Under 29 CFR 1910.179(j)(1)(ii), inspection of an overhead or gantry crane in regular service "is divided into two general classifications based upon the intervals at which inspection should be performed": frequent, at "daily to monthly intervals," and periodic, at "1 to 12-month intervals." The standard lists what each one covers, names three monthly records that carry a date, a signature and an identifier, and adds a test the operator runs at the start of every shift. This article covers which cranes it applies to, what the daily and periodic checks look for, what gets written down, and what has to happen before a crane with a defect runs again.
A note on scope: this is the federal OSHA general industry standard for overhead and gantry cranes. Crawler, locomotive and truck cranes have their own section, cranes used in construction fall under Part 1926, states with OSHA-approved plans can set different requirements, and nothing here is legal advice.
Paragraph (b)(1) applies the section to "overhead and gantry cranes, including semigantry, cantilever gantry, wall cranes, storage bridge cranes, and others having the same fundamental characteristics," grouped "because they all have trolleys and similar travel characteristics." An overhead crane, under paragraph (a), has "a movable bridge carrying a movable or fixed hoisting mechanism and traveling on an overhead fixed runway structure"; a gantry crane carries its bridge on legs running on fixed rails.
Two general requirements come first. Under (b)(8), "only designated personnel shall be permitted to operate a crane covered by this section," designated meaning "selected or assigned by the employer or the employer's representative as being qualified to perform specific duties." Under (b)(5), the rated load "shall be plainly marked on each side of the crane," and each hoist's rated load on the hoist or its load block, "clearly legible from the ground or floor."
The employer sets the interval for each crane from its duty and surroundings, within those ranges. A crane running three shifts in a foundry and one that lifts a die once a week do not need the same schedule, but each needs one.
Paragraph (j)(2) lists the items, inspected "for defects at intervals as defined in paragraph (j)(1)(ii) of this section or as specifically indicated, including observation during operation for any defects which might appear between regular inspections." Every deficiency "shall be carefully examined and determination made as to whether they constitute a safety hazard."
One more item sits outside paragraph (j) but belongs on the same sheet. Under (n)(4)(i), "at the beginning of each operator's shift, the upper limit switch of each hoist shall be tried out under no load," with the block "inched" into the limit or run in at slow speed; if it does not operate properly, "the appointed person shall be immediately notified." Under (n)(4)(ii), that switch "shall never be used as an operating control." The overhead crane inspection checklist puts the daily items and the limit switch test on one sheet, with fields for the hook and chain identifiers so it can serve as the monthly record too.
Three items call for a "certification record," and all three carry the same contents: the date of the inspection, the signature of the person who performed it, and an identifier for the part inspected.
Rope idle for a month or more "due to shutdown or storage of a crane on which it is installed" gets a thorough inspection before use under (m)(2), by an appointed person "whose approval shall be required for further use of the rope," with the same kind of record.
Under (j)(3), the periodic inspection repeats the frequent items and adds these: deformed, cracked or corroded members; loose bolts or rivets; cracked or worn sheaves and drums; worn, cracked or distorted pins, bearings, shafts, gears, rollers, locking and clamping devices; excessive wear on brake system parts, linings, pawls and ratchets; load, wind and other indicators "over their full range, for any significant inaccuracies"; powerplants for improper performance; excessive wear of chain drive sprockets and chain stretch; and electrical apparatus "for signs of pitting or any deterioration of controller contactors, limit switches and pushbutton stations."
Paragraph (j)(4) covers cranes that have not been working. Idle for a month or more but less than six months: the frequent inspection and the (m)(2) rope inspection before the crane goes back into service. Idle for more than six months: a complete inspection under (j)(2) and (j)(3), plus (m)(2). Standby cranes, those "not in regular service" but "used occasionally or intermittently as required": the (j)(2) and (m)(2) inspections at least semi-annually.
Under (k)(1), "prior to initial use all new and altered cranes shall be tested" for hoisting and lowering, trolley travel, bridge travel, and "limit switches, locking and safety devices." The hoist limit switch's trip setting is found "with an empty hook traveling in increasing speeds up to the maximum speed," and it has to trip "in sufficient time to prevent contact of the hook or hook block with any part of the trolley." The rated load test under (k)(2) uses "not more than 125 percent of the rated load unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer," with the reports "placed on file where readily available to appointed personnel."
Under (l)(3)(i), "any unsafe conditions disclosed by the inspection requirements of paragraph (j) of this section shall be corrected before operation of the crane is resumed. Adjustments and repairs shall be done only by designated personnel." Hooks with the (j)(2)(iii) defects "shall be discarded"; repairs by welding or reshaping "are not generally recommended" and, if attempted, are done under competent supervision and load tested under (k)(2) before further use.
Before repairs start, (l)(2) sets the sequence: run the crane where it causes the least interference with other cranes and operations; all controllers off; the main or emergency switch "open and locked in the open position"; warning or "out of order" signs on the crane and "on the floor beneath or on the hook where visible from the floor"; rail stops where other cranes share the runway. Afterward the crane "shall not be operated until all guards have been reinstalled, safety devices reactivated and maintenance equipment removed." How that locked switch fits the wider energy control program is covered in lockout/tagout requirements. All of it sits inside the (l)(1) requirement for "a preventive maintenance program based on the crane manufacturer's recommendations."
A clipboard at the pendant station can carry the daily check, and a binder the monthly records. What paper cannot do is prove, a year later, that the limit switch was tried at the start of each shift, or stop a crane with a cracked hook from running until someone reads the binder.
The same pattern applies to the rest of a site's safety checks: safety inspections that get done.
If your plant runs overhead cranes alongside forklifts and lifting gear, see how Vardian handles safety inspections and corrective action: a scan at the crane, the daily items and the limit switch test as a form, hook and rope identifiers carried from the asset record into the monthly certification, and a failed check that takes the crane out of service and becomes a work order.
Bring a round, an inspection or a maintenance process to a demo, and we'll show how it runs in Vardian.
Book a demo
OSHA's lockout/tagout standard asks for written procedures, trained employees, a fixed sequence for isolating and releasing equipment, and a periodic inspection at least once a year. What the rule says, what it leaves to you, and what to check.
OSHA 1910.146 requires a written entry permit before anyone enters a permit-required confined space: the entry supervisor signs it, it is posted at the portal, it lasts no longer than the job, and it identifies 15 items. What goes on it, who signs, and how long to keep it.
OSHA 1926.451(f)(3) requires a competent person to inspect scaffolds for visible defects before each work shift and after any occurrence that could affect structural integrity. General industry follows the same rule through 1910.27(a). Who can inspect, what to check, and what to record.