Procedures

The following are the procedures for the use of construction cranes, telehandlers and forklifts on production.  For additional information on this matter, please contact the Production Safety Consultant.

1. All construction crane providers, contractors and rental houses (crane company) utilized by the production should possess the necessary equipment, experience and capabilities to safely perform the crane lifts and other crane operations required by the production.
2. All services provided by the crane company should be made pursuant to a fully executed contract, rider or other agreement which is acceptable to the production’s Legal Department.
3. The crane company should maintain insurance in accordance with Risk Management’s requirements.
4. All construction cranes should be inspected at regular intervals as required by applicable Federal, state / provincial or local regulations.  The production must request and obtain written evidence that any construction crane to be utilized on the production has passed its most recent required inspection prior to the start of crane operations on the production.
5. All construction cranes, telehandlers and forklifts should be inspected by their operators prior to every work shift. The inspection should be documented, include a visual inspection, as well as testing the operational controls of the unit.
6. All construction crane, telehandler and forklift operators should be properly qualified, trained and experienced to operate the type and model of equipment that he / she will be operating on the production.
7. Construction crane, telehandler and forklift operators should meet all licensing / certification / accreditation requirements of the applicable Federal, state / provincial or local jurisdiction in which the equipment will be operated. The production must request and obtain written evidence of the operator’s licensing / certification / accreditation prior to the start of equipment operations.
8. Construction crane, telehandler and forklift operators should remain in the cab, at the controls of the equipment, at all times when the load is suspended or when the load is being moved or positioned.
9. The total weight of the load should not exceed 50% of the equipment’s load chart capacity for all construction crane lifts and telehandler lifts involving production-specific equipment / operations such as special effects rigs, stunt rigs, lighting boxes, light diffusion rigs, etc.  Load lines and all rigging components in these situations must have a safety factor of at least seven times the maximum intended load.
10. Construction crane lifts and telehandler lifts involving production-specific equipment / operations such as special effects rigs, stunt rigs, lighting boxes, light diffusion rigs, etc., should be designed, reviewed and approved in advance in writing by an experienced professional structural, mechanical or civil engineer, currently licensed in the jurisdiction in which the construction crane will be operated on the production.
11. It is recommended that construction crane lifts and telehandler lifts involving production-specific equipment / operations such as special effects rigs, stunt rigs, lighting boxes, light diffusion rigs, etc., be tested, reviewed and approved during a full-scale “dry run” in advance of the shooting date.
12. A qualified rigger should inspect and approve the rigging attached to the construction crane or underslung on a telehandler prior to each lift.
13. A written Lifting Plan should be developed for all construction crane and telehandler lifts involving production-specific equipment / operations such as special effects rigs, stunt rigs, lighting boxes, light diffusion rigs, etc., in advance of the shooting date.  The Lifting Plan should provide the details of the planned lift(s) and include supporting documentation such as the equipment manufacturer’s lifting chart, operator qualifications, etc.  The Lifting Plan should be approved and signed by the professional engineer, equipment operator(s), applicable production Head of Department(s) and the Unit Production Manager (UPM). A copy of the Lifting Plan should be maintained on set and available for review during the equipment’s operation on the production.
14. Standard construction crane, telehandler and forklift lifts should be conducted in a safe manner, utilizing well-maintained equipment, trained operators; conforming to applicable legal / regulatory requirements, the manufacturer’s equipment specifications, lifting capacity charts and other recommendations.
15. Construction crane, telehandler and forklift operators and all employees have the right to refuse to perform a lift or other task that they feel is unsafe or dangerous.  Anyone who identifies a potential safety issue or concern should report it to their supervisor, 1st AD, UPM or Safety Program Director immediately.
16. Only lift manufacturer-approved lifting attachments should be utilized on telehandlers and forklifts.
17. Boom lifts, scissor lifts and standard forklifts should not be utilized as cranes.