New England

Roofing Industry
Partnership

Materials Handling, Rigging,

& Cranes

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Training Objectives

After completing this unit, you will:

Know the basic OSHA requirements for the
storage and disposal of materials.
Know hazards in both mechanical and
manual material handling.
Understand hazards of rigging and crane
operations and how to minimize them.
Be aware of proper lifting techniques.

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References

29 CFR 1926.250; Subpart H, Materials

Handling, Storage, Use, and Disposal

29CFR1926.500, Subpart N Cranes,

Derricks, Hoists, Elevators, and
Conveyors

29CFR1926.600, Subpart O Motor

Vehicles, Mechanized Equipment, and
Marine Operations

ANSI and ASME Standards

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Materials Handling Dangers

Unsafe storage and materials movement

can lead to:
Back injuries (the number one cause of
worker compensation claims).
Struck-by or crushed by falling loads due to
rigging failures.
Electrocutions due to power line contact.
Injury from falling materials.
Injury from slipping, tripping and falling.

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Moving Materials by Hand:

Back Facts

8 out of 10 Americans will have a

back injury during their life.
Approximately 1 out of 3 injuries at
work are back injuries.
Personal pain and inconvenience
can not be measured.
Back injuries cost employers an
estimated 10 billion dollars each
year!

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Preventing Back Injuries

You can avoid back injuries by:

Using mechanical aids.
Using proper lifting techniques.
Keeping in lifting shape.
Working as a team when lifting.
Knowing the truth about back belts.

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Proper Lifting Technique

Basic moves of a proper lift:

Plan your lift.
Use a wide-balanced stance.
Get close to the load and keep it close to your
body.
Tighten your stomach muscles.
Keep your back straight and use your legs.
Turn with with your feet dont twist your back.
Avoid lifting above shoulder height.

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A Proper Lift

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Keeping in Lifting Shape

Keeping your stomach and back
muscles strong can help prevent back
injuries.
Even if you dont work out in a gym, you
can prevent back injuries.
Strength and flexibility exercises should
be done at least every other day.

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For Strength and Flexibility

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Mechanical Aids
Use hand trucks,
dollies, carts, wheel
barrows, and
wagons whenever
possible.
Encourage
management to
include mechanical
aids whenever
possible.

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Mechanical Aids

Slab carrying rig

here has eliminated
bending over and
has provided secure
non-abrasive handholds.

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Team Lifting

Use team lifting for:

Loads too heavy for one person.
Loads too bulky for one person.
Long loads such as pipes and rolls of
material.

Talk to your team-mate!

Coordinate your lift!

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What About Back Belts?

The National Institute for Occupational

Safety and Health (NIOSH) says:
Back belts may not reduce stress on the
back.
May increase blood pressure and heart rate.
May make you think you can lift heavier
loads with a belt on and you could get hurt
trying to.

If you want to wear a belt; dont wear it

too tight and dont lift more than you
usually would.

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Material Storage

Five basic rules for safe storage:

Keep total weight within the safe loading
limits of the buildings floors.
Keep passageways clear.
Control materials so they do not slide, fall, or
collapse.
Provide cribbing for heavy loads on unstable
surfaces.
Store materials away from traffic.

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What Does OSHA Require?

Basic requirements:
Dont put materials within 10 feet of roof
edge.
Dont store materials on scaffolds or
runways.
Keep materials at least 6 feet from floor
openings and hoistways.
Keep aisles clear.
Keep work area free from tripping, fire,
explosion, pest and vegetation hazards.

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OSHA Also Requires

Specific requirements:
Stack bagged materials by stepping
back the layers and cross-keying the
bags at least every 10 bags high.
Stack bricks no higher than 7 feet.
Taper masonry blocks back one-half
block per tier for stacks above 6 feet.
Stack lumber on sills and on level
solid ground - never exceed 16 feet
high and always remove nails!

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Setting Materials on the Deck

What could happen to these stacked materials?

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Disposal of Waste Material

OSHA requirements:
Scrap lumber, waste and trash must be regularly
removed from the work area.
Burning must meet local regulations.
Materials dropped more than 20 feet require a chute.
Solvent waste, oily rags, and flammables must be
kept in fire resistant containers until removed.
If the waste is considered hazardous, your employer
will have to follow federal, state, and local
regulations.

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Debris Chutes

Objectives in using a chute: material control,

dust control and protection of workers and
bystanders note the differences here.

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Mechanical Materials Handling

Depending on the job, you might use

or work around:
Buggies
Roof Hoists
Conveyors
Skid-steers (Bobcats)
Rough Terrain Forklifts (Lulls)
Cranes

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Buggies

What are the safety concerns while moving

materials with these?

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Mechanical Equipment on Flat Roofs

Will the deck support the weight of the

equipment?
Has the equipment been inspected?
Are all equipment guards in place?
Is the operator trained?
See Subpart C - .20(b)(4)

Are all aware that the equipment is not to be

operated outside warning lines due to the fall
hazard?
See Subpart M - Fall Protection -.502
Closest approach is 6 feet parallel and 10 feet
perpendicular to direction of travel.

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Roof Hoists
What are the
manufacturers
instructions for
set up & use?
What does
OSHA say?

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Roof Hoist Safety Concerns

.552(a)(1) Compliance with manufacturers

specifications and limitations.
.552(a)(2) Load capacity, hazard warnings and
instructions must be posted.
.552(a)(3)(i-iv) Wire rope replacement
criteria.
.552(a)(4) Hoist rope is to be installed in
accordance with manufacturers instructions.
.501(b)(3) Fall Protection (Subpart M) in
hoist area.

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Is the Hoist Operator Protected?

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Using Conveyors to Move Materials

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Safety Concerns In Conveyor Use

Set up and used in accordance with the

manufacturers instructions?

Guards in place on pinch points?

Power line clearances maintained?

Maintenance program in place?

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Safety Concerns In Conveyor Use

No riders on conveyor!

.555(a) Means for stopping motor at

operators station and start up warning.

.555(a)(5) Protection for workers below

against falling objects.

.555(a)(7) Lockout/Tagout for maintenance.

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Using Conveyors to Move Materials

Power line
clearance?
Back up alarm or
signal person?
Fall protection for
roof workers?

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Using Skid Steers

If on the roof will it take the load?
Is the operator qualified?

.20(b)(4) Again! Training is available from

some manufacturers.
Skid Steers are powerful, work in close
quarters with people and are very quick,
with large areas where the operator cannot
see (the no-zone).

Is the work area adequately barricaded?

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Skid Steer Loader

What do we
need to know
about this
operator?

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Operator sight distances

from eye level to ground

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The NO-ZONE
11 7

Eye level 5
ft - 5 in
above
ground level

11 5

21 8
4 10

6 1
3 1
6 3

Vehicle:
S-44
Bobcat

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Using Forklifts to Move Materials

What do we need to know?

Is the operator trained?
See .602(d)

Has the machine been inspected and

properly maintained?
Is the backup alarm audible?
Are ground personnel protected?
Is the balanced load within capacity?
Are workers on roof protected from falls?

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Getting Materials to the Roof

How can we protect against falls in these

situations?

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Using Forklifts

What precautions need to be taken around

the machines operating area?

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Eye level 7 ft - 3 in above

Operator sight distances
ground level
from eye level to ground
85 0
18 2

7 9

10 9

3 0

39 0

The NO-Zone
21 2

14 10

Vehicle: R-14793
High Reach Fork
Lift

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Platforms on Forklifts

If you work off of

some attachment
it must:

(1) Be secured to forks.

(2) Have a guardrail.
(3) Have a Personal Fall
Arrest System tie-off.
(4) Used only while the
operator is in the seat.

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Rigging and Crane Safety

Rigging is the lines or cables used to
lift and move materials by hoisting
with a crane.
A rigger is a skilled mechanic who
prepares heavy equipment or loads
of material for movement.

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Examples of Rigging

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The Hazards of Rigging

Possible contact with power lines.
Rigging failures due to overloaded,
improper, or defective rigging.
Out of control loads.
Being struck by the cranes swing
radius.

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Can Anyone Rig or Lift Loads?

Rigging must be done under the
supervision of a Competent Person.
The crane operator must be highly
qualified and certified.
Improper rigging or unqualified
operators can be deadly!

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The Riggers Duties

The rigger selects
the rigging.
The rigger sets-up
the rigging.
The rigger directs
the lift.

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OSHA Rigging Requirements

All slings and hardware must be manufactured

to meet demanding specifications which
include safety factors.

All web or alloy chain slings must be clearly

stamped, marked, or labeled, for capacity.

OSHA prohibits job made: slings, hooks, links,

and fasteners formed from bolts.

Before each use all components must be

inspected by a Competent Person.

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Safe Working Load (SWL)

The maximum load allowed on rigging is the

Safe Working Load (SWL).

The sling may actually be able to hold 5

times the SWL.

A safety factor is the ratio of the ultimate

strength to the SWL.

If a rigger exceeds the SWL, then they lose

some of the safety factor.

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Knowing Safe Working Loads

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Sling Angle

The safest sling angles are greater

than 450 from the horizontal.

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Rigging the Load

Sling angles <450, load
unstable, worker not
protected.

Balanced load; sling angle >600

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Working Safely Around Rigging

General safety practices:

Keep at least ten feet away from power
lines up to 50 kV.
Increase power line clearance distance
by .4 per kV >50kV
Never hoist loads over workers.
Never stand too close or under a load.
Never ride a load.

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Working Safely Around Rigging2

General safety practices:

Use tag lines to control loads while
lifting.
Test lift the rigging.
Use proper equipment, make sure it is
marked, not home-made, and in good
shape.

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Crane Hand Signals

Only a qualified rigger will give hand signals.

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Basic Crane Safety

Do we have the right crane for the job?
Is the operator qualified on that crane?
Has the crane been inspected?
Is the crane set up on solid ground?

Full outriggers with cribbing?

Level, with tires off the ground?

Are power line clearances known?

Do we know the weight of the load?
Is everyone aware that a lift is being
made?

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Basic Crane Safety2

Is the load properly rigged for a

stable, vertical lift?
Is there a high wind condition?
Is the swing radius barricaded?
Can a tagline be properly used?
Can the crane make the lift and set
the load without interference?

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Truck-Mounted Cranes/Boom Trucks

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Case Study: What went wrong?

Two employees were moving
structural steel building
beams to a storage area.
After setting the fourth beam
on the crib, the signal man
signaled the crane operator to
pull the sling from around a
cribbed structural beam which
was set on its flange side.
The second employee then
attempted to remove the
shackle from the beam when
the swaged fitting of the sling
apparently caught and caused
the steel beam to roll off the
cribbing, crushing the second
employee.

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Materials Handling
(1926.250 - 252)

Common OSHA Citations:

.251(a)(1) Rigging equipment inspection
and removal from service.
.251(e)(8) Synthetic Web Slings removal from
service.
.252(a) Exterior drop chutes
.251(a)(4) Rigging capacity not marked not prooftested.

How can the hazards addressed by these Standards

best be corrected, controlled, or eliminated?

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Review Questions

True or False?
1. Back injuries are the number one cause
of worker compensation claims.
2. Using proper lifting techniques, staying in
shape, using mechanical aids, and team
lifting are the best ways to avoid back
injuries.
3. Using a back belt almost always prevents
a back injury.
4. Anyone can hook-up a sling and be a
rigger.

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Review Questions

True or False?
5. Job-made slings, hooks, links, and fasteners
formed from bolts are allowed if a Competent
Person says so.
6. Proper knots are permitted in web-slings.
7. Slings should be inspected before each use
and pulled from service if found defective.
8. The safest sling angles are less than 45
degrees from the horizontal.

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Review Questions

True or False?
9. Cranes and rigging must stay at least 10
feet from power lines.
10. Materials can be stored within 10 feet of
the roofs edge.
11. Materials dropped more than 20 feet
require a chute.
12. Materials must be kept at least 2 feet from
floor openings and hoistways.

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