What are the health and safety rules for crane operators?

Falls from a height, electric shock, injuries caused by falling objects or moving parts of a crane – these are the most important risks to which the crane operator is exposed. It is the employer’s responsibility to organise the work in such a way as to protect workers as much as possible from possible accidents in the performance of their professional activities.

The Regulation of the Minister of Enterprise and Technology of 22 October 2018 on health and safety at work in the operation of tower and quick-assembly cranes covers all issues governing safe and hygienic working conditions. The Regulation applies to all persons performing the work of the operator – regardless of the form of employment (employment contract, contract of assignment, contract concluded with a person carrying out a sole economic activity, a contract of employment).

According to § 3 of the Regulation, the crane operator may be a person who:

  • has completed 18 years of age and holds a valid qualification certificate for the operation of the crane obtained under the provisions on the procedure for checking the qualifications required for the operation and maintenance of technical equipment;
  • has a current medical certificate stating that there are no health contraindications to the performance of work in this position.

The employer should make available to the operator of the crane for continuous use information and safety instructions for transport work and instructions for evacuation from the crane cab before being allowed to work. It is also his responsibility to ensure that the operator is familiar with the provisions contained in those documents.

Operators may not work more than 8 hours per day. There are no exceptions, this is independent of whether additional remuneration would be payable for a longer period of time and regardless of the content of the contract concluded, or the instructions of the construction manager or supervisor.

Working time includes the time needed to enter and go to the crane. This means that the operator’s working time begins with the start of entering the crane believe, and ends with the descent of the believes.

The employer should accurately record the working time in the on-call book.

§ 11 paragraph 1 of the Regulation contains all activities that are unacceptable when operating a crane. Thus, it is forbidden to:

  • operating a crane without a valid decision authorising its operation;
  • handling an inoperable crane;
  • changing the settings of the crane safety components;
  • reworking the components of the crane;
  • operating the crane in weather conditions limiting visibility, at nightfall or at night without sufficient illumination of the crane’s operating range;
  • operating the crane during lightning;
  • operation of the crane during the work related to the transport of large-scale loads at wind speed
  • in gusts above 10 m/s;
  • operating the crane in the case of work other than those referred to in point 7 at wind speeds in gusts above 15 m/s, unless the manufacturer has specified in the crane manual other permissible values for wind speed or gusts therein;
  • the carrying of loads from outside the specified area where the work relating to the use of the crane is carried out and in the opposite direction where the place outside the site is, at the time of its operation, unmarked and unprotected from uhorised access;
  • lifting loads with a mass exceeding the permissible crane load capacity;
  • operating the crane with load limiters switched off;
  • operating the crane in the event that communication with the signallist is not possible;
  • operation of the crane in the case of incapacity equipment specified in § 16 para. 3 and § 20;
  • operating the crane if the temperature in the crane cab is less than 18°C or higher than 28°C;
  • operating the crane if the noise level in the crane cab exceeds 80 dB;
  • leaving loads, slings and other fittings suspended on the hook after work has been completed;
  • dropping any items from the crane;
  • dragging loads resting on the ground by the crane;
  • lifting and plucking by the crane of loads and objects permanently connected to or frozen to the ground.

Source: https://www.seka.pl/zasady-bhp-dla-operatorow-zurawi/

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