Halting crane operations if alerted to unsafe conditions.The lift director could even have criminal charges brought against them in the event of a serious accident, so it’s a role those of us in the industry do not take lightly.Īccording to The American Society of Mechanical Engineers protocol B30.5, a lift director’s responsibilities include the following: OSHA enforces the requirement that a lift director be named and levies penalties for non-compliance. However, in some situations, the site supervisor and the lift director may be the same person.ĭesignating lift directors for your projects will ultimately save lives by assuring an experienced person carefully supervises every lift and has proper authority to make required changes when a safety issue arises. In most cases, the lift director accepts greater responsibility than the site supervisor and crane operator for the job. The OSHA designation of the title, while not saying much, gives them authority to take corrective actions when reviewing a lift plan. Lift directors used to be more commonly called “lead persons” on a rigging crew. The lift director must review the plan in a meeting with all workers who will be involved with the operation.” “The multiple-crane/derrick lift must be directed by a person who meets the criteria for both a competent person and a qualified person, or by a competent person who is assisted by one or more qualified persons (lift director). One role designated by these supplemental requirements is that of the lift director. If you work with cranes, you are familiar with OSHA 1926.1432, which covers multiple-crane/derrick lifts. Let’s take a look at the person who oversees lift operations. It’s someone reliable and dependable who has the work experience necessary to ensure safe rigging and lifting operations. A good lift director is a natural leader, a person others will trust and follow who is not afraid to make informed decisions and stand behind them.