It’s Official: OSHA Extends Crane Safety Deadline
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has officially delayed the implementation of crane certification requirements impacting the sign and visual communications industry from November 10, 2014 to November 10, 2017. The final ruling was made last week. The full announcement can be found here. It also extends by three years the employer’s responsibility to ensure that crane operators are competent to operate a crane safely.
ISA has been expecting this announcement from OSHA for some time. During meetings and hearings on this issue, it became clear that technical barriers existed that would prevent the full implementation of the rule by the 2014 deadline. This newly-announced ruling was necessary in order to address these problems.
Over the past few years, ISA has been following closely the development of the crane certification rule. Since 2009, ISA staff has worked on behalf of members and the industry on this issue by meeting with government agencies, attended and testified at hearings, meeting with the assistant secretary of labor, and generally been very vocal over our concerns regarding the implementation and impacts of this rule on the sign and visual communications industry. ISA has stayed in constant contact with OSHA and industry partners to make sure ISA members’ interests were represented.
This final rule becomes effective November 9, 2014. Over the next three years, OSHA will continue to address operator qualification requirements. For more information, contact David Hickey.
