OSHA announced that it will exclude monorail hoists from the requirements of the cranes and derricks in construction standards as long as employers meet other agency requirements.
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According to a news release, the policy change came in response to comments from stakeholders and in recognition that a monorail hoist—which is attached to a fixed monorail mounted on trucks or scaffolding systems—is significantly different from other cranes and derricks in construction. Hoists are used to lift mechanical equipment, precast concrete components, and storage tanks.
OSHA explains that some monorail hoists can be extended and contracted in only a fixed, horizontal direction. They do not rotate, swing on a hinge, or boom out much farther than the equipment to which they are mounted.
Under the announced policy, OSHA will not cite employers for failing to meet the requirements of Subpart CC if they meet the requirements of the overhead hoists and general training standards. General industry requirements for monorail hoists are not changed.
“This enforcement policy is a commonsense approach to addressing industry concerns while also ensuring workers are protected,” said Dean McKenzie, director of OSHA’s Directorate of Construction.