In an industry closely monitored by federal regulations, certification and proper training play a large role in your hireability and career path trajectory. Graham will touch on the various types of certifications required in the crane industry, what standards exist for training and qualification and why companies hire candidates who have been certified.
Speaker: Graham Brent, National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO)
3. What is Certification?
• Certification
– Non governmental; voluntary
• Licensing
– Governmental; required
• Registration
– Non governmental; voluntary
• Accreditation
– Non governmental; voluntary
4. What is Certification?
• Voluntary
– No Federal requirement
– But, 17 states and 6 cities have requirements
• Accredited
– American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
– National Commission for Certifying Agencies
(NCCA)
5. National Commission for the
Certification of Crane Operators
• Established 1995
• Non-profit organization
• Non-governmental
• Industry established and supported
• Sole mission to improve lifting safety
• No direct training
• Independently accredited
6. NCCCO in 2015
• 24 certifications in 10 categories
• More than 100,000 individuals certified
• 900,000+ tests administered
• 140+ training firms nationwide (unaffiliated)
22. The Canadian Experience
Ontario Crane-Related Deaths
no. /year /100k workers
• 1969-1978 85 8.5 3.95
• 1979-2002 51 2.1 0.76
• Death Rate down 80%
• Crane and rigging accidents as % of all
construction accidents down 50%
23. The California Experience
CRANE ACCIDENTS, June ’02-’05 vs. June ’05-’08
FATAL ACCIDENTS ’02-’05 ’05-’08
• High-Voltage line contacts 5 1
• Struck by Loads 4 0
• Mobile Cranes Overturned 1 1
• Total Cases 10 2 80% decrease
NON-FATAL ACCIDENTS ’02-’05 ’05-’08
• High Voltage Line Contact 7 4
• Struck by Loads 18 3
• Mobile Cranes Overturned 5 6
• Total Cases 30 13 57% decrease
24. Why is it Important to you?
• Proves you have met the “bar”
– Knowledge; skill
• Provides employment opportunities
• Quicker advancement (promotion)
• Higher pay
• Job security
• Marks you out as a professional
• Instills respect
25. Certification has . . .
87% made me a “safer operator”
86% helped me “do my job better”
89% made me “more professional”
80% would recommend certification to their
co-workers or supervisors
28. How do I get Certified?
• (Get Training)
• Be at least 18 years old
• Pass Written Examination(s)
• Pass Practical (Performance) Examination(s)
• (Experience)
• Meet Physical Requirements
• Abide by Code of Ethics, Substance Abuse
Policies of the Certification Body
29. 29
Where Do I Get Certified?
Three (3) accredited non-profit organizations:
• National Commission for the Certification of Crane
Operators (NCCCO)
• Operating Engineers Certification Program (OECP)
• National Center for Construction Education and
Research (NCCER)
One (1) for-profit company:
• Crane Institute Certification (CIC)
30. 30
Where Do I Get Training?
•Employer
•Union
•Training Schools
•Online
•Self-Study
33. 33
How Do I Stay Certified?
• Operate safely
– We investigate accidents/”near misses”
• Stay away from drugs/alcohol abuse
– We investigate employer reports
•Act professionally
– Comply with Ethics Policy
•Retest every 5 years
– Written (+ Practical if not active)
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Points to Consider
• “People that just love to work with their hands . . . Don’t
want to go to the office everyday . . . But like to see things
accomplished.”
• “Be good in your craft, take on that responsibility, pick up things .
. . and keep people safe, people pay a lot of money for
that.”
• “It’s not a job; it’s a long-term career path.”
• “It’s a good occupation. People should seriously consider
that versus the path . . . into college education, because
. .. That piece of paper’s not going to allow you to run a crane.”
THE CANADIAN EXPERIENCE
Construction Safety Association of Ontario and the government of Ontario, Canada, have kept data over a 40 year period The conditions there are similar; they do much the same things with cranes.
Between ‘69-’78 (8 yrs), 85 deaths were reported.
While the province of Ontario had had a licensing requirement for many years, comprehensive training was not a required component until 1979.
Training was implemented in 1979. Between ‘79-’92 (13 yrs), 43 deaths were recorded, a 50% reduction.
Without a national standard for crane operator skills an employer cannot be sure of the qualifications of crane operators.
What state and city programs are in place are of varying quality and effectiveness--and they are all different.
US CRANE STATISTICS: IT’S WORKING!
Finally, the results are in. Just as we hoped two decades ago, certification (and the training that goes along with it) can save lives and protect those who work in, with and around cranes.
Cal-OSHA’s study published July 2008 reveals a reduction in crane fatalities and injuries remarkably similar to those Ontario experienced thirty (30) years ago.
California introduced CCO-based certification in June 2005. NCCCO has certified over 11,000 crane operators in the state in the first three (3) years of mandatory certification there.