ASCE Metropolitan Section - Met Section Hosts OSHA Sponsored Crane Safety Training

Met Section Hosts OSHA Sponsored Crane Safety Training

Crane Safety Training for Engineers and Supervisors

On July 16, 2009, the Met Section welcomed ASCE's Construction Institute (CI) for the inaugural presentation of the OSHA-sponsored Crane Safety Training for Engineers and Supervisors. Matt Burkart, P.E., a construction safety expert with over 40 years in the construction industry and active committee leader with ASCE/CI and ASCE, presented the three-hour crane safety training to 75 attendees at the Ketch Restaurant in Lower Manhattan.

The course was intended for construction engineers, supervisors, and owners, who wanted to learn more about crane safety on construction sites, and how to develop comprehensive crane safety plans that are both safety-program-compliant and project-specific. The goal of the training was to raise awareness of engineers' and management's roles, responsibilities, and influence with regard to safety on the construction worksite—including crane safety.

Learning objectives for the program included:

identifying the elements of a site specific crane safety plan;
recommending best practices regarding management roles and responsibilities for crane safety on construction sites—from owner to subcontractor—to minimize accidents and raise the level of safety;
covering hazards associated with crane operation and explaining how the crane safety plan will minimize the risk of crane accidents; and
exploring current regulations, standards and certification programs.

Program attendees identified particular course strengths in the areas of ground bearing issues and understanding site conditions before bringing a crane to the site, hazard analysis and awareness, alternative lifting methods, lift plans and pre-lift preparation.

Earlier in the day Mr. Burkart presented the training to 30 engineers and managers working on New York State Department of Transportation projects in a session hosted by AECOM and NYSDOT.

The Long Island Branch will be organizing another crane safety training course on October 15, 2009 in Levittown, NY.