NCCCO Pick and Carry Operations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When traveling with a suspended load in a pick and carry operation, the load line should be:
- As long as possible to reduce swing
- As short as practical to minimize load pendulum effect (Correct answer)
- At mid-boom length to balance the load
- Extended to full boom capacity
Correct answer: As short as practical to minimize load pendulum effect
Keeping the load line as short as practical reduces the pendulum effect and improves load control during travel.
Question 2: Which of the following is a key stability concern unique to pick and carry operations compared to stationary lifts?
- Wind speed affecting the load
- Dynamic forces created by acceleration, deceleration, and turns (Correct answer)
- Load weight exceeding chart capacity
- Outrigger pad size requirements
Correct answer: Dynamic forces created by acceleration, deceleration, and turns
Dynamic forces from starting, stopping, and turning create additional stresses not present in stationary lifts, making them a unique pick and carry hazard.
Question 3: When a pick and carry crane must travel on a slope, the load should generally be positioned:
- On the downhill side of the crane
- On the uphill side of the crane (Correct answer)
- Directly to the side of the crane
- At maximum boom extension
Correct answer: On the uphill side of the crane
Positioning the load on the uphill side helps maintain stability by keeping the center of gravity within the tipping fulcrum.
Question 4: Before beginning a pick and carry move, the operator must consult the load chart to verify capacity for:
- Stationary lift capacity only
- Both the lift and travel configurations, including all radii during travel (Correct answer)
- Only the maximum travel radius anticipated
- The chart for a comparable stationary crane model
Correct answer: Both the lift and travel configurations, including all radii during travel
Pick and carry charts specify capacity for travel conditions, which are different and usually lower than stationary lift capacities.
Question 5: What is the primary reason travel speeds during pick and carry operations are kept very slow?
- To reduce fuel consumption
- To allow the spotter to keep pace with the crane
- To minimize dynamic load factors that can exceed chart capacity (Correct answer)
- To comply with noise ordinances on job sites
Correct answer: To minimize dynamic load factors that can exceed chart capacity
Slow speeds minimize dynamic forces that can multiply the effective load weight and cause tipping or structural failure.
Question 6: During pick and carry travel, if the operator must make a turn, they should:
- Increase speed to complete the turn quickly
- Stop travel, re-position the boom, then proceed
- Make wide, gradual turns at the slowest safe speed (Correct answer)
- Swing the boom opposite to the direction of turn
Correct answer: Make wide, gradual turns at the slowest safe speed
Wide, gradual turns at slow speed reduce centrifugal forces on the suspended load and maintain crane stability.
Question 7: Which document governs the maximum allowable load for a rubber-tired crane performing pick and carry over the front?
- The manufacturer's load chart specific to travel mode over front (Correct answer)
- OSHA 1926.1413 generic capacity table
- The rated capacity of the hook block only
- ASME B30.5 universal load tables
Correct answer: The manufacturer's load chart specific to travel mode over front
The manufacturer's load chart for travel mode, specifying direction (front, side, rear) and travel conditions, is the authoritative document.
NCCCO Pick and Carry Operations 3
When traveling with a suspended load in a pick and carry operation, the load line should be: