If you hear thunder or see lightning but it appears to be 8 miles away, do you need to cease operations?

• A. No
• B. Only if wind > 35 mph
• C. Yes
• D. Only if within 50 feet of powerline

Answer: (C)

Lightning safety requires stopping crane operations as soon as you observe lightning or hear thunder, even if it seems distant. Eight miles is well within the danger zone because storms can strike or produce ground currents that reach several miles from where you see the lightning. The risk persists until the storm passes, so you should cease work and seek shelter, then wait at least about 30 minutes after the last thunder or lightning before resuming. Wind speed or proximity to power lines does not eliminate the lightning hazard, so those conditions aren’t the deciding factors.