A tower crane is usually the tallest structure on a site, and sometimes in the whole neighbourhood. When the site is near an airport, a helicopter landing site or an area of aviation interest, the crane may be considered an aviation obstacle. In that case marking the crane for aircraft is required: warning lights for the hours of darkness, day marking in paint or flags, and prior coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI). The guide explains when this is required, which lights are accepted, where they are fitted on the crane and what to prepare before erection.
This guide was reviewed by RMA’s engineering and service team. RMA has worked in tower cranes since 1981 and, as of 2026, provides ongoing service to about 500 cranes across the country. The binding requirement for every crane is set in the position of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), so this article presents principles and sources and does not replace the Authority’s position or the project’s aviation consultant.
Under Annex 14 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the assessment is made against the obstacle limitation surfaces defined around every airport, and against the height of the object above ground level. Aviation authorities also check the protection areas of communication, navigation and radar equipment, and the effect of the object on flight procedures. A tower crane is treated as a temporary structure with special characteristics: it stands on site for months and years, its height rises with every raising, and the jib slews and covers a wide area. To understand the orders of magnitude, it is worth knowing how several leading regulators treat cranes:
In Israel, the CAAI refers to the civil aviation interests map, which can be viewed in the Ministry of Transport’s Hatzav system and includes ground and airborne aviation infrastructure. It is important to remember that the height of the crane at the end of the project is higher than the height of the building, so approval of the height of the building itself does not necessarily cover the crane. It is worth checking this with an aviation consultant already at the crane placement planning stage.
Annex 14 divides obstacle lights into three families. Each family is defined by colour, mode of operation (steady or flashing) and light intensity in candelas (cd) by day, at twilight and at night.
In addition, under the annex at least one light is positioned as close as practicable to the top of the object, and medium-intensity flashing lights on the same object flash simultaneously.
The names L-810, L-864 and L-865 are FAA classifications, and the lights are also marketed and sold in Israel under these names. The ICAO column gives the closest equivalent for orientation only. The binding light type, colour and position are set in the CAAI’s position.
| Light | Colour and mode | Intensity class (ICAO equivalent) | Usual position on a tower crane | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L-810 | Steady red. There is also a flashing version, L-810 F, at 30 flashes per minute | Low, close to Type B (32 cd at night) | Jib tip, counter-jib tip and points along the upper part. On a low crane, two or more at the highest point | According to the FAA, on a temporary structure up to 45.72 metres, two or more L-810 lights in the upper part are sufficient |
| L-864 | Flashing red, 20 to 40 flashes per minute (30 when combined with L-810 F) | Medium, close to Type B (2,000 cd at night) | The highest point of the crane | The FAA recommends it at the top of the crane, and on a temporary structure above 45.72 metres at least one in the upper part |
| L-865 | Flashing white, 40 flashes per minute | Medium, close to Type A (20,000 cd by day, 2,000 cd at night) | The high point, when a warning is needed in daylight hours as well | The FAA lists it as an addition or alternative to painting on temporary structures above 200 feet (about 61 metres) |
| L-856 | Flashing white | High, Type A | Usually not on cranes | The FAA does not recommend it for temporary structures |
According to the FAA, on a temporary structure 45.72 to 106.68 metres high, intermediate levels of flashing L-810 F lights are added to the L-864 light at the top, and above 106.68 metres the intermediate levels are L-864 lights. All flashing lights on the same structure flash together.
According to the FAA, the aim is to show a pilot approaching from any direction both the presence of the crane and its outline. On a tower crane this means three main points:
On a tall crane, intermediate lights are added along the mast. According to ICAO, when the top is higher than 45 metres and is marked with medium-intensity red lights, the intermediate lights are spaced as equally as possible and no more than 52 metres apart. When the crane is surrounded by buildings, the height can be measured from the roofs of the adjacent buildings and not from ground level to determine the number of light levels.
On a crane with a luffing jib, the high point changes with the angle of the jib. The FAA recommends mounting the lights on a swinging pivot, so that the light fitting stays level as the jib rises and is not hidden by the structure. In the request to the CAAI it is worth showing the maximum height at the highest jib angle, and not the height in a normal working position.
After every raising, the lights at the top and on the jibs rise with the crane, but new intermediate lights on the mast may be needed. The CAAI’s data sheet for a crane includes, among other things, the height of the crane above ground, the jib length and the date of dismantling. It is therefore worth submitting the planned final height in advance, and checking with the CAAI before any change of height or position that was not included in the position.
At the end of the working day the slewing brake is released and the jib turns with the wind. The lights on the slewing part receive power through the crane’s slip rings, so it is important to make sure their circuit stays powered in this state too. The FAA stresses that from every approach direction the pilot should see at least one light without obstruction.
Day marking is intended to increase the visibility of the crane in daylight. Under Annex 14, a fixed object that needs marking is painted wherever practicable. A lattice structure, such as a crane jib or mast, is marked with alternating stripes in contrasting colours, perpendicular to the long dimension. The width of each stripe is about one seventh of the long dimension or 30 metres, whichever is smaller. The recommended colours are orange and white, and the stripes at the ends are in the dark colour. The FAA recommends painting cranes aviation orange or in orange and white stripes, and accepts other conspicuous colours when flags or lights are present. By contrast, it recommends avoiding colours that blend into the background, such as light blue or dark green. Marker flags are fitted at the high point, each side of a flag at least 0.61 metres long, and a flag of 0.91 metres or more is checkered orange and white. The British CAA recommends stripes at least 5 metres wide, and notes that yellow and black, or yellow and dark blue, create a particularly strong contrast from the air, especially in an urban environment.
According to the CAAI, section 94 of the Planning and Building Law requires notifying a body authorised by the Minister of Transport of the deposit of a plan that may affect civil aviation. Since Amendment 101 to the law, the CAAI is also integrated as an information-providing body in the licensing process, under regulation 16 of the Planning and Building (Building Permits) Regulations, 2016. The crane is handled on a separate track from the building, in the following stages:
The Standards Institution of Israel has published SI 5139, “Marking and lighting of aviation obstacles”. The current edition was published in February 2022 and was also published in the official gazette. The standard deals with the photometric, safety and environmental requirements for marking and lighting systems for aviation obstacles and the methods of testing them. In practice, it is worth asking the supplier for documentation showing which requirements the light meets. Coordination with the CAAI does not replace the obligations under the Safety at Work (Tower Cranes) Regulations, 1966. Draft amendments to the regulations were published for comment in 2022 and 2025, and as of October 2026 we have not found a final text published in the official gazette. Both subjects are also worth coordinating with the site safety officer.
Obstacle lights need to work precisely when the site is closed: at night, at weekends and on holidays.
A burnt-out light at the top of the crane is not visible from the ground by day, so a fixed routine is needed. The FAA recommends checking the lighting visually at least once every 24 hours when there is no automatic monitoring, and keeping a log recording the state of the lighting each day. The FAA also says that a cracked, cloudy or dirty lens must be replaced, and a fault in a flashing light must be reported immediately and repaired promptly. In Israel, it is worth clarifying in advance with the CAAI the reporting procedure in the event of a fault. In practice we recommend checking all the lights after every raising, after a storm and after work on the jib, cleaning concrete dust from the lenses and keeping spare lights on site. Climbing to the top of the crane or to the jib tip is carried out only by workers qualified to work at height and with suitable protective equipment.
RMA supplies marking and lighting accessories for tower cranes, including the steady L-810 light, the flashing L-864 light and the solar L-865 light, and our service team fits the lights at height. The items can be seen in the marking and lighting accessories catalogue. If you are at the planning stage, you can contact us for a needs assessment and initial planning at no cost (an initial review of the site plan and a basic recommendation on model and position; a full placement plan is priced separately) and include the marking and lighting points in the placement planning already at that stage. The binding position on marking is set by the CAAI.
Not necessarily. The need is determined by the location of the site, the height of the crane and the proximity to airports, helicopter landing sites and other aviation infrastructure. In Israel the decision is the Civil Aviation Authority’s, and the check starts with the aviation interests map in the Hatzav system and consultation with an aviation consultant.
L-810 is a steady red low-intensity light, used mainly to mark jib tips and points along the crane. L-864 is a flashing red medium-intensity light, about 2,000 cd at night, and is usually fitted at the highest point of a tall crane.
At the highest point: the top of the tower head on a crane with a head, or the upper part of the slewing structure on a crane without a tower head. At the jib tip and the counter-jib tip, L-810 lights are usually fitted to show the outline of the crane. The binding position is set in the CAAI’s position.
According to the CAAI, processing a request for a position on building restrictions, including a crane as a Tamir facility, takes up to 45 working days from receipt of valid data. After it, a request for publication of the erection of a temporary facility is submitted, and processing takes up to 10 working days. So it is worth starting the process long before the erection date.
Solar lights with a built-in battery are a common solution where running a cable is difficult, for example at the jib tip, and they also do not depend on the crane’s main switch. It is important to make sure the light meets the required intensity, that the battery lasts through the night even after cloudy days, and that the type suits the CAAI’s position.
Replace it promptly, by a worker qualified to work at height, and record it in the lighting log. The FAA recommends reporting a fault in a flashing light immediately and repairing it promptly. In Israel it is worth clarifying in advance with the CAAI the reporting procedure in the event of a fault, and keeping spare lights on site.
Sometimes. ICAO Annex 14 recommends alternating stripes in contrasting colours, usually orange and white, and the FAA also accepts other conspicuous colours when lights or flags are present. If the CAAI requires day marking, stripes, flags or a flashing white light may be required in addition to the original colour.
The information in this article is general and does not replace engineering, safety or legal advice for a specific site.
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