NCCER Crane Site Operations & Hazard Recognition 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a tagline during a crane lift?
- To increase the load capacity of the rigging
- To control the load's rotation and prevent uncontrolled swinging (Correct answer)
- To attach the load directly to the crane hook
- To measure the distance of the lift
Correct answer: To control the load's rotation and prevent uncontrolled swinging
Taglines allow ground workers to guide and control the load's orientation and lateral movement during the lift safely.
Question 2: A crane is traveling on a job site road when one side of the road gives way beneath an outrigger. What is the most likely cause?
- Engine overheating
- A void or buried utility trench beneath the road surface (Correct answer)
- Excessive crane speed
- Low tire pressure on that side
Correct answer: A void or buried utility trench beneath the road surface
Filled trenches and underground voids can collapse under crane weight, causing sudden and dangerous loss of support.
Question 3: Which of the following correctly describes a 'critical lift'?
- Any lift exceeding 10,000 lbs
- A lift exceeding 75% of the crane's rated capacity or involving exceptional hazards (Correct answer)
- Any lift requiring a tagline
- A lift performed by a newly certified operator
Correct answer: A lift exceeding 75% of the crane's rated capacity or involving exceptional hazards
ASME B30.5 and OSHA define critical lifts as those at or above 75% of rated capacity or lifts with exceptional risk factors requiring a written lift plan.
Question 4: Which weather condition, other than high wind, most significantly affects safe crane operations?
- Mild fog with visibility greater than 500 feet
- Lightning and electrical storms (Correct answer)
- Temperatures above 90°F
- Partly cloudy skies
Correct answer: Lightning and electrical storms
A crane boom is an extremely tall metal structure that acts as a lightning rod, creating lethal electrocution risk during electrical storms.
Question 5: When inspecting wire rope for the daily inspection, what condition requires immediate removal from service?
- Slight surface rust with no pitting
- Six randomly distributed broken wires in any one lay length (Correct answer)
- Minor kinking that straightens when tension is applied
- Light lubrication on the outer strands
Correct answer: Six randomly distributed broken wires in any one lay length
ASME B30.5 requires removal of wire rope from service when six or more randomly distributed broken wires are found in one lay length.
Question 6: A mobile crane is being set up and the operator notices that the crane is not level. What is the maximum allowable out-of-level condition per most manufacturer specifications?
- 5 degrees
- 3 degrees
- 1 degree (Correct answer)
- 10 degrees
Correct answer: 1 degree
Most crane manufacturers specify a maximum out-of-level condition of 1% (approximately 1 degree) to maintain load chart accuracy.
Question 7: What is the correct procedure when a crane must work in close proximity to another crane on the same job site?
- The larger crane always has the right of way
- A written swing radius encroachment plan must be established to prevent boom or load collisions (Correct answer)
- The cranes should alternate lifts based on which operator arrived first
- Keep a minimum 50-foot horizontal separation at all times regardless of boom position
Correct answer: A written swing radius encroachment plan must be established to prevent boom or load collisions
When cranes share a work zone, a documented plan identifying operational boundaries prevents catastrophic boom or load collisions between machines.
NCCER Crane Site Operations & Hazard Recognition 5
What is the primary purpose of a tagline during a crane lift?