Tower Crane Permit and Safety Requirements
Chapter 296-155 WAC, Part L

Status

The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is conducting rulemaking to implement and enforce Second Substitute House Bill (2SHB) 2022 (Chapter 311, Laws of 2024), codified under RCW 49.17.435 and 49.17.440. 2SHB 2022, addressing construction crane safety, created new requirements for tower cranes.

To initiate this rulemaking, L&I filed a CR-101 Pre-proposal Statement of Inquiry on January 21, 2025.

L&I is hosting stakeholder meetings on March 24, 2025, in Tukwila, and April 1, 2025, in Spokane. DOSH staff will provide a brief overview of 2SHB 2022, answer questions, and seek stakeholder feedback to assist with scoping the preliminary draft version of the rule.

Please see L&I’s Rulemaking Activity page for additional filing documents.

Learn more about our rulemaking process and terminology.

Background

The law directed L&I to establish, by rule, a permit for the performance of any work involving the operation, assembly, disassembly, or reconfiguration of a tower crane. The minimum requirements for the permit include a complete permit application, safety conference, certain notifications to L&I, inspections, and other provisions.

Beginning January 1, 2026, prime contractors must obtain a permit from L&I prior to performing or allowing the performance of any work involving the operation, assembly, disassembly, or reconfiguration of a tower crane.

Specifically, some of the topics this rulemaking will address include:

  • Permit requirements related to tower cranes;
  • Permit applications and safety conferences;
  • Permit denials, suspensions, and revocations;
  • Requirements of prime contractors; and
  • Other housekeeping changes.

Other areas in chapter 296-155 WAC may require amendments based on this rulemaking.

Meetings & timeline
Rulemaking action items
Activity​ Date​
Filed CR-101 Pre-proposal Statement of Inquiry​​ January 21, 2025​
Stakeholder meetings​ May 13, 15, & 19, 2025
March 24 & April 1, 2025​

Meeting information

Upcoming meetings

  • TBD

Previous meetings

  • May 13, in Spokane, May 15 in Tukwila, & May 19 virtual, 2025 
  • March 24, 2025, in Tukwila, and April 1, 2025, in Spokane. 

Previous meeting materials & summaries

    Rule Drafts & Documents Additional resources

    Staff Contacts

    For rulemaking questions, please contact:
    Cynthia.Ireland@Lni.wa.gov or 360-791-5048.

    For technical questions please contact:
    Bill.Sloniker@Lni.wa.gov or 206-715-3287.

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    If you would like to receive email updates regarding this proposed rulemaking project and future stakeholder meetings, please sign up for our email updates.