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1998 ANSI B30.5 Qualifications

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is an organization that provides accreditation to a variety of regulations for industries in the United States. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires crane operators to meet the standards set by the 1998 ANSI B30.5 Qualification guidelines. Entities engaged in providing licensing and other certifications for crane and derrick operators use these standards when determining a person's qualifications.

  1. Types of Cranes

    • ANSI B30.5 Qualifications cover operation of derricks and mobile cranes, including lattice and telescopic boom types. Boom trucks, known as articulating cranes and units that float, including floating derricks, also fall under these qualifications. In addition, operators of gantry, portal, pillar, overhead, tower, monorail or under-hung cranes must be qualified according to ANSI B30.5.

    Test Requirements

    • Operators are required to pass either a written or an oral examination and must demonstrate the ability to read, write and comprehend. Basic arithmetic skills are required. Students must understand the responsibilities of a crane operator and support personnel such as the rigger, signal person and lift supervisor. Operators shall also demonstrate knowledge of crane communication and signaling procedures. An understanding of the crane operator manual, including inspection and maintenance procedures must be acknowledged. Furthermore, an operator shall prove his ability to identify certain crane configurations, calculate a load's size and shape and acknowledge the machine's capacity with the use of a load chart. This examination must also cover crane procedures such as set up, assembly, disassembly and demobilization. An operator's understanding of standards concerning a crane's safe distance from power lines and her emergency control ability must also be examined. Students must show their ability to physically level the machine, operate the boom, raise and lower the load line, attach and move a load and inspect the crane.

    Physical Skills

    • Qualified operators must present current certification from a doctor acknowledging they possess the strength, dexterity, agility, coordination and sufficient reaction time necessary to operate equipment. An operator's vision in one eye shall measure no less than 20/30 with at least 20/50 in the other. Corrective lenses are acceptable. Students must have a normal field of vision, normal depth perception and the ability to identify colors. Sufficient hearing is required without the use of a hearing device. Operators shall not experience dizziness or other similar characteristics. Any physical affliction or emotional instability that could create a danger to the operator or others will result in disqualification from the test.

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