Critical Lift Plan
Pre-lift planning document for lifts over 75% capacity or multiple cranes.
What this document is
The Critical Lift Plan is a written pre-lift planning form that contractors complete before performing a critical lift. It identifies hazards, confirms equipment ratings, and records the step-by-step procedures that must be followed.
The regulation that requires it
29 CFR 1926.1431 requires employers to prepare a written plan for hoisting personnel with a crane or derrick. The standard states that "the use of a crane or derrick to hoist personnel is prohibited except when the employer demonstrates that the use of conventional means for access is infeasible or creates a greater hazard." It further requires a personnel platform designed by a qualified person, a pre-lift meeting, and documented procedures when the lift exceeds 50 percent of the crane's capacity in some configurations or involves multiple cranes.
Who needs it
General contractors, steel erectors, mechanical contractors, and any employer using a crane to hoist personnel need this plan. It applies on every federal OSHA job site and in states that adopt the federal construction standards. In California, Title 8 CCR Section 2940.1 and related Cal/OSHA crane rules also require equivalent planning for critical lifts.
What happens without it
OSHA and Cal/OSHA routinely cite employers for inadequate or missing critical-lift documentation during crane inspections. A serious violation currently carries a maximum penalty of $16,131 while a willful or repeated violation can reach $161,323 per citation. Multi-employer work sites increase the likelihood that the controlling contractor and the crane user will both receive citations.
What's included in the generated document
- Lift description and load weight
- Crane configuration and capacity chart reference
- Rigging and hardware inspection checklist
- Step-by-step lift procedure
- Required signatures from competent person, operator, and signal person
How to implement it at your company
- Talk to Guy first. Describe your operation, trade, and location — Guy draws from 300,000+ verified OSHA and state regulatory citations to build a compliance plan specific to your company. Your answers shape every section of the document you receive. Takes about 10 minutes.
- Download the PDF and save it to your company safety folder or project management system.
- Train superintendents and crane operators on when a lift qualifies as critical and how to complete the form.
- Require the competent person to fill out the plan at least one shift before the lift and review it in the pre-lift meeting.
- Keep the completed and signed form in the project file for the duration of the job plus any OSHA retention period.
- Review the plan after any changes in personnel, equipment, or site conditions.