DEFINITION
OSHA 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.
ALSO KNOWN AS · Subpart CC crane inspections · 1926.1412 · crane inspection standard
29 CFR 1926.1412 governs inspection of cranes and derricks used in construction. It sets a layered cadence keyed to risk and time in service. The each-shift (modified) inspection under 1926.1412(d) is performed by a competent person before or during each shift the equipment is used, looking for apparent deficiencies — control malfunctions, recent contact with power lines, leaks, structural deformation, and similar conditions.
The monthly inspection (1926.1412(e)) covers the same scope as the each-shift check but must be documented: the inspector, date, and items checked are recorded and retained for a minimum of three months. The annual or comprehensive inspection (1926.1412(f)) is the most rigorous — performed at least every 12 months by a qualified person, it includes disassembly as needed to inspect wire rope, sheaves, the boom, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, brakes, and the load-bearing structure.
The standard also requires inspections after assembly (1926.1412(c)) and whenever the crane has had a modification, repair, or adjustment, or has been out of service for an extended period. Each tier has different documentation and personnel requirements, and the distinction between a 'competent person' (each-shift, monthly) and a 'qualified person' (annual) is load-bearing — using the wrong person for a tier is itself a citable deficiency.
1926.1412 pairs with 1926.1417, which forbids operating equipment with a safety device or operational aid out of service, and requires an operability determination — a crane flagged with a defect during inspection must be taken out of service until corrected if the deficiency constitutes a safety hazard.
AUTHORITATIVE · SOURCE
29 CFR 1926.1412 — Inspections (OSHA.gov)RELATED · CHECKLIST
Mobile Crane Pre-Operation Inspection Checklist
FREQUENTLY · ASKED
Three tiers: an each-shift inspection by a competent person, a documented monthly inspection (records kept three months), and a comprehensive annual / 12-month inspection by a qualified person — plus post-assembly and post-repair inspections.
The monthly inspection mirrors the each-shift scope but is documented and retained. The annual inspection is far more thorough, performed by a qualified person, and includes disassembly as needed to inspect wire rope, the boom, hydraulics, and load-bearing structure.
RELATED · TERMS
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.
An 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.
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.
A 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.
PUT · IT · TO · WORK
DigiDocs ships free inspection checklists built to OSHA, FMCSA, ASME, and ANSI. Download the PDF, or run it digitally on any phone — photo capture on failures, automatic deficiency logging, and a signed audit-trail record.