This document summarizes OSHA regulations for suspended personnel platforms used to lift employees. It outlines requirements for equipment capacity, safety devices, platform design, inspections, proof testing, environmental conditions, fall protection, and pre-lift meetings. Key requirements include using platforms rated for half the crane's capacity, installing guardrails and fall arrest anchors, conducting trial lifts, providing overhead protection on platforms, and holding pre-lift meetings to review safety procedures. The document ensures lifted platforms and rigging meet standards to protect employees from falls, falling objects, overloading equipment, and other hazards.

1. Suspended Personnel Platforms

2. Exercise
• Find four standards

3. March 2015
• Using a crane hook to make bucket leg connection.
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4. • 1926.1431(a) The use of
equipment to hoist employees
is prohibited except where the
employer demonstrates that
the erection, use, and
dismantling of conventional
means of reaching the work
area, such as a personnel hoist,
ladder, stairway, aerial lift,
elevating work platform, or
scaffold, would be more
hazardous, or is not possible
because of the project's
structural design or worksite
conditions.

5. 1926.1431(d)(1)
• Capacity: Use of suspended
personnel platforms. The total
load (with the platform loaded,
including the hook, load line and
rigging) must not exceed 50
percent of the rated capacity for
the radius and configuration of the
equipment, except during proof
testing.

6. 1926.1431(d)(2)
• Capacity: Use of boom-attached
personnel platforms. The total
weight of the loaded personnel
platform must not exceed 50
percent of the rated capacity for
the radius and configuration of
the equipment (except during
proof testing).

7. 1926.1431(d)(5)(i)
• A boom angle indicator, readily visible to the
operator, and
• A boom hoist limiting device.
• Articulating cranes must be equipped with a
properly functioning automatic overload
protection device.
• Equipment with a luffing jib must be
equipped with:
• A jib angle indicator, readily visible to the
operator, and.
• A jib hoist limiting device.
• Equipment with telescoping booms must be
equipped with a device to indicate the
boom's extended length clearly to the
operator, or must have measuring marks on
the boom.

8. 1926.1431(d)(5)(v)
• Anti two-block. A device which
automatically prevents damage
and load failure from contact
between the load block,
overhaul ball, or similar
component, and the boom tip
(or fixed upper block or similar
component) must be used. The
device(s) must prevent such
damage/failure at all points
where two-blocking could occur.

9. 1926.1431(e)(1)
• A qualified person familiar with
structural design must design
the personnel platform and
attachment/suspension system
used for hoisting personnel.

10. 1926.1431(e)(6)
• The personnel platform must be
equipped with a guardrail system
which meets the requirements of
subpart M of this part, and must be
enclosed at least from the
toeboard to mid-rail with either
solid construction material or
expanded metal having openings
no greater than ½ inch (1.27 cm).
• Points to which personal fall arrest
systems are attached must meet
the anchorage requirements in
subpart M of this part.

11. 1926.1431(e)(7)
• A grab rail must be installed
inside the entire perimeter of
the personnel platform except
for access gates/doors.

12. 1926.1431(e)(8)(ii)
• Access gates/doors. If installed,
access gates/doors of all types
(including swinging, sliding,
folding, or other types) must:
• Be equipped with a device that
prevents accidental opening.

13. 1926.1431(e)(12)
• The weight of the platform and
its rated capacity must be
conspicuously posted on the
platform with a plate or other
permanent marking.

14. 1926.1431(g)(1)(i)(A)
• Hooks and other detachable
devices.
• Hooks used in the connection
between the hoist line and the
personnel platform (including
hooks on overhaul ball assemblies,
lower load blocks, bridle legs, or
other attachment assemblies or
components) must be:
• Of a type that can be closed and
locked, eliminating the throat
opening.

15. 1926.1431(g)(2)
• Rope bridle. When a rope bridle
is used to suspend the personnel
platform, each bridle leg must
be connected to a master link or
shackle (see paragraph (g)(1) of
this section) in a manner that
ensures that the load is evenly
divided among the bridle legs.

16. 1926.1431(h)(1)
• A trial lift with the unoccupied personnel
platform loaded at least to the
anticipated liftweight must be made from
ground level, or any other location where
employees will enter the platform, to
each location at which the platform is to
be hoisted and positioned. Where there is
more than one location to be reached
from a single set-up position, either
individual trial lifts for each location, or a
single trial lift, in which the platform is
moved sequentially to each location,
must be performed; the method selected
must be the same as the method that will
be used to hoist the personnel.

17. 1926.1431(h)(4)
• Immediately after the trial lift,
the competent person must:
• Conduct a visual inspection of
the equipment, base support or
ground, and personnel platform,
to determine whether the trial
lift has exposed any defect or
problem or produced any
adverse effect. 1926.1431(j)(1)
At each jobsite, prior to hoisting employees on the
personnel platform, and after any repair or modification,
the platform and rigging must be proof tested to 125
percent of the platform's rated capacity. The proof test
may be done concurrently with the trial lift.

18. 1926.1431(k)(8)(i)
• Wind. When wind speed
(sustained or gusts) exceeds 20
mph at the personnel platform,
a qualified person must
determine if, in light of the wind
conditions, it is not safe to lift
personnel.
• If it is not, the lifting operation
must not begin (or, if already in
progress, must be terminated).

19. 1926.1431(k)(10)(i)
• Except over water, employees occupying the personnel platform must
be provided and use a personal fall arrest system. The system must be
attached to a structural member within the personnel platform. When
working over or near water, the requirements of § 1926.106 apply.

20. 1926.1431(m)
• Pre-lift meeting. A pre-lift
meeting must be:
• Held to review the applicable
requirements of this section and
the procedures that will be
followed.
What is an issue?

21. 1926.1431(e)(10)
• In addition to the use of hard hats,
employees must be protected by
overhead protection on the
personnel platform when
employees are exposed to falling
objects. The platform overhead
protection must not obscure the
view of the operator or platform
occupants (such as wire mesh that
has up to ½ inch openings), unless
full protection is necessary.

22. Questions?
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