Crane operations are among the most hazardous workflows in construction. However, building firms can still avoid accidents if they pay close attention to a few crane safety best practices.

Even experienced operators and safety managers can make mistakes or forget key preventive measures. Here is an essential crane safety checklist to run through before your next project.

1. Use the right type of crane

The first step to safer crane operations is selecting the right equipment for the job. Carry deck cranes may be easy to set up and sufficient for fast, simple tasks, but they lack the support necessary for rougher terrain or taller lifts.

In addition to choosing an appropriate type of crane, project managers should consider their specific machine’s capacity. OSHA dictates that working loads cannot exceed manufacturers’ ratings or design limitations, so it’s important to review these restrictions to find a crane that can handle your specific lift requirements. 

2. Partner with reliable vendors

After deciding on a specific crane, consider where you get it. The same equipment from different vendors can vary widely in quality, upkeep and support — all of which can heavily impact worker safety.

Construction firms must only partner with reliable equipment providers with a reputation for transparency and maintenance. Even though on-site, day-off inspections are essential, vendors should perform their own safety checks before leasing cranes. You can find such partners by asking for their maintenance and inspection protocols and reading customer reviews, paying special attention to upkeep concerns.

3. Anchor and rig everything carefully

Once the crane is on-site, teams must anchor and rig the equipment with care. Refer to the OEM’s recommendations to determine how far outriggers should extend for your lift and what counterweights you may need. Remember to keep cranes and their stabilization mechanisms on flat, stable ground, regardless of manufacturer guidelines or lift heights.

Workers must apply the same care when rigging the load itself. Consider the payload’s weight, weight distribution, angle and susceptibility to wind to determine the best way to position and strap it in.

4. Inspect cranes before use

Pre-use inspections are also critical to OSHA-compliant crane safety protocols. Failing to do so can carry hefty penalties — OSHA fined two contractors $61,299 in October 2024 for failing to identify damaged crane components before an incident that tragically ended in an employee’s death.

Regardless of the lift or if a crane receives inspections from its vendor, construction teams must assign an experienced, licensed operator to review the equipment before use. Such safety checks should happen daily if the project uses a crane over multiple days. It’s also best to follow a specific, in-depth checklist to ensure the inspector reviews all relevant components and practices.

5. Inspect operator harnessing

Similarly, you must always inspect fall arrest mechanisms. Falls from heights account for 38.7% of workplace deaths in construction, and proper harnessing can prevent death or injury even when other equipment fails.

Like with the crane itself, fall protection inspections are a daily occurrence. Employees should also report unusual signs they notice, even if they may not lead to safety concerns. Any amount of wear and tear is too much when it comes to protecting employees from a potentially fatal fall. 

6. Ensure all personnel are well-trained

Crane safety training is another key part of safe operations. Anyone involved in the project — including those who don’t work with the crane but may be near it — should receive thorough training on relevant hazards and the required practices to address them.

Experience is not a stand-in for education. Even veteran workers can forget steps or become complacent, so it’s a good idea to review crane safety steps with the team before a project begins. These standards include all OSHA requirements and site-specific hazards and communication protocols.

7. Communicate thoroughly

Communication is also critical to crane safety. Before the workday begins, managers should go over relevant hazards and the lift plan with all operators and other workers involved in the process. During the lift, teams can use radios, flags and hand signals to guide each other and communicate risks in the moment.

Operators cannot always see every hazard, so other workers should inform them of what’s near them so they can adjust accordingly. For example, equipment must be at least 10 feet away from power lines, so employees on the ground must signal operators when the boom gets near one, directing them to move away.

8. Maintain cranes and complementary equipment

All cranes and supplemental equipment must also receive thorough maintenance. Poor care can lead to damage or performance issues that create larger hazards as the project progresses. By contrast, proactive repairs make unexpected problems less likely.

Relevant maintenance steps depend on the specific equipment in question. Teams should review OEM recommendations and consider using Internet of Things (IoT) sensors or other crane safety devices to monitor machine conditions to catch emerging issues early.

9. Monitor the weather

Environmental hazards also deserve attention. Before each day begins, you should review the weather to get a picture of what winds or other weather-related risks may threaten your lift.

Wind protections are not always a matter of OSHA or state regulations, but they’re still important. A crane in Tampa Bay, Florida, fell 550 feet in Hurricane Milton despite officials warning teams to take it down before the storm. In this case, local laws did not require any action, but if workers had responded to the weather anyway, they could’ve prevented much of the damage.

10. Create a plan for every lift

You should have a formal crane safety checklist for every lift. This list includes the load, its weight, how high you’ll lift it, who will perform each task and what safety steps you’ll follow to prevent accidents.

You can use crane safety devices like simulation software to estimate site-specific hazards or determine the kinds of rigging and counterweights you need. While it may take additional time, creating a detailed life plan for each crane operation will significantly reduce the likelihood of unforeseen incidents.

Build your crane safety checklist on these tips

Crane safety must go beyond OSHA’s recommendations. Heights can quickly turn deadly, so there’s no such thing as being too careful when working with this equipment. Start with these 10 tips to form your own safety plan and keep all workers safe.