Commissioner Spotlight: Jorge Vial
NCCCO Commissioner Jorge Vial has been involved in the crane industry in various roles since the late 1970s, including trainer, equipment manager, crane safety consultant, and crane inspector. Reflecting his long-standing commitment to crane and lifting safety, he has been a Commissioner since 1998.
Jorge runs several businesses based out of Chile, so he brings a strong international perspective to the Commission. Jorge’s long career has also included international assignments with Bechtel Equipment Services, Link-Belt Construction Equipment, and Fluor Daniel, among others. Reflecting this experience, Jorge is a strong advocate of NCCCO’s developing exams in languages other than English to reflect the increasingly diverse workforce in the U.S. and the emerging need for certification programs for lifting personnel in other countries.
A central theme across Jorge’s entire career has been a focus on crane safety, so his involvement with NCCCO has been consistent with his goals as well as those of his clients and employers. “I aim to provide the same benefits to my clients as NCCCO brings to its stakeholders, namely a safer work environment for cranes, operators, and others involved with lifting activities.” These days he focuses mostly on crane inspections with his company Vial Equipment Sales & Service.
Jorge also currently serves as a training advisor for CEOP Ltd., a Chile-based company whose name translates to “Center for the Training of Professional Operators.” CEOP enables its clients to achieve its production and safety goals by teaching operators and riggers to work efficiently and safely.
Jorge has other diversified businesses that keep him very busy, including a wine importing company in the U.S. that provides quality wines from Chile under the award-winning Viña La Torina label. He is also developing a small airline business, AEROVIAL, to provide services in Chile for his company and clients. For example, Jorge and AEROVIAL participated in flying emergency aid after last year’s devastating earthquake. In addition, he is active as an officer in the Chilean Navy Reserve.