821 Cranes and Derricks Safety II

Hands-on Training for the Operator

The operator-in-training may operate a crane during training as long as the conditions below are satisfied.

• The employer must provide each operator-in-training with sufficient training prior to operating the equipment. This will enable the operator-in-training to operate the equipment safely.
• The tasks performed by the operator-in-training while operating the equipment must be within the operator-in-training's ability.
• While operating the equipment, the operator-in-training must be continuously monitored by an individual ("operator's trainer") who meets all of the following requirements:
• The operator's trainer is an employee or agent of the operator-in-training's employer.
• The operator's trainer is either a certified operator under Section 1427 or has passed the written portion of a certification test and is familiar with the proper use of the equipment's controls.
• While monitoring the operator-in-training, the operator's trainer performs no tasks that detract from the trainer's ability to monitor the operator-in-training.
• For equipment other than tower cranes, the operator's trainer and the operator-in-training must be in direct line of sight of each other. In addition, they must communicate verbally or by hand signals. For tower cranes, the operator's trainer and the operator-in-training must be in direct communication with each other.
• The operator-in-training must be monitored by the operator's trainer at all times, except for short breaks where all of the following are met:
• The break lasts no longer than 15 minutes and there is no more than one break per hour.
• Immediately prior to the break the operator's trainer informs the operator-in-training of the specific tasks that the operator-in-training is to perform and limitations to which he/she must adhere during the operator trainer's break.
• The specific tasks that the operator-in-training will perform during the operator trainer's break are within the operator-in-training's abilities.
• The operator-in-training must not operate the equipment in any of the following circumstances are present:
• if any part of the equipment, load line, or load (including rigging and lifting accessories), if operated up to the equipment's maximum working radius in the work zone, could get within 20 feet of a power line that is up to 350 kV, or within 50 feet of a power line that is more than 350 kV
• if the equipment is used to hoist personnel
• in multiple-equipment lifts
• if the equipment is used over a shaft, cofferdam, or in a tank farm
• in multiple-lift rigging operations, except where the operator's trainer determines that the operator-in-training's skills are sufficient for this high-skill work

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