IN THE FIELD By Tracy Bennett
Listen, Evaluate, Execute
Lift Directors love it when a plan comes together
L
ike the leader of the A-Team, the lift director brings all the key players together, sets the plan and puts it into motion with full authority on the day of the lift. “Lift directors must know a little about every aspect of the crane operation, but more importantly, they know how to listen. While lift directors do not have to be a master rigger or certified crane operator, they need to be able ask the right questions and work in concert with a lot of different people on the job site,” said Mike Parnell, co-founder and senior consultant at Industrial Training International.
Who is the lift director? ASME has established requirements for lift directors in all industries to be “qualified.” Despite the fact that these requirements were first published in 2007 (and updated in 2018) many organizations using cranes are unfamiliar with the responsibilities. Tracy Bennett is Managing Editor of Connector and President of Mighty Mo Media Partners.
According to an article published by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, “OSHA has cited companies for failure to ‘designate a competent lift director.’ Enforcement actions often begin with asking the rigger and signal person to identify the Lift Director. If there is confusion related to who is performing the role of Lift Director, the Site Supervisor is usually cited. Today, more organizations are identifying the Lift Director by means of a uniquely colored vest or hardhat as well as requiring pre-lift meeting logs that identify the person responsible.” Lift directors report directly to the site supervisor, working as a team leader with crane operators, riggers, and the crane owner. There could be more than one lift director on a job site. And, according to CCO, the crane operator cannot also serve in the role of the lift director. Lift Directors do not have to be experts on the crane at the site, however, they take all of the factors into account before letting the lift proceed.
20 | THE STEEL ERECTORS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
Asking questions, listening to answers “The best lift directors listen to the team, evaluating the information they have, often asking the questions that have not yet been asked. Or they may ask the same questions again, but in light of new or changing information, may make adjustments to the plan before an issue comes up in mid-lift or in mid-move,” said Parnell. Armed with knowledge of crane load charts, crane capabilities, capacities, and limitations, the lift director makes sure the crane is setup in a stable condition. He or she will make sure the operator is using the correct load chart, and the crane is configured with the right counterweight, boom length, and correct blocking and reeving. The lift direct or also oversees the riggers, looking at diagrams of the rigging method and the procedures for how the load is supposed to be moved. He or she will also review the signaling method, whether using radios or hand signals, and make sure the method has been verified between the operator and signal person.