A critical lift plan is required when the regulation, owner, employer, contract, or site procedure governing the job calls for one. There is no federal OSHA rule that requires the same written critical lift plan for every lift above 75% of capacity or every high-risk load.
Two OSHA distinctions matter:
- In steel erection, 29 CFR 1926.751 defines a critical lift as one that exceeds 75% of rated capacity or uses more than one crane or derrick. In its 2010 final-rule explanation, OSHA said that this definition alone does not require a critical lift plan for every lift that meets it.
- For construction operations in which more than one crane or derrick supports the load, 29 CFR 1926.1432 requires a plan developed by a qualified person and reviewed in a meeting with the workers involved. The federal rule does not require the plan to be written.
Other OSHA sections impose specific requirements for hazards such as power lines, ground conditions, rated capacity, or hoisting personnel whether or not the job is called a critical lift. A customer or site program may require a written plan, engineering review, signatures, or a lower capacity trigger. Check those requirements before deciding what documentation and approval are needed.
For more detail, read what OSHA requires for critical lifts and our practical guide to planning a critical lift.