Explain the purpose of a 'stop work authority' and who may exercise it?

• A. To halt operations only with supervisor approval.
• B. To halt operations when there is imminent risk.
• C. To halt only non-crane tasks.
• D. To stop once per shift.

Answer: (B)

Stop Work Authority is a safety mechanism that empowers anyone on the job to pause work immediately whenever an imminent hazard could cause injury or damage. The idea is to stop a task right away so the unsafe condition can be fixed before anyone is harmed, with the work remaining halted until the hazard is corrected and the area is deemed safe to proceed.

Who may exercise it? Any worker involved in the crane operation or related tasks—operators, riggers, spotters, ground crew, maintenance personnel, and even contractors—can use Stop Work Authority. It isn’t reserved for supervisors, and it isn’t limited to non-crane tasks. It also isn’t a once-per-shift rule; it can be used as needed whenever an imminent risk is identified.