(a) An apprentice shall be permitted to operate a crane or hoisting equipment only where the requirements of this section are met.

(b) The employer shall provide each apprentice with sufficient training prior to operating the equipment to enable the apprentice to operate the equipment safely under the limitations established by this section, including continuous monitoring, and any additional limitations established by the employer.

(c) The tasks performed by the apprentice while operating the equipment shall be within the apprentice's ability.

(d) While operating the equipment, the apprentice shall be continuously monitored by an individual who: (1) Is employed by, or is an agent of, the apprentice's employer, (2) holds a valid crane operator's or hoisting equipment license issued under this chapter, (3) while monitoring the apprentice, performs no tasks that detract from such individual's ability to monitor the apprentice, (4) for equipment other than tower cranes, is in direct line of sight of the apprentice and communicates orally or by hand signals with the apprentice, and (5) for tower cranes, is in direct communication with the apprentice.

(e) The individual monitoring the apprentice may take short breaks provided (1) the break lasts no more than fifteen minutes and there is no more than one break per hour, (2) prior to the break, the individual informs the apprentice of the specific tasks the apprentice is to perform and limitations to which the apprentice must adhere, and (3) the specific tasks are within the apprentice's abilities.

(f) An apprentice shall not operate equipment in any of the following circumstances: (1) If any part of the equipment, load line or load, including rigging and lifting accessories, if operated up to the equipment's maximum working radius, could get within twenty feet of a power line that is three hundred fifty kilovolts or less or within fifty feet of a power line that is over three hundred fifty kilovolts, (2) if the equipment is used to hoist personnel, (3) in multiple equipment lifts, (4) if the equipment is used over a shaft or cofferdam or in a tank farm, and (5) in multiple-lift rigging operations, except where the individual monitoring the apprentice determines that the apprentice's skills are sufficient.

(P.A. 12-99, S. 13.)