512 EM 385-1-1 Chapters 16-22

Sections

16-8. General Requirements.

Pile Driving Operations

Pile drivers must have restraint devices to prevent hammer disengagement, as per the manufacturer’s instructions or procedures developed by a Qualified Person (QP) and sealed by a Registered Professional Engineer (RPE).
Operators must be trained and authorized, follow manual requirements, and the contractor must develop a site-specific safety plan prior to operations.
Ensure protection for operators and stability for pile-driver rigs, complying with specific requirements for pile driving leads and their maintenance.

Hydraulic Excavators and Wheel/Track/Backhoe Loaders for Hoisting Loads

Prohibit personnel from risky positions on excavators and do not use hydraulic excavating equipment to hoist loads unless allowed and guided by the manufacturer.
Personnel may not work in, pass under, or ride in the buckets or booms of operating excavators and do not use hydraulic excavating equipment to hoist personnel. Personnel may not ride on loads, hooks, hammers, buckets, or any other hydraulic excavating equipment attachment.
Conduct operational tests for hoisting operations, follow rigging requirements, and do not lift over personnel or near electrical sources.
Do not use hydraulic excavating equipment to hoist loads unless allowed by the equipment manufacturer and the manufacturer provides the procedures.
Carry out additional operational tests after repairs or reconfigurations on the equipment or attachments.

LHE-Supported Personnel (Work) Platforms

Use LHE for hoisting employees only when conventional means are more hazardous or not feasible, documenting this in the Critical Lift Plan as per 29 CFR 1926.1431.

Certificate of Compliance (CoC)

Contractors must submit a CoC for each piece of Lifting and Hoisting Equipment (LHE) before use, stating compliance with regulations, signed by a CP for Crane and Rigging, and post the CoC on the LHE.

16-9. Figures and Tables.

See Figures/Tables Checklists/Forms

16-10. Checklists and Forms.

See Figures/Tables Checklists/Forms

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

16-17. When may personnel ride on hydraulic excavating equipment attachments?

When approved by the equipment operator

When allowed by the KO or COR

Never

When wearing proper fall protection

You forgot to answer the question!

EM 385-1-1 Paragraph 16-8 (ff.–ii.).

16-8. General Requirements. (ff.–ii.).

ff.  Pile Driving Operations.  (16-8.ff)

(1)  Equip pile drivers with a positive and negative restraint device to prevent accidental hammer disengagement.  This prevents the hammer from falling or rising uncontrolled out of the lead and contact with head block or sheaves, if so equipped.

(2)  Comply with all manufacturer’s instructions, procedures, and recommendations applicable to the operational functions of the equipment, including its use with pile driving attachments.  Do not exceed the safe operating speeds or lifting capacity to avoid instability under load.  When manufacturer’s instructions are not available, the employer must develop and ensure compliance with all procedures necessary for the safe operation of the equipment and attachments.

(a)  A QP must develop the procedures for the operational controls.

(b)  An RPE must seal and sign the procedures related to the capacity of the equipment.

(3)  For LHE pile driving attachments that are used for other than their intended purpose (for example an excavator or forklift modified for pile driving), an RPE must design the attachment. All of the requirements in paragraph 16-8.ff apply.

(4)  The operator of this type of equipment must follow the requirements of this manual and must be trained and authorized to operate the pile driving attachment.

(5)  Prior to initiating pile driving or extraction operations, the contractor must develop a site-specific safety plan according to paragraph 16-7.e.

(6)  With the exception of the pile driver equipment operator (crane/track hoe/forklift), personnel may not stand under the kicker/spotter or directly under, in front of, or closer than 12 feet (3.7 m), or greater if manufacturer specifies, of the pile hammer or pile when the pile is being driven.

(7)  Provide the crane/track hoe/forklift operator station protection from falling objects.

(8)  Cranes and mechanized equipment used only for pile driving and extracting operations (except telescopic boom cranes), are exempt from the requirements for A2B devices.

(9)  Provide guys, outriggers, thrust outs, counter-balances, or rail clamps necessary to maintain stability of the pile-driver rigs.

(10)  Pile-Driving Leads.

(a)  Assemble pile driving leads using only the approved fasteners and torque values as required by the manufacturer.  The leads must be of adequate size, length, and strength to safely accommodate the weight and length of the pile driving hammer, the pile to be driven, and the position (vertical or on a batter) in which they must be used.

(b)  Employees may not be on leads or ladders while the pile is being driven.

(d)  Pile driving leads must have stop blocks to prevent the hammer from being raised against the head block, if so equipped.

(e)  Pile driving leads must be free of projections or snags to minimize damage and personnel safety hazards.

(f)  Provide a blocking device, capable of supporting the weight of the hammer, for placement in the leads under the hammer at all times while employees are working under the hammer.

Note. Exception. Where it is necessary for an employee to momentarily lean through the leads to guide a pile under the hammer, it is not required that the pile hammer be blocked in the leads.

(g)  Inspect the pile driving leads at least weekly.  Document the inspection. If the documented findings note any issues or deficiencies that affects the safe use of pile driving leads, then immediately take the equipment out of service and do not use until the unsafe conditions have been corrected.

(h)  Swinging leads must have fixed ladders or have bracing configured so that it will function as adequate ladder rungs.

(i)  Fixed leads must:

(i-1)  Have fixed ladders and, if equipped with decked landings, must have guardrails, intermediate rails, and toe-boards.  Install fixed ladders or stairs for access to landings and head blocks.

(i-2)  Provide fall protection for any workers exposed to falls of 6 feet (1.8 m) or greater, for work over water, over machinery, or over dangerous operations according to chapter 21. For theses cased, install guardrails or personal fall protection systems, to include certified anchorages.

(i-3)  Have a crane boom tip connection that is designed by an RPE.

(11) Do not use dogs on pile-driver hoist drums that automatically disengage when the load is relieved or the drum is rotated.

(12) Install guards across the top of the head block to prevent wire from jumping out of the sheaves.

(13) Securely attach all pneumatic or steam hose connections to pile-driver hammers, pile ejectors, or jet pipes with an adequate length of at least one-quarter (¼) inch (0.6 cm) alloy steel chain to prevent whipping if the joint is broken.  The chain must have a 3,250 lbs. (1,474.2 kg) WLL and wire of equal strength may be used.

(14) Hydraulic/pneumatic/steam line controls must include two shutoff valves. One valve must be a quick-acting lever type located within easy reach of the hammer operator.

(15)  Hoisting and Moving Pile.

(a)  Keep all employees clear of the piling that is being hoisted into the leads.

(b)  Perform pile hoisting and driving operations using a closed shackle or other
        positive attachment that will prevent accidental disengagement of the rigging.

(d)  Lower hammers to the bottom of the leads while the pile driver is being moved.

(16) When driving jacked piles, provide access ladders and bulk headed curbs in all access pits, to prevent material from falling into the pit.

(17) When it is necessary to cut off the tops of driven piles, suspend the pile- driving operations, except where the cutting operations are located at least twice the length of the longest pile cut-off from the driver.

(18)  Pile Extraction.

(a)  If piling cannot be pulled without exceeding the load rating of equipment, use a pile extractor.

(b)  When pulling piling, equip the crane with LMI devices, unless the load can be determined and is within the load rating chart of the crane, and unless the booms are not raised more than 60° above the horizontal.

Note.  This requirement does not apply to vibrating-type pulling devices.

(c)  Do not pull piling by tipping the crane, releasing the load brake momentarily, and catching the load before the crane has settled.

(d)  Rigging. When pulling pile, the hook must have the positive locking safety latch. Secure this latch so that rigging gear roll does not occur.

(19)  Floating Pile Drivers (see para 16-8.z).

Note.  For operations not covered above, see 29 CFR 1926.603.

gg.  Hydraulic Excavators and Wheel/Track/Backhoe Loaders Used to Hoist Loads with Rigging. (16-8.gg)

(1)  Personnel may not work in, pass under, or ride in the buckets or booms of operating excavators.

(2)  Do not use hydraulic excavating equipment to hoist personnel.  Personnel may not ride on loads, hooks, hammers, buckets, or any other hydraulic excavating equipment attachment.

(3)  Train excavator operators that use attachments (such as drill rigs, pile driving equipment) on the specific attachments and operations before use.

(4)  Do not use hydraulic excavating equipment to hoist loads unless allowed by the equipment manufacturer and the manufacturer provides the procedures.

(5)  When hydraulic excavating equipment is used to hoist loads utilizing hooks, eyes, slings, chains, or other rigging the following requirements apply:

(a)  Operations involving the use of hydraulic excavating equipment and rigging to hoist loads require different operator skills and considerations than the standard excavating operations routinely performed with hydraulic excavating equipment. Prepare an AHA specific to the hoisting operation following the requirements in paragraph 16-6.d.

(b)  Perform an operational test with the selected hydraulic excavating equipment. Keep a copy of the operational test report, including the test procedures and results, at the onsite project office.

(b-1)  The operational test must demonstrate that the test load and selected rigging can be safely lifted, maneuvered, controlled, stopped, and landed.

(b-2)  The operational test must be representative of the complete cycle of the proposed hoisting operation, including configuration, orientation and positioning of the excavating equipment and the use of identical rigging.

(b-3)  The test load must be equivalent to the maximum anticipated load but must not exceed 100% of the manufacturer’s load rating capacity for the excavating equipment, as configured.

(d)  Do not attach hooks, eyes, slings, chains, or other rigging to, or hang them from, the teeth of a bucket during hydraulic excavator load transporting or hoisting operations.

(e)  Perform another operational test if repairs, major maintenance, or reconfiguration on the hydraulic excavating equipment or attachments are needed after the completion and acceptance of an operational test described in paragraph 16-8.gg. This additional operational test must demonstrate that the completed repairs are satisfactory and that the test load and selected rigging can be safely lifted, maneuvered, controlled, stopped, and landed.

(6)  Lift loads to the minimum height necessary to clear the ground or other obstacles and carry as low as possible when the equipment is traveling.

(7)  Do not lift loads over personnel.

(8)  Maintain adequate clearances from electrical sources.

hh. LHE-Supported Personnel (Work) Platforms.  Do not use LHE to hoist employees, except where the employer demonstrates that the assembly, use, and disassembly of conventional means of reaching the work area (such as, personnel hoist, ladder, stairway, aerial lift, elevating work platform, scaffold) is more hazardous, or is not possible because of the project’s physical features or work site conditions. Document this determination in the Critical Lift Plan following the requirements of paragraph 16-7.c.  Perform all hoisting of personnel as required in 29 CFR 1926.1431 (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC).  (16-8.hh)

ii.  Certificate of Compliance (CoC).  Contractors must submit a CoC for each piece of LHE prior to bringing it onsite.  Submit the CoC to the USACE supervisor for approval or to the KO or COR for acceptance.  (See para 16-10.b). (16-8.ii)

(1)  The CoC must state that the LHE and the rigging equipment meets applicable regulations (to include inspections and tests) as required by the manufacturer and the requirements of this manual.  A CP for Crane and Rigging must sign the CoC.

(2)  Post the CoC on the LHE.

Note.  USACE LHE does not require a CoC Form.

EM 385-1-1 Paragraph 16-10.