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
| 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
When: May 13, 2025 – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (in-person only)
Where: Enduris Training Facility
1610 S. Technology Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99224
When: May 15, 2025 – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (in-person only)
Where: Department of Labor & Industries
12806 Gateway Drive S.
Tukwila, WA 98168
When: May 19, 2025 – 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual only on Zoom
Register on Zoom
(If passcode required: Tower@1pm)
Join via phone (audio only):
(253) 215-8782 or (253) 205-0468
Meeting ID: 815 4003 9139
Passcode: 258622516
Previous Meetings
- March 24, 2025, in Tukwila, and April 1, 2025, in Spokane.
Meeting materials
Rule Drafts & Documents
Stakeholder/Preliminary Drafts
Additional resources
- Second Substitute House Bill (2SHB) 2022 (Chapter 311, Laws of 2024), codified under RCW 49.17.435 and 49.17.440.
Staff contacts
Please contact Cynthia Ireland or Allison Drake with any questions about this rulemaking.
Please contact Bill Sloniker with any technical questions regarding this rulemaking project.
Get updates via email
If you would like to receive email updates regarding this and other rulemaking projects and future stakeholder meetings, please sign up for our email updates.