NCCCO Certification Assures Compliance With National Safety Standards For Crane Operators

By Kerri Stout


The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, or NCCCO, was established to develop and administer a program for certifying crane operators at a national level. It is a not-for-profit, independent organization. NCCCO Certification meets both Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, and the American National Standard ANSI/ASME B30 safety standard.

OSHA officially recognizes the NCCCO, while both national credentialing authorities NCCA, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, and ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, have accredited it. Many crane related industries also recognize and support the program; this includes construction and steel erection, energy and utilities, automotive, petrochemical and paper, and crane rental. The programs suit a wide variety of activities involving cranes, and require applicants to undertake both written and practical exams.

The NCCCO's national accreditation program for crane operators is designed to comply with all OSHA competency requirements in crane operation. Employers benefit greatly by implementing this certification program, as it helps to reassure those in the construction industry as well as the general population that the skills and knowledge of a crane operator meet the national safety standards.

The certification program helps reduce the risk of loss, resulting in less accidents, consistent and better training, and more jobs for crane operators of all types. There are three primary areas the National Commission is concerned with; the validation of a crane operator's skills and knowledge, the development and administration of examinations to test their competency, and the issuance of certification cards to applicants who have passed all eligibility requirements and testing.

Comprehensive reviews are conducted of how crane operators, riggers and signal persons perform their work, which are then analyzed and validated by hundreds of professional operators from all over the country. This knowledge and experience is also what test questions are based on. ANSI and NCCA have developed professional standards in testing that ensure fairness and consistency, and they have also endorsed the written and practical CCO exams.

To be CCO certified, applicants need to demonstrate satisfactory skills and knowledge in safety operations, as deemed by experts. This is achieved through passing both a written and a practical test, as well as agreeing to abide by the NCCCO Code of Ethics, the Substance Abuse Policy, and physical requirements as outlined by the ASME B30 safety standard. These physical requirements need to be met throughout the program and candidates will be required to attest to this in their application. One way that compliance is determined is by a physical examination.

A certified crane operator does not necessarily mean that he is CCO certified; while other companies may also certify crane operators, the National Commission is the only organization that can issue the widely recognized CCO accreditation. CCO certification needs to be re-certified every five years.

After almost twenty years, CCO accreditation has developed a reputation that is held in high regard. A crane operator who is CCO certified is seen as holding very high safety standards. The program's high quality testing procedures offer employers great assurance that operators who possess a CCO card have the essential skills and expertise for all types of crane activities, and they can also be assured that these skills are recognized by a professional and independent authority.




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