June 2010 – The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) held a Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshop for its newest certification program—for operators of articulating boom cranes and loaders—on April 7–9, 2010 at COCI, Inc. in Stanley, NC. As the first state to adopt OSHA’s Proposed Federal Rule on cranes (C-DAC), North Carolina is leading the way in adopting this new certification program, and the workshop quickly filled to capacity.
Although Federal OSHA’s rule is not likely to be published until sometime this summer, with the operator certification requirement not effective until five years after that, so-called “state plan” states can promulgate their own rules so long as they are at least as effective as federal requirements; NCCCO’s certification programs meet or exceed all proposed new federal regulations.
The North Carolina workshop trained 14 new practical examiners to administer the articulating crane practical tests, bringing the total number of NCCCO-accredited articulating crane operator practical examiners to nearly 50. Cargotec USA provided both a Hiab articulating (or “knuckleboom”) crane and an articulating boom loader (also known as a “wallboard loader”) for training and testing the new examiners. “Assistance of this nature [by Cargotec and Hiab] helps ensure the safety of the operators and other workplace personnel,” stated COCI President, Steve Reynolds.
Participants at Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshop for NCCCO’s new articulating crane operator certification program gather at conclusion of three-day program in Stanley, NC.
An NCCCO task force developed the new certification program in partnership with the Articulating Crane Council of North America (ACCNA) and other industry stakeholders. Combining classroom and hands-on training over three days, the workshop ran the prospective examiners through setting up the practical test courses, taking the tests, and scoring them consistently and fairly. Workshop participants had to pass one or both tests to earn accreditation.
As detailed in the Articulating Crane Operator Candidate Handbook, candidates seeking certification must pass both a written exam and the practical test covered in the Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshop. To help candidates prepare for the written exam, the task force prepared an Articulating Crane Reference Manual.
In anticipation of rapid expansion of the new program, additional workshops will be held throughout the coming year; check the NCCCO home page for dates and locations.