Overhead crane access control: only trained operators run the crane.
The Start-Manager SM301 keeps an overhead crane switched off until an operator enters a code or presents a card, and asks the daily inspection questions before the crane will run. It is $865.00CA$1,233.75 a crane with no monthly fee.
What the rule asks for
29 CFR 1910.179OSHA’s rule for overhead and gantry cranes says who may run one and what has to be looked at, and how often. It does not say how you keep everyone else off the controls. That is the part a unit on the crane does.
Who may run it
Only designated personnel may operate the crane. Designated means selected or assigned by the employer as qualified for the job.
Each designated operator gets a code, a card or a fob. Nobody else can switch the crane on.
What is inspected daily
Operating mechanisms, air and hydraulic systems, hooks and hoist chains are inspected daily, the hooks and chains by eye.
The operator answers the inspection questions on the unit before the crane will run, and every answer is kept with their name.
The start of each shift
At the beginning of each operator’s shift, the upper limit switch of each hoist is tried out under no load.
The check is set by shift, so it is asked at the start of each one. You can add this test to the questions.
Read the rule itself at osha.gov, 29 CFR 1910.179 . The paragraphs above are summarized from it as it read on 13 October 2026. Rules outside the United States differ.
A code or a card to switch it on. Twelve questions before the first lift.
The SM301 is a keypad and card reader with its own screen. The crane stays off until an operator it knows signs in, and at the start of a shift it asks the inspection questions before the crane will run.
A 4-digit code or a 125 kHz card or fob for each operator
Up to 1,000 codes and cards on the unit, and no limit in the web portal
After a failed check, the crane stays locked until a supervisor releases it, or the failure is only recorded: you choose
Each operator’s training expiry in the web portal, with an email two weeks before
Last operator search, for finding who was on the crane after an accident
Reports and alerts sent by email on a schedule
- 01Emergency stop button in place and working
- 02Control buttons working
- 03Brakes working on all motions
- 04Hooks and bottom block
- 05Wire rope and load chain
- 06Loose parts, unusual noise, leaks or vibration
- 07Crane travel area clear
- 08Load rigging and capacity
- 09Warning labels clearly visible
- 10Operating procedure posted and understood
- 11Protective equipment in use
- 12Safe to operate for your shift
Each one is answered pass or fail on the unit, in random order. Change them in the web portal, for one crane or for a group.
What to know before you buy
Tell us about the crane
Cranes are wired differently from trucks. Before you order, tell us the make, how it is controlled and its control voltage, and we will confirm how the SM301 is fitted. The unit runs on a 12 to 48 volt DC supply.
Wi-Fi where the crane is
The SM301 uses your own 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and needs a strong signal where the crane is. It does not have to be connected all the time: it keeps what it collects until it is.
Where it is mounted
The unit is rated -20°C to +45°C. It resists dust, moisture and vandals, and needs protecting from rain, snow and direct sun, which matters on an outdoor gantry.
What it is not
The SM301 decides who can run the crane and records the daily check. It is not a load limiter, an overload alarm or an anti-collision system.
What it costs
Published prices2 pre-programmed key fobs in the box
1 year replacement warranty
Full use of the web portal, smConsole and smHealth
Pricing is in US dollars.Prices in Canadian dollars are estimates; orders are charged in US dollars. Does not include freight, taxes, duty or installation. Full price includes cost of hardware, licensing fees, full use of US based web portal (smPortal) & tools (smConsole, smHealth, etc.)
The web portal, the setup app and remote troubleshooting come with the SM301. There is no licence to renew and no charge for each operator or supervisor.
To try it on one crane, the Introductory Offer is $915.00CA$1,305.06 with the bracket, four key fobs and a year of unlimited storage.
See the Introductory OfferQuestions about cranes
Does OSHA require access control on an overhead crane?
Not by that name. 29 CFR 1910.179(b)(8) says only designated personnel shall be permitted to operate the crane, and leaves the method to the employer. A code or a card for each designated operator is one way to enforce that and to show it afterwards.
Will it work on my crane?
The SM301 is used on overhead cranes and has a standard set of inspection questions for them. Cranes differ in how they are controlled and powered, so tell us the make, the controls and the control voltage before you order and we will confirm how it is fitted.
Does each operator get their own code?
Yes. Each operator has a 4-digit code or a 125 kHz card or fob. The unit holds up to 1,000 codes and cards combined, and the web portal has no limit on operators.
What happens when a question fails?
You choose. The crane can stay locked until a supervisor releases it, or the failure can simply be recorded. Either way it appears in the web portal with the operator’s name on it.
Can we change the questions?
Yes, in the web portal. Questions can be assigned to one crane or to a group, and they are shown to the operator in random order.
Who installs it?
Start-Manager does not install units. Your own maintenance department or a contractor does it, and we send installation documents after the order and give technical support for the installation.
Can the same system go on our forklifts?
Yes. The SM301 works on forklifts, powered pallet trucks, scissor lifts, utility vehicles and stationary machinery as well, each with its own question set, and they all report to the same web portal.
Is there a monthly fee?
No. smPortal, smConsole and smHealth have no fees with the purchase of an SM301. Report data is kept for 3 months; unlimited storage for the life of the unit is a one-time $125.00CA$178.29. The one thing with a monthly fee is smIntegration, the optional link to your own software, and sales quotes that.
Tell us about your crane.
Call us 1-800-674-9320, send the make and the control voltage, or see the system in an online demo.