Senate committee backs SB58 substitute to tighten mobile‑crane rules for tilt‑up construction

The Senate Business and Labor Standing Committee on Jan. 30, 2025, voted to favorably recommend the first substitute to Senate Bill 58, a measure that narrows mobile‑crane regulation to tilt‑up construction and places geotechnical responsibility on property owners when crane bearing pressure exceeds a specified threshold. The committee recorded a unanimous favorable recommendation, 4–0, on the substitute, which sponsors said reduced the bill's fiscal note to zero.

Committee members and witnesses said the change responds to industry concerns about very large tilt‑up walls that require heavier cranes and to safety risks when soil bearing capacity is insufficient. Senator Michael Musselman, sponsor of the bill, described the substitute as a targeted fix that removes a problematic size‑based restriction and excludes state buildings from the new requirement, changes that he said eliminated the original fiscal impact.

"Originally the bill specified a specific size of crane," Senator Michael Musselman said. "We recognized there were some that became problematic with UDOT as well as some other uses of cranes when we restricted the size. ... The most important part of what's done in the sub is restricting it to specifically tilt ups as it pertained to mobile cranes."

The substitute limits application to tilt‑up construction and requires property owners to ensure the site is geoengineered where bearing pressure from mobile equipment would exceed a numeric threshold cited during the hearing (recorded in committee discussion as 35,100 PSF). Committee discussion and industry testimony emphasized the change shifts responsibility for preconstruction geotechnical work to owners and developers when the equipment load exceeds that threshold.

Joey Gilbert, president and CEO of the Associated General Contractors of Utah, told the committee that movement of large cranes on highways is governed by Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) permitting and that crane companies routinely disassemble cranes to meet highway weight limits. "In order to move a crane on a highway, they would have to obtain a permit from UDOT," Gilbert said. "Crane companies will disassemble that crane to make sure that they meet those weight limits so they're not doing damage to the highway infrastructure."

Lee Felder, legislative director for UDOT, testified in support of the substitute and thanked sponsors for working with the department; he noted UDOT submitted a zero fiscal note on the substitute. Robert Bergman of the Utah Mechanical Contractors Association also told the committee the substitute addressed the association's concerns and expressed support.

Committee discussion touched on civil‑liability language in the bill: the substitute includes a presumption that an owner who allows a mobile crane to operate on property in violation of the section would be negligent if a civil action arises from crane operation. Gilbert and Musselman described the provision as a means to place responsibility for ensuring site constructability on owners when the equipment exceeds the stated pressure threshold.

The committee approved the first substitute by voice vote and then moved the bill out of committee with a favorable recommendation. The sponsor said the measure is meant as a "preemptive strike" to prevent catastrophic tipovers on jobsites and to prompt adequate geotechnical preparation by owners and developers.

Votes at a glance: the committee recorded a favorable recommendation on the 1st substitute to SB58 with a tally of 4 yes, 0 no. The committee also noted the substitute removed the original fiscal note, which was read as reduced to $0 during testimony.

The bill record shows industry groups and UDOT participated in drafting the substitute language; the committee paused briefly afterward to allow the sponsor to attend another committee assignment.