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[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 5]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1910.183]

[Page 574-576]
 
                             TITLE 29--LABOR

 
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 

                                OF LABOR

 
PART 1910_OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS--Table of Contents

 
                Subpart N_Materials Handling and Storage

 
Sec. 1910.183  Helicopters.


    (a) [Reserved]

    (b) Briefing. Prior to each day's operation a briefing shall be 

conducted. This briefing shall set forth the plan of operation for the 

pilot and ground personnel.

    (c) Slings and tag lines. Loads shall be properly slung. Tag lines 

shall be of a length that will not permit their being drawn up into the 

rotors. Pressed sleeve, swedged eyes, or equivalent means shall be used 

for all freely suspended loads to prevent hand splices from spinning 

open or cable clamps from loosening.

    (d) Cargo hooks. All electrically operated cargo hooks shall have 

the electrical activating device so designed and installed as to prevent 

inadvertent operation. In addition, these cargo hooks shall be equipped 

with an emergency mechanical control for releasing the load. The 

employer shall ensure that the hooks are tested prior to each day's 

operation by a competent person to determine that the release functions 

properly, both electrically and mechanically.

    (e) Personal protective equipment. (1) Personal protective equipment 

shall be provided and the employer shall ensure its use by employees 

receiving the load. Personal protective equipment shall consist of 

complete eye protection and hardhats secured by chinstraps.

    (2) Loose-fitting clothing likely to flap in rotor downwash, and 

thus be snagged on the hoist line, may not be worn.

    (f) Loose gear and objects. The employer shall take all necessary 

precautions to protect employees from flying objects in the rotor 

downwash.



[[Page 575]]



All loose gear within 100 feet of the place of lifting the load or 

depositing the load, or within all other areas susceptible to rotor 

downwash, shall be secured or removed.

    (g) Housekeeping. Good housekeeping shall be maintained in all 

helicopter loading and unloading areas.

    (h) Load safety. The size and weight of loads, and the manner in 

which loads are connected to the helicopter shall be checked. A lift may 

not be made if the helicopter operator believes the lift cannot be made 

safely.

    (i) Hooking and unhooking loads. When employees perform work under 

hovering craft, a safe means of access shall be provided for employees 

to reach the hoist line hook and engage or disengage cargo slings. 

Employees may not be permitted to perform work under hovering craft 

except when necessary to hook or unhook loads.

    (j) Static charge. Static charge on the suspended load shall be 

dissipated with a grounding device before ground personnel touch the 

suspended load, unless protective rubber gloves are being worn by all 

ground personnel who may be required to touch the suspended load.

    (k) Weight limitation. The weight of an external load shall not 

exceed the helicopter manufacturer's rating.

    (l) Ground lines. Hoist wires or other gear, except for pulling 

lines or conductors that are allowed to ``pay out'' from a container or 

roll off a reel, shall not be attached to any fixed ground structure, or 

allowed to foul on any fixed structure.

    (m) Visibility. Ground personnel shall be instructed and the 

employer shall ensure that when visibility is reduced by dust or other 

conditions, they shall exercise special caution to keep clear of main 

and stabilizing rotors. Precautions shall also be taken by the employer 

to eliminate, as far as practical, the dust or other conditions reducing 

the visibility.

    (n) Signal systems. The employer shall instruct the aircrew and 

ground personnel on the signal systems to be used and shall review the 

system with the employees in advance of hoisting the load. This applies 

to both radio and hand signal systems. Hand signals, where used, shall 

be as shown in Figure N-1.

    (o) Approach distance. No employee shall be permitted to approach 

within 50 feet of the helicopter when the rotor blades are turning, 

unless his work duties require his presence in that area.

    (p) Approaching helicopter. The employer shall instruct employees, 

and shall ensure, that whenever approaching or leaving a helicopter 

which has its blades rotating, all employees shall remain in full view 

of the pilot and keep in a crouched position. No employee shall be 

permitted to work in the area from the cockpit or cabin rearward while 

blades are rotating, unless authorized by the helicopter operator to 

work there.

    (q) Personnel. Sufficient ground personnel shall be provided to 

ensure that helicopter loading and unloading operations can be performed 

safely.

    (r) Communications. There shall be constant reliable communication 

between the pilot and a designated employee of the ground crew who acts 

as a signalman during the period of loading and unloading. The signalman 

shall be clearly distinguishable from other ground personnel.

    (s) Fires. Open fires shall not be permitted in areas where they 

could be spread by the rotor downwash.



[[Page 576]]



[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC27OC91.044





[40 FR 13440, Mar. 26, 1975, as amended at 63 FR 33467, June 18, 1998]



[[Page 577]]


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