Cranes and Derricks Rule in Final Stage
OSHA's pending cranes and derricks in construction rule was submitted for OMB review on April 9, which means the July 2010 date for publishing the final rule could be met.
A negotiated rulemaking for which the U.S. construction industry has been waiting a long time is near the regulatory finish line: OSHA's pending cranes and derricks in construction rule was submitted for OMB review April 9, which means the agency may achieve its July 2010 date for publishing the final rule.
OSHA announced its intent to establish a negotiated rulemaking for this rule in July 2002, announced the committee members one year later, and had a consensus document from that panel in July 2004.
The
summary of the rule posted on the
OMB reginfo.gov site says OSHA is still working on the cost and benefit estimates for the rule and the risk analysis. Crane technology has changed significantly since the consensus standards were developed on which OSHA's existing 1971 standard is based, the summary notes, adding that an estimated 64 to 89 fatalities are associated with cranes each year in construction, and the new standard would help to prevent these.