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Here are some of the most
frequently asked questions about the NCCCO crane
operator certification
program. If you have questions that are not
dealt with here, or you'd like clarification
or further information on any item, don't
hesitate to contact
the NCCCO office.
1. What is the National Commission
for the Certification of Crane Operators?
2. Why is the certification of crane operators
important to our industry?
3. How will certification improve safety
in crane operation?
4. Why was it necessary to form a separate
organization to administer the testing?
5. Why doesn't NCCCO offer training as well as testing
for certification?
6. How does the work of NCCCO relate to the
ASME/ANSI B30 and B30.5 standards?
7. How does certification benefit employers and crane
operators?
8. Several states and cities already have
licensing. How is this
different?
9. How do I get set up as an official NCCCO
Test Site?
10. Why does NCCCO require a Chief Examiner
to administer the NCCCO test?
11. How far ahead can I schedule a test,
or apply to take a test?
12. Is recertification required?
13. Can CCO certification be withdrawn?
14. If I already have my operators trained,
why do I need certification?
15. There are other certification programs
around, what makes NCCCO's different?
16. Is CCO certification mandatory?
17. Is an oral test given as an option to
the written test for those operators with
reading
or comprehension problems?
18.Are there any exceptions to the fifteen
(15) candidate minimum for the written examination?
20. To whom are candidate score reports released?
21. Who administers the NCCCO Practical Examination?
22. If I have already been certified by NCCCO,
do I have to take the Practical Exam?
23. What are the requirements
for an operator to get "
grandfathered".
24. Most field mechanics/technicians have
small hoisting devices on their service trucks,
typically in the 4,000 - 10,000 pounds capacity
range. Do these mechanics/technicians need
to be certified?
26. What happens if my employer requires
proof of my NCCCO certification, but I have
lost my CCO Card?
27. How do I become involved with NCCCO as
a volunteer?
28. How do I add specialties to my CCO card?
What is the National Commission
for the Certification of Crane Operators?
The National Commission for the Certification
of Crane Operators (NCCCO) is an independent
non profit organization formed to establish
and administer a nationwide program of
certification for crane operators. The
purpose of NCCCO
is to set standards for the knowledge and
proficiency
required for the safe operation of cranes,
and to develop valid and reliable examinations
to
test that knowledge. (top
of page)
Why
is the certification of crane operators
important to our industry?
Accidents on the construction site cost
us all dearly—in serious injury,
property damage, lost time and litigation.
Safety is one of the
most important issues we face and proficiency
of crane operators is key. Standardized
assessment and certification of the skills
and knowledge
required for safe crane operation will
improve our ability to enhance safety. (top
of page)
How will certification
improve safety
in crane operation?
Clearly, reducing accidents is our primary goal, and there is clear evidence that certification can help achieve this. The
Province of Ontario instituted a certification
program in 1979 which resulted in more
thorough
training of crane operators to meet
certification
requirements with precisely these results.
A similar pattern is now emerging in the U.S. (top of
page)
Why was it
necessary to form a separate organization
to administer the testing?
A fair, objective,
independent assessment of the skills
and knowledge of crane operators
is critical to realizing
the long-term benefits of crane operator
certification. It is important to
involve representatives
from
all segments of construction and
general industry, with no one special interest
taking precedence.
NCCCO has succeeded in combining their expertise with that of examination development professionals to develop and administer test. (top
of page)
Why doesn't NCCCO offer training
as well as testing for certification?
In order to provide an independent and objective assessment of a crane operator's proficiency, NCCCO does not offer training. However, training is clearly essential to the process of improving operator knowledge and skills, and NCCCO works with many training organizations who provide professional instruction in this area. A current list can be found here. (top
of page)
How does the work of NCCCO relate to the ASME/ANSI
B30 and B30.5 standards?
The CCO crane operator certification programs were built around the ASME/ASNI B30 crane standards and OSHA's crane regulations. OSHA has officially recognized the NCCCO programs as meeting its requirements for crane operator qualification, and will accept CCO certification as proof of training. The presence of CCO-certified operators on site also positions employers well to qualify for OSHA's "focused inspection". (top of page)
How does certification
benefit employers and crane operators?
Because of the sound methodology employed at all stages of program development, an employer can be assured that operators carrying NCCCO certification cards have demonstrated they possess the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary for the safe operation of cranes - without relying on subjective recommendations or judgment. In turn, operators who earn the distinction of the NCCCO credential can take satisfaction that their skills have been recognized by an independent professional authority. (top
of page)
Several states and cities already
have licensing. How is this different?
Licensing by itself does not necessarily ensure the operator
possesses the necessary skills and knowledge
to safely operate a crane. Some state and city programs
do not require training or testing, for example. NCCCO
program functions as a positive supplement
to some current licensing programs and is increasingly being adopted or recognized by others. (top
of page)
How
do I get set up as a NCCCO Test
Site?
You should review the requirements in the Written Examination Test Site Coordinator
Handbook,
and complete the Written Examination Test Site Application Request Form. Requirements
include: specified seating arrangements,
good lighting, adequate heating/air conditioning,
nearby rest rooms, etc. (top
of page)
Why
does NCCCO require a Chief Examiner to
administer the NCCCO test?
A Chief Examiner administers all NCCCO
test administrations for two major reasons:
to
guarantee the security
of the test, and to ensure the test is
administered in the same way at all times,
at test sites
across the country. NCCCO and International
Assessment
Institute (IAI) maintain meticulous control
over the storage and distribution of
the tests. Standardization
of test administrations nationwide is
vitally important for NCCCO’s test
to remain a proper, fair evaluation of
an operator’s
proficiency. (top of
page)
How far ahead can I
schedule a test, or apply to take a test?
There's
really
no
limit on
how far ahead you can set up a test
or, for that
matter, apply to take the test if you
are an individual candidate. There
are deadlines
in
place, however, to allow NCCCO time
to process both of these applications. Confirmed
NCCCO
Test Sites need to give at least four
(4) weeks notice
prior to the day they plan to test
on.
Candidate applications need to be received
by International
Assessment Institute (IAI) no later
than two (2) weeks prior to the test date.
Any candidate
application received within two weeks
of the test date is subject to a $50
late
fee. However,
there is an absolute cut-off date of
four (4) business days prior to the
test, after
which
no applications can be processed. (top
of page)
Is recertification required?
Yes, NCCCO requires recertification
every five (5) years to ensure knowledge
has
been retained
and to accommodate technical changes
in equipment. To be recertified,
a candidate must:
- pass a written Recertification
Examination
- have at
least 1,000 crane-related hours
of experience within the five
(5) year period of certification.
Candidates who do not meet
this requirement,
or who did not take the Practical
Test as part of their original
certification, will be required
to retake and pass the Practical
Test.
- continue to comply with ASME B30 physical requirements (top
of page)
Can NCCCO
certification be withdrawn?
Yes, NCCCO certification can be withdrawn,
upon direction of the Ethics and Discipline Committee, for a variety of reasons,
including the following:
- Period of certification exceeded without
renewal.
- A candidate falsifies any information
on any documents submitted to NCCCO
or its agent.
- Evidence of non-compliance with NCCCO's substance abuse policy.
- A candidate no longer complies with ASME B30 physical requirements.
- There is evidence of culpability
in an accident during
the certification period.
- Evidence of non-compliance with the Code of Ethics. (top
of page)
If I already
have my operators trained,
why do I need certification?
Training is precisely what the NCCCO
program is intended to encourage.
However, without
an independent assessment of an operator’s
knowledge, you can never be sure
either of the quality or the effectiveness
of the training.
Not all people learn in the same
way, or at the same pace. Certification
through NCCCO's third
party process provides objective
and standardized verification that
training to a nationally recognized
curriculum has been effective. (top
of page)
There are other certification
programs
around, what makes NCCCO’s
different?
The concept of certification is often
misunderstood, and certainly not
everyone who uses this
term does so in the same way. However,
an independent
professional organization, the National
Commission for Certifying Agencies
(NCCA), has established
standards which all those accredited
by NCCA must meet. NCCCO’s
program has been accredited by NCCA,
which is an employer’s guarantee
that the examinations have been developed,
verified, and administered according
to nationally recognized
professional standards. Requirements
for NCCA accreditation include that
the organization which
certifies be separate from the company
whose employees it is evaluating.
This is what essentially defines "third-party" testing,
and is a cornerstone of the NCCCO
program. It was also a key element
in OSHA's decision to
formally recognize NCCCO in its Partnership
Agreement signed in February 1999.
(top of page)
Is NCCCO certification
mandatory?
The NCCCO program was established
as a voluntary program, by industry,
for
industry
and continues
to receive support from industry.
The recognition of NCCCO by OSHA
is still
as a voluntary
program, but recognizes NCCCO certification
as a means
of being in compliance with OSHA's
requirement for a qualified operator.
Remember, certification
may not be mandated, but training
is; OSHA requires all employees be
trained
for the
work they do.
Of course, when an employer makes
NCCCO certification a job requirement,
it
effectively becomes "mandatory." (top
of page)
Is an oral test given as
an option to the written test for
those operators
with reading
or comprehension
problems?
NCCCO operates in compliance with
the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA)
and has established
a procedure for any candidate applying
for "special
accommodations" (see the Candidate Handbook). However, any
program which claims
to assess the proficiency of a crane
operator must be aware of what constitutes
proficiency
under prevailing laws and standards.
The ANSI/ASME B30.5 mobile crane
requirements for operators
state in part that: Operators shall
demonstrate their ability to read,
write, comprehend, and
exhibit arithmetic skills and load/capacity
chart usage, in the language of the
crane manufacturer's
operation and maintenance instruction
manuals [B30.5(a)-1995, 5-3.1.1b(3)]
Thus,
while NCCCO will make every
accommodation to provide access
to any candidate
to take the test, certification
can be available
only to
those candidates who comply with
the provisions
of B30. Candidates who do not
meet the requirements for certification
can still
take the test,
however, and receive their scores
(but not a certification card). (top
of page)
Are there any exceptions
to the fifteen (15) candidate minimum
for the written
examination?
NCCCO will test any number of candidates
at any location meeting the requirements
of an
official
NCCCO Test Site. However, there is
a small administrative fee for any test site
with
less than fifteen
(15) candidates, as follows: 10-14
candidates, $200 site fee; 1-9 candidates,
$300 site
fee. (top of page)
To whom are candidate
score reports released?
While the certified status (pass/fail)
is a matter of public record, the
actual scores
are the legal
property of the candidate alone.
Therefore, while NCCCO can release
the pass/fail
status of any
candidate on request, specific authorization
by the candidate is required before
his/her scores are released to a
third party.
Many employers
and Test Site Coordinators regularly
request candidate pass/fail reports;
others solicit
authorization from candidates to
request actual
scores. Either
way, NCCCO has established simplified
documentation to expedite this process.
(top of page)
Who administers the
NCCCO Practical Examination?
NCCCO has developed a Practical Examiner
Accreditation Program to accredit
NCCCO-certified individuals
to administer the NCCCO Practical
Exam. All Practical Examiner candidates
must
successfully
complete
a two or three-day workshop (depending on the category of crane in which they are becoming accredited), and pass the
practical and written exam in the
category for
which accreditation is sought. Accreditation
workshops are held monthly
at sites nationwide. (top
of page)
If I have already been
certified by NCCCO, do I have to
take the Practical
Exam?
On January 1, 2000, all candidates
wishing to be certified through the
NCCCO program
had to
pass the Written Exam and the Practical
Exam, as well as meet the established
medical criteria.
Operators already certified under
the previous "written-exam-plus-2,000
hours experience" process do
not have to take the Practical Exam
until they recertify. (top
of page)
What are the requirements
for an operator to get "grandfathered"?
NCCCO does not "grandfather" any
operators. The NCCCO examination
is a test of knowledge
and skills, not a test of experience.
Experience can be good or bad, relevant
or irrelevant, general
or specific, and should not be used
by itself as an indication of proficiency.
(top of page)
Most field mechanics/technicians
have small hoisting devices on
their service
trucks,
typically in
the 4,000 - 10,000 pounds capacity
range. Do these mechanics/technicians
need to
be certified?
The issue of whether certification
is required is a question for the
employer. But note
that the B30.5 mobile crane standards
covers all
mobile telescopic cranes above
1 ton capacity. OSHA
requires all operators of equipment
be
trained in their safe use. NCCCO
certification can
serve as an effective, legally-defensible
verification of that training.
(top of page)
What happens if my
employer requires proof of my NCCCO
certification,
but I have lost
my NCCCO
Card?
If you need proof of certification
(for example, to show to an employer
that
has made NCCCO
certification a job requirement),
and you do not have your
card available, NCCCO's staff
office can help. Call NCCCO at
703/560-2391
and ask
for a Letter
of Certification. Upon verifying
your certificant status, we will
provide
you with a letter
to your employer indicating that
you are certified,
and in which Specialty Areas.
This also applies if you have
become
certified in an additional
Specialty after having been certified
initially. You may also order a replacement card from IAI by contacting Jennifer at 727-449-8525 or
jennifer@iaiexam.com. (top of
page)
How
do I become involved with NCCCO
as a volunteer?
Volunteers from all sectors of
industry are always welcome.
In particular,
assistance is appreciated
by the Exam Management
Committees.
NCCCO operates
an annual item writing program.
If you would like
to participate in the work
of the Item Writing Task Force
call
the
NCCCO office
for information:
703/560-2391. (top
of page)
How do I add specialties to
my NCCCO card?
All requests to update certification
cards with additional specialties
must be submitted
to IAI
with a fee of $25. IAI's
contact information is as follows:
International
Assessment Institute
Attn: CCO Testing
600 Cleveland Street, Suite
900
Clearwater, FL 33755
Phone: 727-449-8525
Fax: 727-461-2746
(top of page)
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