Commissioner Spotlight: Charles Lemon
Charles “Chuck” Lemon is Crane Safety Manager at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). He brings to the NCCCO Commission more than 20 years of experience as a supervisor and manager in the crane industry, as well as a government perspective on all of NCCCO’s activities. After a 2006 fatal crane accident in Bellevue, WA, Mr. Lemon helped the state model its new crane operator certification requirements on the new regulations that resulted, so he is well acquainted with the regulatory standpoint on crane personnel certification requirements. In addition to serving as an NCCCO Commissioner, he also sits on several ASME B30 regulatory advisory committees and federal OSHA advisory committees, and he is a member of the Crane Certification Association of America (CCAA). He is also a member of the team developing NCCCO’s Crane Inspector certification, which NCCCO is developing in partnership with CCAA and is scheduled for release later in 2011.
Mr. Lemon retired from the U.S. Navy in the early 1990s after a 23-year career that culminated with him serving as a Chief Warrant Officer. One of his responsibilities while in the Navy was being Division Officer in charge of the cranes at Submarine Base Bangor, WA, and he was also a crane certifier for the Department of the Navy. In his current position at Washington State L&I, his duties include managing the department’s recently established crane safety program, interpreting the department’s rules associated with crane and rigging activities, and serving as the State’s expert witness in court. He’s currently working on updating the State’s rules for cranes used in construction to bring them in line with the new federal OSHA standards. However, he says, L&I’s standards will go further than the federal rules, with specific sections on self-erecting cranes, written examination requirements for riggers, and incorporating the latest ASME standards for rigging activities.
When not working, Chuck enjoys woodworking and a variety of home improvement projects.
Charles Lemon began his five-year term as a Commissioner on the NCCCO Commission in November 2009.