Opportunities and Restrictions of Boom Cranes

By Johan Soltani

Have you ever had an apartment under renovation on 3rd or 4th floor facing the  street and the lumber supply company delivered the construction materials with a boom crane through the windows? The DOB has issued a reminder on the rules for such cranes.

Boom crane operation does not require a DOB permit if the boom reach does not exceed 135 feet and if it is not raised more than 100 feet. This means that deliveries via the front windows can reach up to 8th floor of a building. There is a catch – the payload has some restrictions.

Deliveries which include steel, HVAC, or if the boom crane is used for other purposes, such as assisting in demolition, then it must possess certificate of approval, certificate of operation (CD), on-site inspection (CN), and be operated by a licensed hoisting operator (HMO). To review the criteria, please click here.

DOB can issue violations and stop work orders to the job site, crane operator, contractors, and site safety managers if the boom crane is found to be used in non-compliant manner.

Furthermore all construction activities or deliveries using street frontage, thereby crossing or closing the sidewalk requires Department of Transportation DOT permits.

For more information see BC 3319 or attached.