Commissioners Meet in Maryland.
The NCCCO committees and commissioners held their week-long series of exam management and oversight meeting in Maryland thanks to host Overhead Crane Equipment, Inc.

NCCCO Testifies on Crane Safety, Risk Management.
"More than two decades after the first meetings were hosted by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) that gave rise to this organization,” said NCCCO Executive Director, Graham Brent, “it is important to remember that the origins of this national certification program were—and remain—overwhelmingly grass-roots in nature.”

Buckner Hosts 10th Anniversary Fun Run.
A sunny California desert morning greeted the more than 50 early risers at the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SR&RA) Annual Conference in April who signed up for the benefit at the beautiful La Quinta (Palm Springs) Resort selected for this year's event.

NCCCO Celebrates 10 Years of OSHA Recognition.
Ten years ago this past February, a group of industry leaders gathered in Washington, DC to witness the signing of an historic agreement between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).

NCCCO Launches Rigger Examiner Training.
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators conducted the first open training of Rigger Examiners in Sacramento, California, March 30-April 1.

The event was hosted by A Better Valley Crane Inc. of Sacramento, CA. Eleven practical examiners from five (5) states, already accredited by NCCCO to administer CCO crane practical exams, received training in the administration of NCCCO's new Rigger Practical Exam.

Two Signalperson Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops Scheduled.
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) is pleased to announce two Signalperson Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops. One will be held in Conshohocken, PA on June 29-30, 2009 and the second will be held in Memphis, TN on July 28-29, 2009.

NCCCO Launches CCO Rigger Certification.
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) has announced the availability of its much anticipated certification program for riggers.

Rigger (Basic) is the first level in a three-level program. Development work on the Intermediate and Advanced Rigger levels is nearing completion and will follow during the year.

NCCCO Elects Directors, Officers for 2009.
The Board of Directors of the National Commission for Directors of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) who will serve NCCCO during 2009.

CCO Tests Now Offered Via Computer.
CCO mobile crane written exams are now available nationwide via computer, the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) has announced.

Examiners From Six More States Sign on for Signalperson Certification.
In a show of support for NCCCO’s two latest certification programs, Safety Resources Unlimited (SRU hosted a two-day Signalperson Practical Examiner Workshop at its Oklahoma City, OK headquarters in January, followed by a three-day Rigger Task Force meeting.

Calculators on Test Don't Meet B30.5 Standard.
With the emergence of certification programs that permit the use of calculators in their tests, the controversy surrounding the appropriateness of their use has once again resurfaced.

ACCNA and NCCCO to Develop Articulating Crane Operator Certification Program.
The Articulating Crane Council of North America (ACCNA), an affiliate division of the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA), and the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) have announced plans to cooperatively develop a certification program for operators of truck-mounted articulating boom cranes.

CCO Practical Exams Commended by ANSI.
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) has been commended by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for the development of its practical examinations. Specifically, the commendation was awarded for NCCCO’s development of “inter-rater reliability measures” for its practical exams.

New Jersey Workshop Trains Tower and Mobile Crane Examiners.
A combined NCCCO mobile and tower crane Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshop was hosted by IUOE Local 825 this summer, in Dayton, New Jersey. The 22 participants represented nine (9) states, including Alabama, California, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington.

Pennsylvania Signs Up For Licensing.
As we enter a new year that will most likely see the finalizing of a federal rule requiring crane operators to be certified, 16 states now have their own requirements. Several more will introduce legislation this year.

NCCCO Celebrates 10 Years of Accreditation.
2008 marked the tenth anniversary of accreditation for the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).

Governor, Labor Comissioner Applaud Work of NCCCO in WV.
The role of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) in reducing crane-related accidents and injuries was applauded by West Virginia’s Governor, Joe Manchin III, at NCCCO’s fall meeting.

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.
The public review period has been extended; all comments must now be received by federal OSHA before January 22, 2009.
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.

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.

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.

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).