Commissioner Spotlight: Doug Stegeman
Doug Stegeman, a career crane operator and member of the International Union of Operating Engineers (Local 139) with more than 30 years of operating experience, has been a labor representative on the NCCCO Commission since 2007. He’s been continuously CCO-certified on all types of mobile cranes since 1996 and certified to operate tower cranes since 2001. He’s been a CCO Practical Examiner since 1998 and a member of the NCCCO Written Exam Management Committee since 2001.
Doug initially became involved with NCCCO at its inception as an item writer for the first CCO written exams. Although semi-retired, Doug is also still actively involved with developing training for the Wisconsin IUOE joint training fund, where he served the last seven years of his career in key administrative positions. He’s also served as a crane erector and lift planner/director for a national crane rental company, so he is often enlisted as an NCCCO subject-matter expert on proposed and ongoing projects.
Doug sees both “NCCCO” and “CCO” as synonymous with basic crane operations safety, so earning CCO credentials demonstrates both a professional and an individual commitment to safety. CCO certification not only gives operators pride in their profession but also brings with it an industry awareness of the need for a baseline level of knowledge and skill required for safe operations.
Further, he believes that CCO certification has led to more and better training for operators, signalpersons, and riggers, and helps ensure that everyone on the job site is on the same page. “This improved training that comes with CCO certification has resulted in a heightened awareness of personal responsibility, fewer accidents, and a fresh employer awareness of the responsibilities faced by the individual parties involved with lifting activities,” he says. “We don’t do ‘seat of the pants’ operations like we used to, but instead ‘think it through, then do it’ so as to place safety ahead of performance.”
In addition to improving the frequency and quality of training, he believes that NCCCO has directly impacted state and federal efforts relating to lift safety by bringing all affected parties together to address the important issues and develop consensus solutions. His experience, knowledge, passion, and labor perspective make him an invaluable member of the NCCCO Commission.
When not working, Doug enjoys spending time with his family, pursuing outdoor activities such as fishing, playing guitar, traveling, reading, and participating in church missions and church youth group activities.