MAR. 4 - MAR. 17, 2016
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Community | 17
www.ReporterNewspapers.net
ABOVE, JOHN RUCH; RIGHT, PHIL MOSIER
A tower crane working on the City Springs site near Roswell Road and Mount Vernon Highway in Sandy Springs. Right, a crane on the State Farm project in Dunwoody.
‘A driver’s license for crane operators’
That’s why a movement toward professional operator training has been underway since NCCCO’s founding 20 years ago amid concerns about outdated rules and accidents. Today, only 17 states and six American cities require crane operators to be licensed. And OSHA’s attempt to establish a national certification has stalled over debates about “qualified” (experienced) versus “certified” (classroom-tested) operators. Technically speaking, virtually any adult in Georgia could operate a crane without any training. But in practice, any major company will require NCCCO certification, which has become “like a driver’s license for crane operators,” Kenna said. Workers who give signals to the operator or hook loads onto the crane typically also must be certified.
NCCCO requires both classroom and practical tests, as well as physicals. It has a substance abuse policy and code of ethics, and operators must recertify every five years. The written test includes math, crane jargon and calculation of how much loads a crane can carry. At his McDonough facility, Adams explained the practical test—a zigzag course between poles that have tennis balls mounted on them. Operators must maneuver a chain and a heavy weight through the course, losing points for knocking a ball down or bumping a pole. Adams notes that, much like with a regular driver’s license, testing is not the same as training or experience. The industry prizes “seat time”— the hours of real-world experience operators get over the years. But, Adams said, “no employer in his right mind is going to give you a million-dollar crane” based on a certification card
alone; they’ll require a display of the operator’s skills on-site, too. “We think certification has proved itself,” said Graham Brent, the CEO of NCCCO. “It’s been demonstrated to save lives.” It works for Heede, according to Kenna, who said his company has never had a significant crane accident, a claim partly backed by recent OSHA records. “Knock on wood,” he added with a rap on his desk.
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