The licence belongs to industry law; prevention belongs to employment law. Both apply to the crane operator at the same time, and the exam often asks about both.
The crane on site (Royal Decree 1627/1997, annex IV, part C, point 6)
- Lifting appliances and lifting accessories comply with their specific regulations: for the tower crane, ITC MIE-AEM-2.
- They must be well designed and sufficiently strong, installed and used correctly, kept in good condition and operated by qualified workers with adequate training.
- They carry a visible indication of their maximum load, and are not used for purposes other than their own.
Your training is paid for by the company (Law 31/1995, article 19)
The employer must guarantee you theoretical and practical, sufficient and adequate training, when you are hired and when your duties or your equipment change; focused on your job; within working hours whenever possible; and its cost never falls on the worker. The crane operator licence is a legal requirement for the job; the training on the risks of that specific site (safety plan, interference, emergencies) must be given to you by the company in addition.
You can stop (article 21)
In the face of a serious and imminent risk to your life or health, you have the right to interrupt the activity and leave the workplace if necessary (article 21.2), and you cannot be required to resume while the danger persists (article 21.1.b). A bypassed limiter, a rope with broken strands, wind above the limit or a high-voltage line within reach are examples of that risk.
Your obligations (article 29)
- Use machines and transport equipment properly.
- Use protective equipment correctly (on the crane, the anchored harness when climbing or moving along the jib and counter-jib, as annex IV recommends).
- Do not put safety devices out of operation.
- Report immediately to your superior and to those in charge of prevention any risk situation.
- Cooperate with the employer. Breaching these obligations is a breach of employment duties (article 29.3).
Working with others: signaller, rigger and other cranes
Royal Decree 1215/1997 (annex II, point 3.2) shares out the roles: a signaller when the crane operator cannot see the path; operations planned and supervised; a procedure when two pieces of equipment lift the same load; the worker who hooks or unhooks by hand must be able to do so safely and keep control of the operation (letter d); and the load is never left suspended unattended. Overhead power lines affecting the site are diverted or de-energised and, if not, marked with barriers and notices (Royal Decree 1627/1997, annex IV, part C, point 10.c).
Source: Ley 31/1995, de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales (Spanish Occupational Risk Prevention Act, consolidated text, in Spanish), articles 19, 21 and 29 · Real Decreto 1627/1997, disposiciones mínimas de seguridad y salud en las obras de construcción (construction sites, consolidated text, in Spanish), annex IV, part C, points 6 and 10 · Real Decreto 1215/1997, disposiciones mínimas de seguridad y salud para la utilización de los equipos de trabajo (work equipment, consolidated text, in Spanish), annex II, point 3