Crane Exam Practice Questions, With a California Twist

Try these practice questions

1. Load charts

   At 40 ft radius with your boom length, the chart lists 15,800 lb. The hook block weighs 380 lb, your slings and shackles weigh 120 lb, and a chart note says to deduct 1,100 lb for the stowed jib. What is the heaviest load you may pick?

   1. 15,300 lb
   2. 14,200 lb
   3. 14,700 lb
   4. 15,800 lb
   Reveal the answer

   Correct answer: B. Subtract every deduction the manufacturer requires from the gross figure: 15,800 − 380 − 120 − 1,100 = 14,200 lb. The other choices each leave out one or more deductions. A stowed jib is easy to forget because it is not on the hook, but it still uses up capacity. (Manufacturer's load chart and chart notes; 29 CFR 1926.1417(o))

2. Signals

   Per the standard hand signal chart, the signal person holds the upper arm out to the side with the forearm and index finger pointing straight up, and moves the hand and finger in small circles. What motion is being requested?

   1. Swing
   2. Lower
   3. Hoist
   4. Raise boom
   Reveal the answer

   Correct answer: C. That is HOIST. LOWER is the mirror image, with the arm and index finger pointing down while making small circles. RAISE BOOM uses an extended arm with the thumb up, and SWING points the finger in the direction the boom should travel. (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, Appendix A; ASME B30.5)

3. Rigging

   An 8,000 lb machine base is lifted with a two-leg bridle, load centered, each leg at 45° from horizontal. The sling angle factor for 45° is about 1.414. Approximately what tension does each leg carry?

   1. 4,000 lb
   2. 8,000 lb
   3. 5,657 lb
   4. 11,312 lb
   Reveal the answer

   Correct answer: C. Each leg's share of the vertical load is 8,000 ÷ 2 = 4,000 lb. Multiply by the 45° factor: 4,000 × 1.414 ≈ 5,657 lb. 4,000 lb ignores the angle entirely, and 11,312 lb applies the factor to the whole load as if one leg held it. (ASME B30.9 (sling angle and rated load tables))

4. Power lines

   A crane in California is set up beside a 12 kV distribution line that is energized. Under both Cal/OSHA's high-voltage table for boom-type equipment and federal Table A, what is the minimum clearance for the boom, load line and load?

   1. 10 feet
   2. 6 feet
   3. 15 feet
   4. 4 feet
   Reveal the answer

   Correct answer: A. For lines up to 50 kV, both Title 8 §2946 (Table 2, boom-type lifting equipment) and federal 1926.1408 Table A set 10 feet. California posts that same 10-foot figure on the warning sign required on cranes. Smaller distances such as 6 feet apply only in limited transit situations with the boom lowered and no load. (Title 8 §2946; 29 CFR 1926.1408, Table A)

5. Wire rope

   During the shift inspection of a standard (not rotation-resistant) running hoist rope, you count three broken wires, all in the same strand, within one rope lay. What does Subpart CC call for?

   1. Nothing until six broken wires appear in that strand
   2. Lubricate the area and recheck at the annual inspection
   3. Cut off one rope lay and keep running
   4. This meets a Category II removal threshold, so the rope must be replaced or the condition dealt with as the rule allows before further use
   Reveal the answer

   Correct answer: D. For running wire rope, Category II is met by six randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay or three broken wires in one strand in one rope lay. Once a Category II threshold is reached, the rope cannot simply continue in service; the rule sets out what must happen first. (29 CFR 1926.1413(a)(4))

6. California

   An operator holds a valid accredited certificate for telescopic fixed-cab boom trucks only. On a California construction site, the foreman asks him to run a lattice boom crawler for the day. What does Title 8 say?

   1. He may run it if a certified lattice boom operator is somewhere on site
   2. Any accredited mobile crane certificate covers every mobile crane
   3. He may run it for up to 30 days while he studies for the lattice exam
   4. He may not operate it as a certified operator, because the certificate must cover the type of crane being operated
   Reveal the answer

   Correct answer: D. California's operator rules (§5006.1 for general industry, §5006.2 for construction) tie the certificate to a crane type, and the certificate must state the type of equipment the operator is certified on. A fixed-cab boom truck card does not reach a lattice boom crawler. Employer training and evaluation apply on top of the certificate. (Title 8 §5006.1 and §5006.2)

7. Site setup

   The manufacturer's outrigger-load calculator shows a maximum of 54,000 lb on one float for your heaviest pick. A geotechnical report gives an allowable bearing pressure of 3,000 psf for the ground there. What is the minimum mat area needed under that outrigger?

   1. 9 square feet
   2. 18 square feet
   3. 27 square feet
   4. 54 square feet
   Reveal the answer

   Correct answer: B. Required area = load ÷ allowable pressure: 54,000 ÷ 3,000 = 18 sq ft, for example a mat about 4.25 ft square or larger. The mat itself must also be stiff enough to spread the load across its full area, which is why timber or engineered mats are sized with care rather than by guesswork. (29 CFR 1926.1402 (ground conditions))

8. Operator duties

   Before a pick, you notice the outrigger pad on one side is settling into soft ground. The superintendent tells you to go ahead because the schedule is tight. What does the federal rule say about your authority?

   1. You must make the lift because the superintendent outranks you
   2. You may only stop if the lift exceeds 75% of capacity
   3. You may stop and refuse the load whenever you have a safety concern, and work resumes only after a qualified person determines safety is assured
   4. You may stop, but only after the lift is completed
   Reveal the answer

   Correct answer: C. Subpart CC gives the operator independent authority to stop and refuse to handle loads when there is a safety concern. The operation restarts only after a qualified person has decided that safety has been assured, either by finding no hazard or after the hazard is corrected. (29 CFR 1926.1418)

9. Rigging

   A wire rope sling is tagged 6,000 lb in a vertical hitch. You use it in a single choker hitch with a choke angle of about 135°. Roughly what capacity should you expect the tag to show for the choker?

   1. About 6,000 lb
   2. About 4,500 lb (around 75% of vertical)
   3. About 12,000 lb
   4. About 3,000 lb (half of vertical)
   Reveal the answer

   Correct answer: B. A choker hitch typically rates around three-quarters of the vertical rating for wire rope when the choke angle is 120° or more. Tighter choke angles reduce it further. Always read the actual value from the sling tag rather than relying on the rule of thumb. (ASME B30.9; sling manufacturer's tag)

10. Signals

    With both hands to the front at waist level, fists closed, the signal person points both thumbs outward, away from each other. What is the request?

    1. Retract telescoping boom
    2. Stop
    3. Travel
    4. Extend telescoping boom
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: D. Thumbs pointing outward means EXTEND the telescoping boom. Thumbs pointing toward each other means RETRACT. Mixing these two up is common because the hand position is otherwise identical. (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, Appendix A)

11. California

    Under Title 8 §5001.3, which statement about qualifying a signal person on a California construction job is correct?

    1. The employer must ensure the signal person is qualified through either a third-party qualified evaluator or the employer's own qualified evaluator, with documentation
    2. Any worker who has watched a crane lift for a full shift is qualified
    3. Only a certified crane operator can act as a signal person
    4. Cal/OSHA issues signal person licenses
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: A. Section 5001.3 offers two routes: documentation from a third-party qualified evaluator (Option 1) or an assessment and documentation by the employer's own qualified evaluator (Option 2). An Option 2 qualification is not portable to another employer. The documentation must list the types of signaling the person is qualified for. (Title 8 §5001.3 (federal equivalent 29 CFR 1926.1428))

12. Load charts

    Your planned radius is 47 ft, but the chart lists capacities only at 45 ft and 50 ft. Unless the manufacturer's notes allow something else, which value should you use?

    1. The 45 ft value, because it is closer
    2. An average of the two values
    3. The 45 ft value plus 10%
    4. The 50 ft value, the next longer radius
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: D. Capacity drops as radius grows, so the conservative practice is to use the capacity for the next longer listed radius. Averaging or rounding toward the shorter radius can put the lift over the crane's actual capacity. (Manufacturer's load chart notes)

13. Power lines

    A utility representative says a line "should be dead" but has not confirmed it at the site. How must the crew treat that line?

    1. As de-energized, because the utility said so
    2. As de-energized once the crane is grounded
    3. As energized until the owner or operator of the line confirms it is de-energized and it is visibly grounded at the work site
    4. As energized only if it is above 50 kV
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: C. California's high-voltage safety orders and the federal crane rule both treat overhead lines as energized until the line owner or operator confirms they are de-energized and visible grounding is in place at the site. A verbal guess does not meet that bar. (Title 8 §2946; 29 CFR 1926.1408)

14. Rigging

    A 12,000 lb load is picked with two sling legs, each at 60° from horizontal, load centered. Using a sling angle factor of 1.155, roughly what tension is in each leg?

    1. 6,000 lb
    2. 12,000 lb
    3. 13,860 lb
    4. 6,930 lb
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: D. Half the load per leg is 6,000 lb; 6,000 × 1.155 ≈ 6,930 lb. At 60° the increase is modest, which is why 60° is a common target for bridle rigging. Drop the angle to 30° and the factor becomes 2.0, doubling each leg's share. (ASME B30.9 (sling angle and rated load tables))

15. Wire rope

    After a lift near an overhead line, a crew member reports that the hoist rope briefly touched the conductor. Nothing looks damaged. What applies to that rope?

    1. It may stay in service if no broken wires are visible
    2. It must be removed from service, because prior electrical contact with a power line is a Category III deficiency
    3. It needs a lubrication check only
    4. It can stay in service until the next annual inspection
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: B. Subpart CC lists prior electrical contact with a power line among the Category III conditions, along with core protrusion and a broken strand. Category III means the rope must come out of service. Arc damage can weaken the rope internally without obvious outward signs. (29 CFR 1926.1413(a)(4))

16. Site setup

    The rotating upper of your crane will swing within a few feet of a walkway used by other trades. What does Subpart CC require to protect them from the counterweight?

    1. A verbal warning at the morning safety meeting
    2. Painting the counterweight yellow
    3. Keeping the swing speed below a set limit
    4. Marking or barricading the area covered by the swing radius of the rotating superstructure
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: D. Where the rotating superstructure creates a struck-by or crushing hazard, the area within the swing radius must be marked or barricaded so workers stay out of it. Paint, briefings and slow swings do not meet the requirement. (29 CFR 1926.1424(a))

17. California

    Your company keeps a 40-ton truck crane for its California jobs. Under Title 8 §5021, what must happen before the crane is used in lifting service?

    1. It must hold a current certificate from tests and an examination done within the past year by a Cal/OSHA-licensed certifier
    2. The operator signs a yearly self-inspection form
    3. Federal OSHA inspects it every five years
    4. Only the manufacturer may inspect it, at delivery
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: A. Cranes and derricks over 3 tons rated capacity used in lifting service must be tested, examined and certificated each year by a certifying agency licensed by Cal/OSHA. Proof load testing every four years is covered separately in §5022. This is a California requirement with no direct federal counterpart. (Title 8 §5021 (see also §5022))

18. Signals

    The signal person extends an arm straight out to the side with the thumb pointing up, then opens and closes the fingers for as long as movement is wanted. What is being asked for?

    1. Raise the boom
    2. Raise the boom and lower the load
    3. Lower the boom and raise the load
    4. Hoist slowly
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: B. Thumb up with flexing fingers is RAISE THE BOOM AND LOWER THE LOAD. Thumb down with the same finger motion means LOWER THE BOOM AND RAISE THE LOAD. A thumb up without the flexing fingers is plain RAISE BOOM. (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, Appendix A)

19. Load charts

    With a load suspended, you lower (boom down) the boom by several degrees without changing boom length. What happens to the load radius and the available capacity?

    1. Radius increases and capacity decreases
    2. Radius decreases and capacity increases
    3. Both stay the same because boom length did not change
    4. Radius increases and capacity increases
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: A. Lowering the boom moves the tip out, so the radius grows and the rated capacity falls. A load that is legal at the starting radius can be over capacity a few degrees lower, which is why the radius at landing must be checked during planning. (Manufacturer's load chart)

20. Power lines

    If the crane's boom or load line contacts an energized line and the cab is not on fire, what is the generally recommended action for the operator?

    1. Climb down the ladder normally and walk away
    2. Stay in the cab, warn others to keep clear, and try to move the crane away from the line if it can be done safely; exit only for fire or other imminent danger, jumping clear with feet together
    3. Step down and hold the crane to steady it
    4. Lower the outriggers further to improve grounding
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: B. Inside the cab the operator is usually safest. People on the ground face step and touch potential, so they must stay away. If leaving is unavoidable, jump clear without touching the crane and ground at the same time, then shuffle or hop away with feet together. Subpart CC requires training in these procedures. (29 CFR 1926.1408(g))

21. Rigging

    A synthetic sling is rated 4,000 lb in a vertical hitch. Used in a basket hitch with both legs hanging straight up and down (90° to horizontal), what capacity does it typically have?

    1. 8,000 lb
    2. 4,000 lb
    3. 3,000 lb
    4. 2,000 lb
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: A. A basket hitch with vertical legs shares the load across two parts of sling, so it is typically rated at twice the vertical capacity. As soon as the legs spread away from vertical, the sling angle factor reduces that number. The D/d of the object being cradled and the tag values still govern. (ASME B30.9; sling manufacturer's tag)

22. Signals

    On a blind pick, signals are given by radio. Under Subpart CC, how must the operator receive them?

    1. On a handheld radio held in one hand
    2. Through a loudspeaker on the jobsite
    3. Through a hands-free system
    4. By cell phone call
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: C. The operator needs both hands for the controls, so radio signals must be received through a hands-free system. The radio setup must also be tested before the operation begins. (29 CFR 1926.1420)

23. Wire rope

    Which removal threshold applies to a rotation-resistant running rope under Subpart CC?

    1. Two randomly distributed broken wires within 6 rope diameters, or four within 30 rope diameters
    2. Six randomly distributed broken wires within one rope lay
    3. Ten broken wires anywhere along its length
    4. Any single broken wire
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: A. Rotation-resistant rope gets a stricter limit because damage in its inner layers can be hidden: two broken wires in 6 rope diameters or four in 30 rope diameters. The six-wires-in-one-lay figure belongs to standard running rope. (29 CFR 1926.1413(a)(4))

24. Load charts

    What is the purpose of an anti two-block device on a telescopic boom crane?

    1. To stop the boom from extending past its rated length
    2. To keep the crane from tipping when overloaded
    3. To prevent the hook block or headache ball from being pulled into the boom tip and damaging the hoist line or boom
    4. To warn the operator of nearby power lines
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: C. Two-blocking happens when the lower load block contacts the upper block or boom tip, which can part the hoist line and drop the load. Anti two-block devices prevent contact or the damage it causes. They are different from a load moment indicator, which deals with overload. (29 CFR 1926.1416(d)(3))

25. Signals

    Under the ASME B30.5 standard hand signals, what does it mean when the signal person gives a motion signal with one hand while holding the other hand motionless in front of it?

    1. Move slowly
    2. Stop all motion
    3. Use the auxiliary hoist
    4. Swing the opposite direction
    Reveal the answer

    Correct answer: A. The still hand held in front of the signaling hand tells the operator to perform the requested motion slowly. It modifies whatever motion signal is being given, such as hoist or swing. (ASME B30.5 standard hand signals)