Boom Trucks & Knuckle Boom Cranes

Boom trucks and articulating (knuckle boom) cranes deliver drywall, roof trusses, block and other materials. They often set up on streets and driveways near power lines, with little room.

• Construction
• Material delivery

Set-up

• Firm, level ground; outriggers fully extended (or as the chart allows) on pads or mats
• Check for overhead power lines and plan clearance before raising the boom
• Barricade the swing area and keep the public away
• Use the correct load chart for the set-up

Ground and outriggers

• Outrigger feet push very hard on the ground. A loaded outrigger can punch through asphalt, a sidewalk, a curb edge, or the lid of a buried tank or vault.
• Use pads or mats sized for the ground, and avoid setting outriggers over utilities, septic tanks, fresh backfill and trench edges.
• Many load charts have lower capacity over the front of the truck. Check the chart for the area you’ll swing through.

Delivering to the roof or upper floors

• Workers receiving trusses, drywall or roofing at an edge need fall protection, even if the guardrail has to be opened.
• Don’t overload floors and roof decks with stacked material. Spread it out over supporting members.
• Never reach out to grab a swinging load at an edge. Use a tag line.

Do the crane rules apply?

OSHA’s construction crane rules generally cover boom trucks and articulating cranes. There is a limited exception for articulating cranes delivering materials to a construction site when the crane only places the materials on the ground (not onto the structure). If you’re lifting onto a roof, floor or wall, the full crane rules, including operator certification, apply.

Operating

• Use remote controls from a position where you can see the load and the path.
• Use tag lines and keep workers out from under the load.
• Stow the boom and outriggers fully before driving.
• Keep the boom and load well away from power lines. If any part of the equipment could get within 20 feet of a line, the crane rules’ power line procedures apply. See Overhead Power Lines.
• When using a radio remote, stand where you can’t be crushed between the load and the truck or a wall.

• Don’t set up with outriggers on one side only unless the chart allows it.
• Don’t drag loads sideways with the boom.
• Don’t let customers or bystanders “help” guide loads.

Daily check

• Load charts and operator’s manual in the truck
• Outriggers, pads and interlocks working
• Hoses, cylinders and boom sections free of leaks and damage
• Hook, latch, wire rope or winch line in good shape
• Remote control and emergency stop working
• Load moment indicator and anti-two-block device working (if equipped)

Last updated: October 1, 2026