NYS Requires Crane Operator Certificate of Competence

With the new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation gradually going into effect, one of the more interesting parts of the regulation is the fact that the regulation does not pre-eminent state and local regulations. 
Crane operators in New York State must realize in addition to complying with the new OSHA regulation, they must also comply with New York State requirements that requires them to get a Certificate of Competence.  This requirement applies to all cranes having a manufacture’s maximum rated capacity exceeding five tons or over forty feet of boom length and to all tower cranes. This applies whether the crane is used for construction, demolition, or excavation work.

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Crane Failure Case Heading to Court

Its amazing that the OSHA investigation found no violations.  However, the Manhattan DA found enough evidence to bring manslaughter charges against J. Lomma, T. Varganyi, JF Lomma Inc, and NY Crane.  Key quote from the article was "Equipment owners may be held personally liable—even if safety regulators in their official investigation are unable to find code violations."  Will the threat of criminal charges actually start CEOs thinking about safety first.

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