When is a qualified rigger required?

What OSHA and ASME B30.5 require on crane jobs, and what a qualified rigger is responsible for on your site.

OSHA Rules

Employers must use qualified riggers during hoisting activities for assembly and disassembly work (1926.1404(r)(1)). Additionally, qualified riggers are required whenever workers are within the fall zone and hooking, unhooking, or guiding a load, or doing the initial connection of a load to a component or structure (1926.1425(c)).

OSHA Fact Sheet

Who can be a qualified rigger?

A qualified rigger is a rigger who meets the criteria for a qualified person. Employers must determine whether a person is qualified to perform specific rigging tasks. Each qualified rigger may have different credentials or experience. A qualified rigger is a person that:

possesses a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or

has extensive knowledge, training, and experience, and

can successfully demonstrate the ability to solve problems related to rigging loads.

The person designated as the qualified rigger must have the ability to properly rig the load for a particular job.

ASME B30.5: Rigger Responsibilities

The current ASME B30.5 standard, released in 2021, requires at least one qualified rigger whenever a mobile crane is being used, regardless of industry. The standard further defines “qualified” as requiring evidence of satisfactorily passing both written and practical exams.

Chapter 5-3 of ASME B30.5 states that riggers at a load-handling activity are, at a minimum, responsible for:

01Ensuring the weight of the load and its approximate center of gravity have been obtained.

02Selecting and inspecting the proper rigging equipment and ensuring it complies with the applicable ASME B30 Volume.

03Ensuring the rated load of the rigging equipment is selected and configured to be sufficient for the load.

04Properly attaching the rigging equipment to the hook, shackle, or other load-handling device.

05Ensuring the rigging equipment is protected from abrasion, cutting, or other damage during load handling.

06Rigging the load to ensure balance and stability.

07Knowing and understanding the applicable signals for the equipment in use.

08Installing and using a tag line when additional load stabilization is necessary.

More info on ASME B30.5

Need a qualified rigger on your job?

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