The US crane and special transport group objected to a European plan to remove manual overrides on crane limit switches by 2010.
“US equipment will remain as-is,” reports Joel Dandrea, executive vice-president of the Specialised Carriers & Riggers Association. But he said that the SC&RA technical committee will continue to work on the issue, and will draft a more complete position by 2009.
“Yesterday’s meeting and today’s were extremely beneficial in getting the European community to understand the positions of folks in the USA and likewise better understand the position of the European Community,” Dandrea said.
“One realization I guess is that one of the things we would like to see going forward is greater opportunity to have regulatory involvement in European health and safety; to have, through ESTA (the European Special Transport Association), the opportunity for regular input through standard procedures, instead being handed a regulation and having to deal with it.
“We are working on a long-term plan now in the North American community, the European community and the Australian/New Zealand community, to understand each others’ issues and concerns, and will work in the long term on this issue and others for greater uniformity and a more level playing field. This is a short and a long-term goal.”
