What it is: a voluntary consensus safety standard for crawler, locomotive and wheel-mounted cranes: their construction, inspection, testing, maintenance and operation. Publisher: ASME (the American Society of Mechanical Engineers).
Where to get it: the official product page is at asme.org. It is sold as a purchase (some editions have a read-only option); it is copyrighted, so it is not free. ASME lists the 2018 and 2021 editions; the 2021 edition added, among other changes, a paragraph on the responsibilities of a signal person. Checked September 19, 2026.
Proof that the exam uses it
The certifying body's Mobile Crane Operator Candidate Handbook, revision 1/25 (PDF) lists this in its Reference List (listed as ASME B30.5, Mobile and Locomotive Cranes, with www.asme.org; also named in the Core exam outline, Domain 3, and the practical exam uses B30.5 hand signals). That list states that the most recent versions of the listed references are used by the body's written examination committee to verify the accuracy of test questions. Source checked October 15, 2026. Ask the certifying body for the current edition of the handbook before you rely on this, because the list can change.
What to focus on
The standard is divided into parts on construction and characteristics, on inspection, testing and maintenance, and on operation (see the table of contents on the ASME page). For the exam, the operation and inspection parts, the definitions, and the signals matter most. Compare it with OSHA Subpart CC, which covers much of the same ground for construction.
Key ideas in short
- Cranes are inspected before use, on a regular schedule and after repair, by people who are qualified.
- The operator is responsible for knowing the rated capacity, the load weight and the radius before lifting.
- Signals, tag lines, and clear communication are part of every lift.
- Cranes with a rated capacity of one ton or less, digger derricks and knuckle boom cranes are outside its scope (per the ASME product description).
This article describes the document in our own words. It does not reproduce the standard or book. Buy or borrow the current edition from the publisher to read it.
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