29 C.F.R. § 1917.71 Terminals handling intermodal containers or roll-on roll-off operations.
Title 29 - Labor
(a) Every intermodal container shall be legibly and permanently marked with: (1) The weight of the container when empty, in pounds; (2) The maximum cargo weight the container is designed to carry, in pounds; and (3) The sum of the weight of the container and the cargo, in pounds. (b) No container shall be hoisted by any crane or derrick unless the following conditions have been met: (1) The employer shall ascertain from the carrier whether a container to be hoisted is loaded or empty. Empty containers shall be identified before loading or discharge in such a manner as will inform every supervisor and foreman on the site and in charge of loading or discharging, or every crane or other hoisting equipment operator and signalman, if any, that such container is empty. Methods of identification may include cargo plans, manifests or markings on the container. (2) In the case of a loaded container: (i) The actual gross weight shall be plainly marked so as to be visible to the crane or other hoisting equipment operator or signalman, or to every supervisor and foreman on the site and in charge of the operation; or (ii) The cargo stowage plan or equivalent permanently recorded display serving the same purpose, containing the actual gross weight and the serial number or other positive identification of that specific container, shall be provided to the crane or other hoisting equipment operator and signalman, if any, and to every supervisor and foreman on the site and in charge of the operation. (3) Every outbound loaded container which is received at a marine terminal ready to load aboard a vessel without further consolidation or loading shall be weighed to obtain the actual gross weight, either at the terminal or elsewhere, before being hoisted. (4)(i) When container weighing scales are located at a marine terminal, any outbound container with a load consolidated at that terminal shall be weighed to obtain an actual weight before being hoisted. (ii) If the terminal has no scales, the actual gross weight may be calculated on the basis of the container's contents and the container's empty weight. The weights used in the calculation shall be posted conspicuously on the container, with the name of the person making the calculation and the date. (5) Open type vehicle carrying containers and those built specifically and used solely for the carriage of compressed gases are excepted from paragraphs (b)(3) and (b)(4) of this section. (6) Closed dry van containers carrying vehicles are exempted from paragraph (b)(4) of this section provided that: (i) The container carries only completely assembled vehicles and no other cargo; (ii) The container is marked on the outside in such a manner that an employee can readily discern that the container is carrying vehicles; and (iii) The vehicles were loaded into the container at the marine terminal. (7) The weight of loaded inbound containers from foreign ports shall be determined by weighing or by the method of calculation described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii) of this section or by shipping documents. (8) Any scale used within the United States to weigh containers for the purpose of the requirements of this section shall meet the accuracy standards of the state or local public authority in which the scale is located. (c) No container or containers shall be hoisted if their actual gross weight exceeds the weight marked as required in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, or if it exceeds the capacity of the crane or other hoisting device intended to be used. (d)(1) Marked or designated areas shall be set aside within a container or roll-on roll-off terminal for passage of employees to and from active cargo transfer points, except where transportation to and from those points is provided by the employer. (2) The employer shall direct employees to stay clear of the area beneath a suspended container. (e) Each employee working in the immediate area of container handling equipment or in the terminal's traffic lanes shall wear a high visibility vest (or equivalent protection).7 7 Decals on hard hats will not be considered equivalent protection for the purposes of this paragraph. Note to paragraph (f) Containers shall be handled using lifting fittings or other arrangements suitable and intended for the purpose as set forth in paragraphs (f)(1) through (f)(4) of this section, unless damage to an intermodal container makes special means of handling necessary. (1) Loaded intermodal containers of 20 feet (6.1 m) or more in length shall be hoisted as follows: (i) When hoisting containers by the top fittings, the lifting forces shall be applied vertically from at least four such fittings. A less than vertical lift is permitted only under the following conditions: (A) The container being lifted is an ISO closed box container; (B) The condition of the box is sound; (C) The speed of hoisting and lowering is moderated when heavily ladened containers8 8 A heavily laden container is one that is loaded to within 20 percent of its rated capacity. (D) The lift angle is at 80 to 90 degrees; (E) The distance between the lifting beam and the load is at least 8 feet and 2.4 inches (2.5 m); and (F) The length of the spreader beam is at least 16.3 feet (5 m) for a 20-foot container, and at least 36.4 feet (11.1 m) for a 40-foot container. (ii) If hoisted from bottom fittings, the hoisting connections shall bear on the fittings only, making no other contact with the container. The angles of the four bridle legs shall not be less than 30° to the horizontal in the case of 40 foot (12.2 m) containers, 37° in the case of 30 foot (9.1 m) containers, and 45° in the case of 20 foot (6.1 m) containers. (iii) Lifting containers by fork lift trucks or by grappling arms from above or from one side may be done only if the container is designed for this type of handling. (iv) Other means of hoisting may be used only if the containers and hoisting means are designed for such use. (2)(i) When using intermodal container spreaders that employ lanyards for activation of load disengagement, all possible precautions shall be taken to prevent accidental release of the load. (ii) Intermodal container spreader twistlock systems shall be designed and used so that a suspended load cannot accidentally be released. (3) Flat bed trucks or container chassis used to move intermodal containers shall be equipped with pins, flanges, or other means to prevent the container from shifting. (4) After July 27, 1998, flat bed, low boy trailers (mafis) and other similar equipment used to transport containers shall be marked with their cargo capacities and shall not be overloaded. (5) Each tractor shall have all brake air lines connected when pulling trailers equipped with air brakes and shall have the brakes tested before commencing operations. (g)(1) Intermodal containers shall be inspected for defects in structural members or fittings before handling. (2) Any intermodal container found to be unsafe shall be identified as such, promptly removed from service and repaired before being returned to service. (h) Containers shall not be hoisted unless all engaged chassis twist locks are released. [48 FR 30909, July 5, 1983, as amended at 62 FR 40200, July 25, 1997; 65 FR 40940, June 30, 2000]
Title 29: Labor
PART 1917—MARINE TERMINALS
Subpart D—Specialized Terminals
§ 1917.71 Terminals handling intermodal containers or roll-on roll-off operations.
