ASME’s B30 standard has undergone an overhaul where personnel responsibilities are concerned. Section 5-3.1.3 of the recently released 2007 B30.5 volume now outlines responsibilities for all the individual members of the lifting operation, not just the operator. The operator, owner, end user, lift director, and supervisor are all integral parts of a safe lift operation, and the new volume includes qualifications for each.
Previously, there were no descriptions at all – other than the operator was responsible for operations under his direct control, according to Larry DeMark, subcommittee member and director of training for the Operating Engineers Local 825 in Brunswick, N.J. “The person in charge of lifting operations was mentioned, but there were few responsibilities mentioned,” he said. “Because operators are not doing this all by themselves, it was time everyone knew what their responsibilities were.”
The B30.5 volume, which is a part of the B30 standard, is updated on a three-year cycle, and changes in the wire rope section will be published in the 2010 standard, which will be released with an effective date of 2011. “There was a lot of discussion because of new manufacturers and new types of wire rope, which have their own new recommendations,” said DeMark. “Some areas need to be upgraded more than rewritten,” including the various wire rope inspections and differing inspection criteria.
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
