shall not be used.
(4) All eyes in wire rope slings shall be fabricated with thimbles.
(5) Bridles and associated rigging for attaching the personnel platform to the hoist line shall be used only for the platform and the necessary employees, their tools and materials necessary to do their work, and shall not be used for any other purpose when not hoisting personnel.
(j) Trial Lift, Inspection, and Proof Testing.
(1) A trial lift with the unoccupied personnel platform loaded at least to the anticipated lift weight shall be made from ground level, or any other location where employees will enter the platform, to each location at which the personnel platform is to be hoisted and positioned. This trial lift shall be performed immediately prior to placing personnel on the platform. The operator shall determine that all systems, controls and safety devices are activated and functioning properly; that no interferences exist; that all configurations necessary to reach those work locations will allow the operator to remain under the 50 percent limit as established in Section 5004(d)(5)(A), and that the load radius to be used during the lift has been accurately determined. Materials and tools to be used during the actual lift can be loaded in the platform, as provided in Section 5004(h)(4) and (5) for the trial lift. Where there is more than one location to be reached from a single set-up position, either individual trial lifts for each location, or a single trial lift, in which the platform is moved sequentially to each location, shall be performed; the method selected shall be the same as the method that will be used to hoist the personnel.
(2) The trial lift shall be repeated prior to hoisting employees whenever the crane or derrick is moved and set up in a new location or returned to a previously used location. Additionally, the trial lift shall be repeated when the lift route is changed unless the operator determines that the route change is not significant, i.e. the route change would not affect the safety of hoisted employees.
(3) After the trial lift, and just prior to hoisting personnel, the platform shall be hoisted a few inches with the personnel and materials/tools on board and inspected by a qualified person to insure that it is secure and properly balanced. Employees shall not be hoisted unless the following conditions are determined to exist:
(A) Hoist ropes shall be free of kinks and other deficiencies in accordance with Section 5031(a)-(b) and Section 5036(a) through (c);
(B) Multiple part lines shall not be twisted around each other;
(C) The primary attachment shall be centered over the platform; and
(D) The hoisting system shall be inspected if the load rope is slack to ensure all ropes are properly positioned on drums and sheaves.
(4) A visual inspection of the crane or derrick, rigging, personnel platform, and the crane or derrick base support or ground shall be conducted by a qualified person immediately after the trial lift to determine whether the testing has exposed any defect or produced any adverse effect upon any component or structure. The qualified person shall also confirm that the test weight has been removed prior to lifting personnel.
(5) Any defects found during inspections which fails to meet a requirement of this standard or otherwise creates a safety hazard shall be corrected before hoisting personnel.
(6) At each job site, prior to hoisting employees on the personnel platform, and after any repair or modification, the platform and rigging shall be proof tested to 125 percent of the platform's rated capacity by holding it in a suspended position for five minutes with the test load evenly distributed on the platform (this may be done concurrently with the trial lift). After proof testing, a qualified person shall inspect the platform and rigging. Any deficiencies found shall be corrected and another proof test shall be conducted. Personnel hoisting shall not be conducted until the proof testing requirements are satisfied.
(k) Work Practices.
(1) Employees shall:
(A) Keep all parts of the body inside the platform during raising, lowering, and horizontal movement. This provision does not apply to an occupant of the platform when necessary to position the platform or while performing the duties of a signal person.
(B) Not stand, sit on, or work from the top or intermediate rail or toeboard, or use any other means/device to raise their working height above the platform floor.
(C) Not pull the platform out of plumb in relation to the hoisting equipment.
(2) Before employees exit or enter a hoisted personnel platform that is not landed, the platform shall be secured to the structure where the work is to be performed, unless securing to the structure creates an unsafe situation.
(A) If the platform is tied to the structure, the operator shall not move the platform until the operator receives confirmation that it is freely suspended.
(3) Tag lines shall be used unless their use creates an unsafe condition.
(4) Attendance. The crane or derrick operator shall remain at the controls, on site, and in view of the platform or in communication with the platform personnel or signal person at all times while the platform is occupied and elevated.
(5) Environmental conditions.
(A) Wind. When wind speed (sustained or gusts) exceeds 20 mph at the personnel platform, a competent person shall determine if, in light of the wind conditions, it is safe to lift personnel. If it is not safe, the lifting operation shall not begin (or, if already in progress, shall be terminated).
(B) Other weather and environmental conditions. A competent person shall determine if, in light of indications of dangerous weather conditions, or other impending or existing danger, it is safe to lift personnel. If it is not safe, the lifting operation shall not begin (or, if already in progress, shall be terminated).
(6) Employees being hoisted and the signal person(s) shall remain in continuous radio communication with the operator.
(7) Fall protection.
(A) Except over water, employees occupying the personnel platform shall be provided and use a personal fall arrest system with lanyard appropriately attached to a structural member within the personnel platform capable of supporting a fall impact for employees using the anchorage. When working over water, the requirements of Section 1602 of the Construction Safety Orders shall apply.
(B) The fall arrest system, including the attachment point (anchorage) used to comply with subsection (k)(7)(A), shall comply with Article 24 of the Construction Safety Orders.
(8) No lifts shall be made on another of the crane's or derrick's loadlines while personnel are suspended on a platform.
(9) Direct attachment of a personnel platform to a luffing jib is prohibited.
(10) Use of personnel platform. When using equipment to hoist employees, the employees shall be in a personnel platform that meets the requirements of this section.
Exceptions: A personnel platform is not required for hoisting employees:
1. Into and out of drill shafts that are up to and including 8 feet in diameter [see subsection (o) for requirements for hoisting these employees].
2. In pile driving operations [see subsection (p) for requirements for hoisting these employees].
3. Solely for transfer to or from a marine worksite in a personnel transfer device [see subsection (r) for requirements for hoisting these employees].
4. In storage tank (steel or concrete), shaft and chimney operations [see subsection (s) for requirements for hoisting these employees].
(l) Traveling.
(1) Hoisting of employees while the crane is traveling is prohibited, except for portal, tower and cranes on fixed tracks or railways.
(2) Under any circumstances where a crane would travel while hoisting personnel, the employer shall implement the following procedures to safeguard employees:
(A) Travel shall be limited to the load radius of the boom used during the lift; and
(B) The boom shall be parallel to the direction of travel;
(C) A complete trial run shall be performed to test the route of travel before employees are allowed to occupy the platform. This trial run can be performed at the same time as the trial lift required by Section 5004(j)(1) of these Orders which tests the route of the lift.
(D) Crane travel shall be restricted to a fixed track or railway.
1. Where a runway is used, it must be a firm, level surface designed, prepared and designated as a path of travel for the weight and configuration of the equipment being used to lift and travel with the personnel platform. An existing surface may be used as long as it meets these criteria.
(m) Pre-lift Meeting.
(1) A meeting attended by the crane or derrick operator, signal person(s) (if necessary for the lift), employee(s) to be lifted, and the person responsible for the task to be performed shall be held to review the appropriate requirements of section 5004 of these Orders and the procedures to be followed.
(2) This meeting shall be held prior to the trial lift at each new work location and shall be repeated for any employees newly assigned to the operation.
(n) Hoisting personnel near power lines. Hoisting personnel within 20 feet of a power line that is up to 350kV, and hoisting personnel within 50 feet of a power line that is over 350kV, is prohibited, except for work covered by the High Voltage Electrical Safety Orders.
(o) Hoisting personnel in drill shafts. When hoisting employees into and out of drill shafts that are up to and including 8 feet in diameter, all of the following requirements shall be met:
(1) The employee shall be in either a personnel platform or on a boatswain's chair.
(2) If using a personnel platform, subsections (a) through (n) of this section apply.
(3) If using a boatswain's chair:
(A) The following subsections apply: (c), (d)(1), (d)(3)-(d)(4), (d)(5)(A), (d)(5)(C), (f)(1), (f)(2), (f)(4), (h)(1), (h)(3), (h)(4), (i), (j), (k)(4), (k)(5), (k)(6), (k)(8), (m), and (n). Where the terms “personnel platform” or “platform” are used in these subsections, replace them with “boatswain's chair.”
(B) A signal person shall be stationed at the shaft opening.
(C) The employee shall be hoisted in a slow, controlled descent and ascent.
(D) The employee shall use personal fall protection equipment, including a full body harness, attached independent of the crane/derrick.
(E) The fall protection equipment shall meet the applicable requirements of Article 2 of the General Industry Safety Orders and Article 24 of the Construction Safety Orders.
(F) The boatswain's chair itself (excluding the personal fall arrest system anchorages), shall be capable of supporting, without failure, its own weight and at least five times the maximum intended load.
(G) No more than one person shall be hoisted at a time.
(p) Hoisting personnel for pile driving operations. When hoisting an employee in pile driving operations, the following requirements shall be met:
(1) The employee shall be in a personnel platform or boatswain's chair.
(2) For lattice boom and telescopic boom mobile cranes: Clearly mark the cable (so that it can easily be seen by the operator) at a point that will give the operator sufficient time to stop the hoist to prevent two-blocking, and use a spotter who is in direct communication with the operator to inform the operator when this point is reached.
(3) If using a boatswain's chair, subsections (o)(3)(A), (C), (D), (E), (F) and (G) shall apply. Where the terms “personnel platform” or “platform” are used in these subsections, substitute “boatswains chair.”
Exception: In lieu of personal fall protection attached independent of the crane/derrick per subsection (o)(3)(D), personal fall protection may be independently attached to the lower load block or overhaul ball.
(q) Hoisting personnel for marine transfer. When hoisting employees solely for transfer to or from a marine worksite, the following requirements shall be met:
(1) The employee shall be in either a personnel platform or a personnel transfer device.
(2) If using a personnel platform, subsections (a) through (n) of this section apply.
(3) If using a personnel transfer device:
(A) The following subsections apply: (c), (d)(1), (d)(3), (d)(4), (d)(5)(A) and (C), (f)(1) through (f)(3), (f)(6), (g)(8), (g)(9), (h)(1), (i), (j), (k)(5) through (k)(8), (l), (m), and (n). Where the terms “personnel platform” or “platform” are used in these subsections, replace them with “marine-hoisted personnel transfer device.”
(B) The transfer device shall be used only for transferring workers.
(C) The number of workers occupying the transfer device shall not exceed the maximum number it was designed to hold.
(D) Each employee shall wear a U.S. Coast Guard personal flotation device approved for industrial use.
(r) Hoisting personnel for storage tank (steel or concrete), shaft and chimney operations. When hoisting an employee in storage tank (steel or concrete), shaft and chimney operations, the following requirements shall be met:
(1) The employee shall be in a personnel platform except when the employer can demonstrate that use of a personnel platform is infeasible; in such a case, a boatswain's chair shall be used.
(2) If using a personnel platform, subsections (a) through (n) of this section apply.
(3) If using a boatswain's chair the provisions of subsections (o)(3)(A), (C), (D), (E), (F) and (G) shall apply. Where the terms “personnel platform” or “platform” are used in these subsections, substitute them with “boatswains chair.”
(4) When there is no adequate structure for attachment of required personal fall arrest equipment, the attachment shall be to the lower load block or overhaul ball.
3. Editorial correction of printing error in section heading (Register 91, No. 31).
4. Editorial correction of printing errors in subsections (d)(2) and (h)(4) (Register 92, No. 33).
5. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (i)(3) filed 2-16-95 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 95, No. 7).
6. Editorial correction of subsections (i)(1) and (j)(1) (Register 95, No. 24).
7. Editorial correction of subsection (g)(1) (Register 2005, No. 44).
9. Redesignation and amendment of former subsection (e)(3) to new subsection (e)(3)(A) and new subsection (e)(3)(B) filed 7-17-2008; operative 8-16-2008 (Register 2008, No. 29).
10. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (d)(2) filed 5-8-2013 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2013, No. 19).
11. Amendment filed 7-26-2022; operative 7-26-2022 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2022, No. 30). Filing deadline specified in Government Code section 11349.3(a) extended 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-40-20 and an additional 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-71-20.
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