California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety
Subchapter 7 - General Industry Safety Orders
Group 13 - Cranes and Other Hoisting Equipment
Article 92 - Cranes (Except Boom-Type Mobile Cranes)
Section 4887 - Access to the Cage, Cab, or Machine House Required

(a) Access to the cage, cab or machine house shall be afforded by a fixed ladder, stairs or platform requiring a step-over of not more than 12 inches, except in installations prior to January 1, 1973, the gap may exceed 12 inches but shall not exceed 20 inches, and so located that a person approaching or leaving the crane shall not be exposed to dangerous shear hazards. If the top of a ladder or stairway or any position thereof is located where a moving part of a crane, such as a revolving house, could strike an employee ascending or descending the ladder or stairway, a prominent warning sign shall be posted at the foot of the ladder or stairway. A system of communication (such as a buzzer or bell) shall be established and maintained between the foot of the ladder or stairway and the operator's cab.

(b) For bridge and gantry cranes, there shall be a ladder, stairs or other safe means which provides access to the bridge walkway. Where cage is attached to and below bridge girders, no portion of the cage or cage platform shall be in the projected area between the girders unless there are bridge stops or bumpers to prevent the trolley from passing over the projected area opposite the cage.

(c) On all cranes having revolving cabs or machine houses, means shall be provided to permit the operator to enter or leave the crane cab or machine house irrespective of position of the cab and to safely reach the ground.

(d) When necessary to go out on booms or bridges to service the blocks or other parts of the machinery, each boom or bridge shall be equipped with a substantial walkway or platform handholds, or grab irons giving access to the blocks and machinery. Permanent elevated platforms attached to the building at the end of the bridge crane runways and at the same level of the bridge, which give safe access to the bridge, or mobile work platforms, will be acceptable in lieu of the platform on the bridge. Single girder or monorail bridges with underhung trolleys and hoists are exempted, provided the hoists and trolleys are serviced or repaired from a safe, portable ladder or other safe temporary means. Booms which can be and are safely lowered to a safe location for such servicing operation will be exempted from this order, provided all grease and oil fittings and receptacles are piped or otherwise located so that they can be conveniently serviced from such walkways or safe locations without climbing over or upon the boom, bridge, or trolley structure. Footwalks shall be of rigid construction and designed to sustain a distributed load of at least 50 pounds per square foot.

(e) Where practicable, every overhead traveling crane walkway shall have a headroom of at least 78 inches. Where not practicable to provide this clearance, the crane walkway shall have at least 60 inches clearance or the walkway shall be omitted from the crane and a permanent elevated platform shall be attached to the building at the end of the crane runway.

NOTE: See General Industry Safety Orders, Group I for general workspace, and access requirements.