This memorandum announced a temporary enforcement policy for crane operator certification under the Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC), effective November 10, 2018.
OSHA stated plainly that it does not intend to enforce the requirement that certifications identify a lifting capacity for the certification. The move tracked a proposed rulemaking announced May 18, 2018 that would remove the lifting capacity certification requirement altogether. OSHA said the policy aims to maintain current industry practices and avoid any further confusion that could disrupt construction projects while the final rule was pending.
The relief is narrow: operators must still meet all other certification requirements in 29 CFR 1926.1427, and employers must comply with applicable state and local licensing requirements. OSHA noted the approach aligns with its de minimis citation policy, which allows employers to comply with proposed standards when they provide equal or greater employee protection. Effective dates for the revised training and certification requirements would be announced through a Federal Register notice of the final rule.