skip to main content
Travelers Home Page
  • About
  • Careers
  • Agents
  • Investors
  • Contact Us

Register now
Problems logging in?
  • For Individuals
    • Overview
    • Products
      • Car
      • Home
      • Renters
      • Condo
      • Landlord
      • Boat & Yacht
      • Travel
      • Weddings
      • Umbrella
      • All Products
    • Prepare & Prevent
      • Insurance 101
      • Home Central
      • Travelers Garage
    • Affinity Group Discount
    • Online Service
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • For Business
    • Overview
    • Products & Solutions
      • Overview
      • Boiler & Machinery
      • Commercial Auto & Trucking
      • Cyber
      • Environmental Liability
      • Excess Casualty & Umbrella
      • General Liability
      • Global Insurance
      • Inland Marine
      • Management & Professional Liability
      • National Programs
      • Ocean Marine
      • Property
      • Small Business Owner's Policy
      • Surety Bonds
      • Workers Compensation
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Industries
      • Overview
      • Agribusiness
      • Architects, Engineers & Surveyors
      • Auto & Truck Dealers
      • Business Services
      • Construction
      • Education
      • Energy & Renewable
      • Equipment Dealers
      • Financial Institutions
      • Food Services
      • Health & Related Services
      • Hospitality & Recreation
      • Manufacturing
      • Marine Industries
      • Museums & Fine Art
      • Non-Profit
      • Oil & Gas
      • Public Entities
      • Real Estate
      • Retail
      • Technology
      • Transportation
      • Wholesale & Distribution
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Services
      • Overview
      • Risk Control
      • Claim
      • Premium Audit
      • Online Customer Tools
      • Risk Management Information Services
      • Travelers Client Advantage
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Small Business
      • Overview
      • Automobile Insurance
      • Business Owner's Policy
      • Data Breach
      • Employment Practices Liability
      • Professional Insurance
      • Umbrella Insurance
      • Workers Compensation Inurance
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Large Business
      • Overview
      • Casualty
      • Cyber
      • Management & Professional Liability
      • Property
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
    • Multinational Business
    • Prepare & Prevent
      • By Topic
      • By Industry
        • Find an Agent
        • Report a Claim
        • Pay Your Bill
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • Claim Center
    • Claim Center
    • Should I File a Claim?
    • Report a Claim
    • Roadside Assistance
    • Find a Service Provider
    • Check Your Claim Status
    • Manage Your Claim Experience
      • Claim Reporting Next Steps
      • Claim Guide Library
      • Workers Compensation Resources
    • About Travelers Claim
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • Prepare & Prevent
    • For Individuals
    • Home Central
      • Buying & Selling
      • Home Maintenance
      • Home Renovation
      • Home Safety
      • Moving
      • Smart Home
    • Travelers Garage
      • Buying & Selling
      • Car Maintenance
      • Distracted Driving
      • Safe Driving
      • Teen Driving
      • Boating
    • Insurance 101
    • Weather
    • For Business
    • Industries
      • Construction
      • Manufacturing
      • Nonprofit
      • Small Business
      • Technology
    • Topics
      • Business Continuity
      • Cyber
      • Driver and Fleet Safety
      • Facilities Management
      • Internet of Things
      • Product and Services Liability
      • Supply Chain Management
      • Workplace Safety
    • Travelers Risk Index
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
  • About Travelers
    • Overview
      • Awards & Recognition
      • Careers
      • Community
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Sustainability
      • History
      • Investors
      • Media Resources
      • News
      • Travelers Championship
      • Travelers Institute
      • Get a Quote
      • Find an Agent
      • Report a Claim
      • Pay Your Bill
    • Get a Quote
    • Find an Agent
    • Report a Claim
    • Pay Your Bill
Main Navigation
  • For Individuals
      • Insurance for Individuals
      • Products
        • Car
        • Home
        • Renters
        • Condo
        • Landlord
        • Boat & Yacht
        • Travel
        • Weddings & Events
        • Umbrella
        • More
      • Prepare & Prevent
        • Insurance 101
        • Home Central
        • Travelers Garage
      • Affinity Group Discount
      • Online Service
    • Get a home quote

      It’s easy to get a free quote for home insurance from Travelers in just a few minutes.

       

      Get a home quote now
  • For Business
      • Products & Solutions
        • Commercial Auto & Trucking
        • Cyber
        • General Liability
        • Management & Professional Liability
        • Property
        • Small Business Owner's Policy
        • Surety Bonds
        • Workers Compensation
        • More
      • Industries
        • Construction
        • Energy & Renewable
        • Financial Institutions
        • Healthcare
        • Manufacturing
        • Real Estate
        • Technology
        • Transportation
        • More
      • Prepare & Prevent
      • Services
        • Risk Control
        • Claim
        • Premium Audit
        • More
      • Pay Your Bill
      • Small Business
      • Large Business
      • Multinational Business
      • For Business Overview
    • The Manufacturing Risk Landscape [Tool]

      The Manufacturing Risk Landscape [Tool]

      Every manufacturing site has its risks. From mobile machinery to cargo theft, explore how Travelers can help in this interactive risk landscape.

      Learn more
  • Claim Center
      • Claim Center
      • Should I File a Claim?
      • Report a Claim
      • Roadside Assistance
      • Find a Service Provider
      • Check Your Claim Status
      • Manage Your Claim Experience
        • Claim Reporting Next Steps
        • Claim Guide Library
        • Workers Compensation Resources
      • About Travelers Claim
    • Send us your receipts, photos, invoices and more with just a push of a button.

      Securely share information with your Claim team.

      Send us your receipts, photos, invoices and more with just a push of a button.

      Upload a File
  • Prepare & Prevent
      • For Individuals
      • Home Central
        • Buying & Selling
        • Home Maintenance
        • Home Renovation
        • Home Safety
        • Moving
        • Smart Home
      • Travelers Garage
        • Buying & Selling
        • Car Maintenance
        • Distracted Driving
        • Safe Driving
        • Teen Driving
        • Boating
      • Insurance 101
      • Weather
      • For Business
      • Industries
        • Construction
        • Energy
        • Manufacturing
        • Nonprofit
        • Small Business
        • Technology
      • Topics
        • Business Continuity
        • Cyber
        • Driver and Fleet Safety
        • Facilities Management
        • Internet of Things
        • Product and Services Liability
        • Supply Chain Management
        • Workplace Safety
      • Travelers Risk Index
    • Our Pressure Test

      Nonprofits: Know Your Risks. Take Our Pressure Test [Tool]

      Are you doing enough to help your nonprofit run and grow safely? This 5-minute test can help identify what may be your biggest nonprofit risk

      Take the test
  • Home
  • Prepare & Prevent
  • Business
  • Industries
  • Construction
  • Roles and Responsibilities During Crane Operations

What Are Roles and Responsibilities During Crane Operations?

By Hank Dutton
Senior Specialist, Construction Risk Control
Person sitting in cab of construction vehicle Person sitting in cab of construction vehicle

Operating a crane can be a high-risk activity at a construction site. Beyond the potential for serious injuries or death, a crane accident can result in significant property damage and impact the project’s budget and schedule. Crane accidents also can harm a construction company’s brand and reputation.

Having a well-trained lift team can help mitigate, and possibly eliminate, some of the risks associated with using cranes. A safe lift depends on a number of people filling roles including operators, riggers, signal persons, crane owners, crane users, lift directors and site supervisors, and the communication between those people.

Making sure all members of the team are qualified to do their jobs should be a priority. Training can help increase the awareness of risk and jobsite safety associated with crane operations. Crane safety specialists can assist companies in educating employees — from the lift director to the operator and even those working nearby.

Understanding the Safety Requirements

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) volume B30.5 (mobile cranes) and B30.3 (tower cranes), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have various standards for personnel involved in lifting operations. Make sure to review these standards to ensure all the roles mentioned are assigned within your organizational structure during lifting operations.

These standards also define the qualifications for personnel involved in lifting operations. Two commonly used terms for describing these qualifications are “qualified” and “competent” personnel.

A qualified person, according to OSHA 1926.1401, is “a person who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training and experience, successfully demonstrates the ability to solve/resolve problems relating to the subject matter, the work or the project.”

A competent person, according to OSHA 1926.1401, is “one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.”

4 Key Roles During Crane Operations

Following is a closer look at some, but not all, of the responsibilities of four key roles identified in ASME B30.5 and B30.3:

Crane Owner

ASME defines the “crane owner” as the party with custodial control of the crane and provides the necessary operational and maintenance information to the crane user. Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Providing a crane that meets the user’s requested configuration and capacity.
  • Providing all applicable load rating charts and diagrams and additional technical information when requested by crane user; field assembly/disassembly; operation; maintenance info; and placards and warning decals supplied by the manufacturer.
  • Establishing inspection, testing and maintenance procedures, and informing the crane user.
  • Designating qualified personnel for maintenance, repair, transport, assembly/disassembly and inspections.
  • Maintaining data for the rope currently installed on each drum of the crane.

Crane User

ASME defines the “crane user” as the party that arranges the crane’s presence at the site and controls the crane while on site, including ensuring only qualified operators who meet ASME’s standard B30.5 requirements operate the crane. The crane user also ensures all members of the lift team are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Other responsibilities include:

  • Ensuring compliance with requirements of the current ASME volume.
  • Ensuring the crane is operating according to manufacturer’s requirements and the worksite regulations.
  • Using only qualified supervisors and operators.
  • Ensuring the crane is in proper operating condition by verifying proper documentation has been received from the crane owner and frequent inspections are performed.
  • Verifying the crane has sufficient capacity to perform the work.
  • Informing crane owner if any rope has been replaced or shortened.

Site Supervisor

The site supervisor is described by ASME as the party that exercises supervisory control over the worksite and the work currently being performed. In some cases, the site supervisor and the lift director may be the same person. Other responsibilities include:

  • Ensuring the operator meets requirements of the applicable ASME volume.
  • Ensuring the crane meets inspection requirements prior to initial use.
  • Determining which regulations are applicable to crane operations.
  • Ensuring a qualified lift director is designated, rigging is supervised by a qualified person and maintenance is performed by a designated person.
  • Ensuring crane operations are coordinated with other jobsite activities.
  • Ensuring the area for the crane is adequately prepared, including access roads, sufficient room to assemble/disassemble the crane, ground conditions, proximity to power lines and other hazards and traffic control.
  • Ensuring adverse conditions are addressed, such as poor soil, wind velocity or gusting winds, fog, heavy rain, cold and artificial lighting.
  • Allowing crane operations near power lines only after applicable requirements are met.
  • Permitting special lifting operations, such as multiple crane lifts, only after the applicable procedures are implemented.

Lift Director

The lift director is described by ASME as the party that directly oversees the work being performed by the crane and the associated rigging crew. According to ASME B30.5, a lift director must be onsite for all lifting operations.

Responsibilities include:

  • Halting crane operations if alerted to an unsafe condition.
  • Ensuring area preparations are completed before crane operations commence.
  • Ensuring necessary traffic controls are in place.
  • Ensuring workers understand their responsibilities and the associated hazards.
  • Appointing signal people and ensuring they meet the applicable requirements.
  • Allowing crane operations near power lines only when applicable requirements are met.
  • Ensuring precautions are implemented for special lifting operations, such as multiple crane lifts.
  • Ensuring rigging is performed by competent personnel.
  • Ensuring the load is properly rigged and balanced.

In addition, OSHA requires lift directors to be both competent and qualified, or a competent person assisted by at least one qualified person, when performing multiple crane lifts.

Learn more about Travelers crane safety training program here.

Travelers is a recognized leader in providing crane safety training and education. Travelers Risk Control crane safety professionals lead several nationally recognized crane programs to advance safety and teach crane safety methods to contractors, operators and safety and management staff. Over the past decade and as part of Travelers continued commitment to the construction industry, Travelers Construction Risk Control professionals have conducted more than 200 sessions and trained over 6,000 workers on crane safety.

Learn More About Construction Insurance

More Prepare & Prevent

new construction workers onboarding

How to Onboard Construction Workers

Construction companies can help protect workers by hiring candidates with a focus on safety and giving ongoing safety training.

Skilled labor shortage

Construction Skilled Labor Shortages

Skilled labor shortages are a rising issue in construction, but hiring unqualified workers can have long-term negative impacts.

construction worker training new superintendent of tomorrow

Training the Superintendent of Tomorrow

It's not too early to think about training the next generation of superintendents so that they'll be prepared to bring the skills they'll need to safely and effectively manage a construction site.

Top Stories
construction workers reviewing clipboard on construction site

Going Beyond OSHA's Minimum Standards for Crane Safety

When preparing for crane operator OSHA certification, also train your supporting team about ongoing safe crane operations.

  • Learn more

Related Content

  • Staying Safe Around Heavy Equipment
  • 5 Key Questions for Developing a Sound Lift Plan
  • Finding an Effective Construction Subcontractor

Construction site with a crane

Crane Safety Expertise and Training

This 4.5 day crane safety training program is provided to Travelers customers at no additional cost.

  • Learn more

See All Construction Content


Travelers logo

Travelers and The Travelers Umbrella are registered trademarks of The Travelers Indemnity Company in the U.S. and other countries.
© 2019 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved.

  • Travelers on Facebook
  • Travelers on YouTube
  • Travelers on Twitter
  • Travelers on LinkedIn
  • Travelers on Instagram
Products & Services
  • For Individuals
  • For Businesses
  • Claim Services
  • Prepare & Prevent
Our Company
  • About Travelers
  • Careers
  • Investors
  • Sustainability
Connect
  • Customer Support
  • MyTravelers®
  • For Agents
Legal & Compliance
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy & Security
  • Accessibility
  • Producer Compensation Disclosure