What should be included in exclusion zones during a lift?

• A. Areas where people are prohibited from entry due to risk of being struck.
• B. Only the area under the load.
• C. Exclusion zones are optional during simple lifts.
• D. The entire facility must be evacuated.

Answer: (A)

Exclusion zones exist to keep people away from moving loads and overhead equipment. When a lift is being performed, the load can swing, drift, or travel along a path that isn’t easy to predict from the ground. To prevent injuries, the area where someone could be struck or hit by falling objects must be off-limits. This means not just the spot directly under the load, but the surrounding space the load could reach—including the path it travels and any area where tools or rigging could drop. The zone is defined from the hazard assessment and clearly marked, and it stays in place for the entire lift until the load is secured and movement is finished.

Why the other ideas don’t fit: restricting only the area under the load ignores potential swing or side travel; saying exclusion zones are optional would be unsafe for any lift; and evacuating the whole facility is an overly broad, unnecessary measure.