ROCKVILLE, Md. - The Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) has released guidelines and training materials to assist contractors in complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) new standard on Cranes and Derricks in Construction that most affect the mechanical construction industry. The standard, which requires that riggers and signal persons be “qualified,” will be enforceable beginning Nov. 8.

“MCAA saw the new OSHA standard as an opportunity to help members educate and qualify their workers,” said Tom Skaggs, chairman of MCAA’s Safety and Health Committee and vice president – safety for the Murphy Company. “The affected workers need to be ‘qualified’ before they start rigging and signaling work, and getting everyone qualified in time for OSHA’s effective date required immediate action on our part.”

“Because the standard allows for in-house training and qualification, contractors won’t necessarily have to spend a lot to comply with it,” said MCAA Director of Safety and Health Pete Chaney. “These new publications provide the information our members need to get their companies in compliance by OSHA’s Nov. 8 effective date.”

MCAA’s new Evaluator’s Guide to Qualified Riggers and Evaluator’s Guide to Qualified Signal Persons provide the person conducting the qualifications with information, training materials, and tests to help document worker training. The Evaluator’s Guide to Qualified Riggers includes an updated version of the MCAA/MSCA Rigging Safety Guide, which assists contractors in planning for safe rigging operations involving mechanical industry equipment and materials.

MCAA members and local affiliated associations receive free access to both publications, and non-members may order through the online store at www.mcaa.org/store.

Publication date: 11/01/2010