NCCCO Participates in CURT Conference
NCCCO participated in the National Conference of the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT), November 10-12, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, CA by way of an exhibit and a presentation (available here for download) titled “High Flying Safety.” The presentation takes an in-depth look at the aftermath of recent tragic events in New York, Miami, Houston and elsewhere, analyzes the latest state-by-state developments regarding the licensing of operators and ground crew, and outlines the operator and signalperson qualification requirements of OSHA’s new Proposed Rule now out for public comment. CURT’s fall edition of The Voice magazine features a related article by NCCCO Executive Director, Graham Brent, Crane Safety: Is the Sky Falling?

Pennsylvania to Require Crane Operators to be Licensed.
Crane operators in Pennsylvania will be required to be licensed by the state under the provisions of a bill approved by the legislature, October 8. Crane operators would have until 2010 to comply with the new law.

New York City Overhauls Operator Licensing Rules.
New York City Buildings Commissioner, Robert LiMandri, announced strict new criteria last month for individuals seeking licenses to operate certain mobile cranes in the city.

OSHA Proposed Rule Published.
The Department of Labor published OSHA’s much awaited Proposed Rule revising 29 CFR 1926 governing the use of cranes and derricks in construction. Publication followed soon after the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) completed their review last month. The full text of the Proposed Rule and its extensive preamble can be accessed here.
Under the 60-day public review period provided for, all comments must be received by federal OSHA before December 8.
PDF version.

NCCCO To Provide Crane Operator Exams to New York City.
New York City’s Department of Buildings will require applicants for city crane licenses to be certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) under new provisions announced by the city, October 6, 2008. NCCCO has developed a dedicated area of its web site, New York City Central, as a “one-stop shop” of key information for crane operators seeking to be certified for the New York City license.

CA Crane Fatalities Drop After Certification Introduced.
Crane-related fatalities and injuries in California have declined sharply after more than four years of training and testing that produced more than 10,000 certified crane operators in the state, reports Cal-OSHA Reporter, following a study published by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).

Flintco Mandates Signalperson and Rigger Training.
In response to the rash of crane-related accidents across the nation, Flintco, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK, has implemented a mandatory training program for employees serving as signalpersons and riggers.

Signalperson Certification Program Launched.
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) announced the introduction of its much-anticipated certification program for signalpersons.

The new program meets or exceeds all current and proposed standards and regulations that require personnel providing hand signals to crane operators to be qualified.

NCCCO Urges White House OMB To Release Crane Rule.
Operator certification was top of the list of items under discussion last month at a meeting between officials of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and industry representatives.
Here you can view 20 facts about crane operator certification and the proposed Federal Rule.

IUOE Local 18 Invests in Certification.
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18’s brand new Miamisburg, OH training center opened its doors earlier this year to the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) when it played host to NCCCO’s Spring Commission and Committee meetings.

California Operator Certification.
More than 10,000 crane operators have been certified in California, most of them in the last three years since the state requirement went into effect.

CCO Signalperson Certification Development Complete.
The task forces established last year by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) to develop certification programs for signalpersons and riggers, respectively, have been hard at work over the past several months.

NCCCO Provides Testimony on Capitol Hill.
In testimony placed before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor, NCCCO Executive Director, Graham Brent, emphasized the importance of ensuring that all personnel whose work brings them into contact with cranes be certified through an accredited certification program such as CCO.

Construction Research Group Calls for Certification.
Crane operators, riggers, signalpersons and inspectors should all be certified in an effort to prevent further crane-related accidents, according to a report released June 17, 2008 by the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR).

NCCCO Participates in Crane Safety Press Conference.
NCCCO joined with other sectors of the crane industry recently in a call for improved safety requirements for the use, erection and inspection of cranes nationwide.

Department of Energy Recognizes CCO Certification.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has formally recognized CCO certification by directly referencing the national program in the latest edition of its Hoisting and Rigging Standard (formerly known as the Hoisting and Rigging Manual).

North Carolina Firms Host Workshop.
In a joint effort, two North Carolina-based companies, Heede Southeast and Crane Operator Certification and Inspection (COCI), co-hosted a NCCCO Overhead Crane Practical Examiner Workshop in March.

Buckner Hosts Fun Run Benefit.
A bright Florida sunrise greeted the more than 40 early risers at the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) Annual Conference in April who signed up for some tropical exercise in the delightful Bonita Springs (Naples) resort selected for the event.

Certifying Riggers and Signalpersons.
The role of the crane operator, and the need for him or her to be qualified, is well understood. NCCCO's new certifications are geared towards ensuring that crane operators are given safely rigged loads to lift in the first place, along with accurate visible or audible directions on where to place them.

Crane Tech Donates Software for CCO Exam Development.
The National Commission of Crane Operators (NCCCO) has entered into an agreement with Crane Tech, whereby the Tampa, FL-based crane operator training firm will make available computer software to NCCCO for use in the development of CCO written exams.

New Mexico Updates License Application.
The Regulation and Licensing Department for the State of New Mexico recently updated its Hoisting Operator’s License Application Form for 2008.

CCO Exams Available via Computer.
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) announced that it would begin offering its crane operator certification exams via computer.

Legislative Initiatives for Certification Continue.
Regular readers may recall that our New Year’s Quiz this time last year was: “What do Nevada, Minnesota and Utah have in common?” The answer we were looking for a year ago was that 2007 was the year that each of these states would make crane operator certification mandatory.