New Employer Guides to Crane Operator Certification

Following the publication of OSHA’s Final Rule on crane operator qualifications, and the November 10, 2018 requirement for crane operators to be certified nationwide, NCCCO has published three Employer Guides. The guides review training, certification, and evaluation requirements covered by the Rule.

The Guides adhere to the language of the Rule, but the Q&A format employed is designed to make the information more accessible, said NCCCO CEO, Graham Brent. “Since OSHA has identified a three-step process to achieving qualification as a crane operator, it seemed to make sense to create individual guides for each,” he said.

For example, the training guide addresses what the restrictions are for an operator in training and who is responsible for monitoring an operator in training. In addition, there was much discussion in the years prior to the rule going into effect about the meaning of operator qualification. The certification guide addresses how employers can ensure operators are qualified, what to do if no certification is available for the specific type of crane, and what to do if operators don’t understand English.

One of the key differences between the first Final Rule issued in 2010 and the Final Rule that was just published, is the addition of requirements for crane operator evaluation. The evaluation guide reviews employer requirements, identifies what evaluations must consist of, and who can conduct them. It also addresses documentation requirements. The evaluation requirements are effective starting Feb. 7, 2019.

Find links to download all three guides and additional resources from NCCCO’s OSHA Resource Center.