REFERENCE · GLOSSARY · 16
Plain-English, citation-backed definitions of the terms that govern equipment inspection — DVIR and the DOT annual, OSHA 1926.1412, ASME B30, competent vs. qualified person, lockout/tagout, critical lifts, load charts, and more. Answer-first, so you get the definition before the detail.
3 TERMS
The DOT annual inspection is the periodic inspection required by FMCSA 49 CFR 396.17. Every commercial motor vehicle must pass a comprehensive inspection at least once every 12 months, performed and documented by a qualified inspector against the minimum standards in Appendix A to Part 396.
Read definitionA DVIR is the written record a commercial driver completes documenting the condition of a vehicle. Under FMCSA 49 CFR 396.11, a driver must prepare a report at the end of each driving day on every vehicle operated, noting any defect that would affect safe operation.
Read definitionA pre-trip inspection is the safety check a commercial driver performs before operating a vehicle. Under FMCSA 49 CFR 396.13, the driver must be satisfied the vehicle is in safe operating condition, review the last DVIR, and confirm any noted defects were repaired before driving.
Read definition5 TERMS
A critical lift is a crane lift that carries elevated risk and therefore requires extra planning, engineering review, and a written lift plan. Common triggers include lifts exceeding roughly 75% of the crane's rated capacity, multi-crane (tandem) picks, and any lift hoisting personnel.
Read definitionA load chart is the manufacturer's table of a crane's rated lifting capacity for every combination of boom length, lift radius, and configuration. It defines the maximum weight the crane may safely hoist at each geometry and is the reference for determining percent-of-capacity on any lift.
Read definitionA MEWP — Mobile Elevating Work Platform — is the current term for aerial lifts such as boom lifts and scissor lifts that raise workers to elevated work. The ANSI/SAIA A92.20 standards govern their design, safe use, and required pre-use inspection before each work shift.
Read definitionA personnel basket is a platform suspended from a crane hook to hoist workers when no safer means of access exists. OSHA 1926.1431 permits it only as a last resort and requires the crane to be derated to 50% of its rated capacity for the lift, among other strict controls.
Read definitionA proof load test applies a known overload — typically 100% to 125% of rated capacity — to a crane, hoist, or rigging device to verify it can safely handle its rated load. It is required after major repairs, alterations, or initial commissioning, and is documented and retained.
Read definition3 TERMS
ASME B30 is the consensus safety standard series for cranes, derricks, hoists, hooks, slings, and rigging. Each volume addresses a class of equipment — B30.2 overhead and gantry cranes, B30.3 tower cranes, B30.5 mobile and locomotive cranes — and OSHA incorporates several volumes by reference.
Read definitionOSHA 1910.178 is the powered-industrial-truck standard covering forklifts and similar trucks. Section 1910.178(q)(7) requires that each truck be examined at least daily before being placed in service, and removed from service if any condition adversely affects safety.
Read definitionOSHA 1926.1412 is the construction-crane inspection standard within Subpart CC. It mandates three inspection tiers: each-shift inspections by a competent person, monthly documented inspections, and a comprehensive annual or 12-month inspection by a qualified person.
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An OSHA competent person is someone capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to workers, AND who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Read definitionAn OSHA qualified person is one who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, work, or project.
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Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is the OSHA-required practice of isolating and de-energizing machinery so it cannot start up during service or maintenance. Under 29 CFR 1910.147, each energy-isolating device is locked and tagged, protecting workers from the unexpected release of hazardous energy.
Read definitionA preventive maintenance (PM) inspection is a scheduled check performed on a calendar interval or usage trigger (engine hours, mileage, cycles) to service equipment and catch wear before it causes failure — distinct from a regulatory safety inspection, though the two are often combined.
Read definitionA red tag marks equipment as out of service and unsafe to operate until a defect is corrected. When an inspection finds a safety-affecting deficiency, the equipment is red-tagged and removed from service so no one can use it before the repair is verified.
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