WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Safety Council and NCCCO Foundation released a new research report, The State of Rigging and Signaling in Crane Operations, revealing that nearly all crane professionals experience communication challenges during crane lifts.

Funded by the NCCCO Foundation and published through the NSC Work to Zero initiative in partnership with McElhattan Foundation, the resource advances the Council's mission of eliminating workplace fatalities by identifying practical strategies that strengthen safety practices and reduce risk. 

Developed through interviews with industry experts, a survey of crane professionals and an extensive review of existing research, the report explores how communication, planning and human and organizational factors influence crane safety. Crane-related incidents continue to pose significant risks for workers across multiple industries. Between 2015 and 2024, there were 405 crane-related fatalities in the United States. Notably, only 29 percent of those fatalities involved crane or tower operators, highlighting the importance of protecting everyone working around crane operations, including riggers, signalpersons and other jobsite personnel.

“Safe crane operations depend on clear communication, careful planning and a workplace culture that empowers workers to speak up and effectively use safe work practices,” said Dr. Matt Law, director of Work to Zero at NSC. “This research shows how human and organizational factors influence safety outcomes and provides employers with practical recommendations to strengthen communication, reduce risk and help prevent serious incidents and fatalities.”

Key findings from the report include:

• 98 percent of survey respondents experienced communication challenges during crane lifts within the previous 90 days, highlighting the need for stronger communication and pre-lift planning;
• Nonstandard signaling practices contribute to confusion and increased risk on jobsites;
• Human and organizational factors, including production pressure, inadequate; supervision and worker distraction, contribute to unsafe rigging practices more frequently than technical errors;
• Certified riggers and signalpersons were consistently viewed by peers as more effective than non-certified personnel, suggesting standardized training and certification can help establish greater consistency across the workforce.

“This report shows that rigging and signaling both play important parts in implementing a safe lift from start to finish,” said T.J. Cantwell, executive director at the NCCCO Foundation. “It’s clear more needs to be done to ensure people are trained in the use of proper rigging and signaling standards, and that those standards are being adhered to in the field in order to improve safety for everyone working with cranes.”

Since 2023, Work to Zero and the NCCCO Foundation have collaborated to develop research, tools and resources that help reduce serious incidents and fatalities in crane operations. NSC and the NCCCO Foundation will host a webinar Sept. 29, 2026, to discuss the report's findings and practical strategies for improving rigging, signaling and communication during crane operations. Register for the webinar here. 

Work to Zero is part of the Council’s ongoing effort to eliminate workplace fatalities through the advancement and adoption of technology-based safety solutions. To learn more and access the report, visit nsc.org/worktozero.