WORK is to begin on the development of an international standard for the training of crane slingers and signallers. It is likely, however, to take many years.

The measure was proposed by the Japanese delegation to the ISO/TC 96/SC 5 committee which is responsible for the use, operation and maintenance of cranes. The committee held its annual meeting in Berlin last month.

Justifying the need for an ISO standard, the Japanese delegation said that 554 of the 1,622 crane-related fatalities between 1989 to 1998 in Japan were caused by or directly related to sling work.

‘Looking into these causes, most of them were caused by improper sling work procedure such as the load falling due to wrong slinging method, using improper sling gear, etc.’ The committee agreed that the Japanese representatives should prepare the first draft which will then be on the agenda for next year’s meeting.

Other resolutions taken at the SC 5 meeting included the appointment of teams to modify drafts of three other proposed standards, to include amendments proposed at the meeting. These draft standards were: N 248 Training of appointed persons; N 249 Cranes – competency of crane inspectors; and N 250 Maintenance.