12 Aug Working Around Suspended Loads – JSA

Working Around Suspended Loads Job Safety Analysis (JSA)

Job / Task

Working in areas where materials, equipment, components, or other loads are being lifted, hoisted, moved, positioned, or held by cranes, hoists, rigging systems, forklifts, or other lifting equipment.

Purpose

This Job Safety Analysis (JSA), also known as a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), identifies hazards associated with working around suspended loads and establishes controls to prevent struck-by, caught-between, crushing, dropped-load, rigging, and line-of-fire injuries.

Personnel Qualifications

Employees involved in lifting operations shall be trained for their assigned duties and shall understand suspended-load hazards, exclusion zones, communication methods, load-control practices, and stop-work requirements. Qualified riggers and signal persons shall be used when required.

Personnel shall:

• Understand that no employee may place themselves beneath a suspended load except where specifically permitted by applicable requirements and necessary controls are in place.
• Recognize the fall zone, load path, swing radius, pinch points, crush zones, and line-of-fire exposures.
• Follow instructions from the lift director, operator, signal person, rigger, or other person directing the lift.
• Use designated access routes and remain outside barricaded or controlled lifting areas unless their work requires entry.
• Maintain clear communication during lifting and positioning activities.
• Use tag lines or other load-control methods only when trained and when they can be used without creating additional hazards.
• Stop work and move to a safe location when a load becomes unstable, communication is lost, rigging shifts, or other unsafe conditions develop.

Required PPE

PPE shall be selected based on the lifting operation and surrounding work environment and may include:

• Hard hat.
• Safety glasses with side protection.
• Work gloves appropriate for handling rigging, tag lines, and materials.
• Safety footwear appropriate for crushing and material-handling hazards.
• High-visibility apparel where mobile equipment or vehicle traffic is present.
• Hearing protection where required.
• Fall protection where employees are exposed to applicable fall hazards.
• Additional task-specific PPE identified by the hazard assessment.

JSA – Job Steps, Hazards, and Controls

Step 1 – Review the Lift and Work Area

Potential Hazards

• Unidentified load path.
• Conflicting work activities.
• Personnel exposure to suspended loads.

Required Controls

• Review the planned lift, load path, landing area, and surrounding work before lifting begins.
• Identify areas where employees could be exposed to a falling, swinging, rotating, or shifting load.
• Coordinate the lift with other trades, crews, vehicles, and equipment in the area.
• Identify overhead obstructions, power lines, structures, and other hazards affecting the lift.
• Conduct a pre-lift briefing appropriate to the complexity and hazards of the operation.

Step 2 – Establish the Controlled Area

Potential Hazards

• Unauthorized entry.
• Struck-by load.
• Crushing or caught-between exposure.

Required Controls

• Establish barricades, warning lines, cones, signs, or other controls as necessary to define the lifting area.
• Keep unnecessary personnel outside the load path, fall zone, and swing area.
• Provide controlled access where employees must enter the area to perform essential work.
• Maintain clear escape routes for employees involved in positioning the load.
• Reposition controls as the load path or lifting operation changes.

Step 3 – Inspect the Load and Rigging

Potential Hazards

• Dropped load.
• Rigging failure.
• Unexpected load shift.

Required Controls

• Verify required rigging and lifting-equipment inspections have been completed.
• Confirm the load is properly rigged, balanced, and secured before lifting.
• Verify loose materials or components are secured against falling.
• Protect slings from sharp edges where required.
• Do not proceed when damaged rigging, questionable lift points, or an unstable load is identified.

Step 4 – Establish Communication

Potential Hazards

• Conflicting signals.
• Unexpected load movement.
• Loss of operator visibility.

Required Controls

• Identify the designated signal person when one is required.
• Agree on hand signals, radio communication, or other signaling methods before movement begins.
• Only the designated signal person shall direct normal crane movement, except anyone may give an emergency stop signal.
• Ensure employees working near the load understand intended movement before it occurs.
• Stop movement if communication is lost, unclear, or conflicting.

Step 5 – Perform the Initial Lift

Potential Hazards

• Unbalanced load.
• Rigging shift.
• Unexpected rotation.
• Falling material.

Required Controls

• Keep personnel clear while slack is removed from the rigging.
• Raise the load only enough to verify balance, rigging security, and load stability.
• Observe the load for shifting, tilting, rotation, or loose components.
• Lower and correct unsafe conditions before continuing.
• Do not place any part of the body beneath the load during the test lift.

Step 6 – Hoist the Load

Potential Hazards

• Dropped load.
• Swinging load.
• Struck-by hazard.

Required Controls

• Keep employees outside the fall zone and load path during hoisting.
• Lift smoothly and avoid shock loading or sudden movements.
• Maintain the load within the lifting equipment’s rated capacity and operating limitations.
• Keep the load under control and as low as practical while maintaining required clearance.
• Continuously monitor the load, rigging, and surrounding area.

Step 7 – Work Near the Suspended Load

Potential Hazards

• Crushing.
• Caught-between injury.
• Load swing.
• Falling load.

Required Controls

• Do not stand, walk, or work beneath a suspended load except where specifically permitted by applicable requirements.
• Remain far enough from the load to avoid being struck if it swings, rotates, shifts, or falls.
• Never position yourself between a suspended load and a wall, structure, vehicle, equipment, or other fixed object.
• Maintain an unobstructed escape route.
• Do not enter the controlled area unless your assigned task requires it.

Step 8 – Control the Load with Tag Lines

Potential Hazards

• Entanglement.
• Hand injury.
• Load pulling employee into the fall zone.

Required Controls

• Use tag lines when necessary to control rotation or movement and when their use can be performed safely.
• Use nonconductive tag lines where electrical hazards may exist.
• Never wrap a tag line around the hand, arm, waist, or other body part.
• Maintain enough distance to remain outside the load’s fall and crush zones.
• Release the tag line and move clear rather than allowing an uncontrolled load to pull or strike you.

Step 9 – Guide or Position the Load

Potential Hazards

• Pinch points.
• Crushing.
• Hand and finger injuries.
• Unexpected load movement.

Required Controls

• Use tag lines, push-pull poles, or other suitable positioning methods where practical.
• Keep hands and feet away from areas where the load could contact the landing surface or fixed objects.
• Do not use body weight to stop or redirect a swinging load.
• Make small, controlled movements when final positioning is required.
• Maintain communication with the operator or signal person throughout positioning.

Step 10 – Work Within the Fall Zone When Required

Potential Hazards

• Dropped load.
• Crushing.
• Rigging failure.

Required Controls

• Limit entry into the fall zone to employees whose duties require them to receive, guide, or connect the load, or perform other activities permitted by applicable requirements.
• Keep exposure time within the fall zone to the minimum necessary.
• Ensure the load is rigged to prevent unintended displacement when employees must be within the fall zone.
• Keep employees clear of the area directly beneath the load.
• Move personnel out of the fall zone as soon as the required task is complete.

Step 11 – Move the Load Through the Work Area

Potential Hazards

• Load striking employees or equipment.
• Blind spots.
• Unexpected pedestrian entry.

Required Controls

• Clear the planned load path before movement.
• Use spotters or signal persons where the operator cannot see the load path or nearby hazards.
• Prevent personnel from walking beneath or crossing the path of the suspended load.
• Avoid moving suspended loads over occupied work areas whenever practicable.
• Stop the lift if unauthorized personnel enter the controlled area.

Step 12 – Control Swinging or Rotating Loads

Potential Hazards

• Struck-by injury.
• Crushing.
• Loss of load control.

Required Controls

• Do not attempt to catch or physically stop an uncontrolled swinging or rotating load.
• Warn personnel and clear the affected area.
• Use controlled equipment movement and approved load-control methods to regain control.
• Evaluate wind, load shape, rigging arrangement, and other causes of uncontrolled movement.
• Lower the load to a safe location when control cannot be maintained.

Step 13 – Land the Load

Potential Hazards

• Crushing.
• Pinch points.
• Unstable placement.
• Trapped rigging.

Required Controls

• Prepare a stable landing area before lowering the load.
• Use blocking, cribbing, or supports as needed to provide stability and safe rigging removal.
• Keep hands, feet, and body parts out from beneath the load.
• Lower the load slowly and maintain communication.
• Confirm the load is fully supported and stable before employees approach to remove rigging.

Step 14 – Release and Remove Rigging

Potential Hazards

• Stored tension.
• Falling hardware.
• Pinched fingers.
• Load shift.

Required Controls

• Verify the load is stable before releasing rigging tension.
• Release tension gradually and remain clear of rigging that could shift or spring free.
• Do not reach beneath an inadequately supported load to retrieve slings or hardware.
• Remove rigging in a controlled manner.
• Inspect rigging after use and remove damaged equipment from service.

Step 15 – Respond to a Dropped or Shifting Load

Potential Hazards

• Severe struck-by or crushing injury.
• Secondary load movement.
• Damaged rigging or equipment.

Required Controls

• Do not attempt to catch, hold, or manually stabilize a falling or shifting load.
• Immediately warn personnel and clear the affected area.
• Use the emergency stop signal when necessary.
• Do not approach the load until all movement has stopped and the area is determined safe.
• Inspect the load, rigging, lifting equipment, and work area and determine the cause before resuming operations.

Step 16 – Complete the Lift

Potential Hazards

• Residual unstable materials.
• Trip hazards.
• Damaged equipment remaining in service.

Required Controls

• Confirm the load is secure in its final position.
• Remove barricades or controlled-area measures only after suspended-load hazards are eliminated.
• Collect and properly store tag lines, rigging, blocking, and other equipment.
• Report damaged rigging, equipment defects, near misses, uncontrolled load movement, or other unsafe conditions.
• Review unusual lift conditions or incidents before similar work resumes.

General Safe Work Requirements

• Employees shall not stand, walk, or work beneath suspended loads except where specifically permitted by applicable requirements.
• Only employees necessary to the lifting operation shall enter controlled lifting areas or fall zones.
• Employees shall remain clear of load paths, swing areas, pinch points, crush zones, and line-of-fire exposures.
• Loads shall be properly rigged, balanced, and controlled before and during movement.
• Employees shall never place themselves between a suspended load and a fixed object.
• Tag lines or other load-control methods shall be used when necessary and safe to control load movement.
• Employees shall not attempt to catch or physically stop an uncontrolled swinging, rotating, shifting, or falling load.
• Communication shall be established before load movement, and movement shall stop when communication is lost or unclear.
• Suspended loads shall not be moved over occupied work areas whenever practicable.
• Loads shall be landed on stable support before rigging is released or removed.
• Barricades and exclusion zones shall remain in place until the suspended-load hazard has been eliminated.
• Work shall stop whenever load stability, rigging condition, communication, equipment operation, weather, or other lifting conditions become unsafe or uncertain.

Training

Employees working around suspended loads shall receive training appropriate to their duties. Training shall include fall-zone and load-path hazards, exclusion zones, line-of-fire recognition, pinch and crush points, rigging awareness, signaling and communication, tag-line use, load positioning, restrictions on working beneath suspended loads, emergency-stop signals, response to uncontrolled loads, and stop-work expectations.

References

• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1425 – Keeping Clear of the Load.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1419 through 1926.1422 – Signals, where applicable.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.251 – Rigging Equipment for Material Handling, where applicable.
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC – Cranes and Derricks in Construction, where applicable.
• Applicable manufacturer instructions, lift plans, rigging procedures, and site requirements.