CCO Certification: Fair. Valid. Reliable. Authoritative. Defensible.
For 25 years, CCO certification by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (CCO) has been considered the “gold standard” of load handling equipment and related personnel certifications. CCO’s solid track record of providing nationally recognized certification to hundreds of thousands of operators, riggers, signalpersons, inspectors, and lift directors has given it unrivaled credibility as the leader in professional credentialing for those who work with and around load handling equipment.
CCO certification programs are developed and managed by scores of subject matter experts representing literally thousands of years of load handling equipment experience from all areas of industry that use these types of equipment. With 20+ years of formal recognition by federal OSHA as meeting OSHA and ANSI (ASME) requirements, CCO programs are endorsed or recognized by dozens of industry associations and state and federal agencies and are relied upon by thousands of employers nationwide.
CCO certification programs have been accredited to the international standard ISO 17074 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) since 2007. ANSI accreditation demonstrates that CCO’s nationally recognized and administered programs have been developed—and are maintained—to the highest standards of test integrity. Accreditation also brings with it a guarantee of testing validity and fairness that will endure for the next two decades and beyond.
CCO certifications are:
- Industry-developed—Growing out of an industry coalition a quarter century ago, CCO certifications were established by the load handling equipment industry, for the load handling equipment industry, and have been supported by it ever since.
- Trusted—CCO certifications are endorsed by the insurance industry for their effectiveness as a risk management tool.
- Effective—CCO certifications have contributed to an 80 percent decrease in load handling equipment–related fatalities in California since 2005.
- Non-profit—As a non-profit organization, CCO’s only goal is to improve safety for those working on and around load handling equipment.
- Accredited—CCO certification programs are accredited by ANSI to the international standard ISO 17024.
- Endorsed—Federal OSHA has officially recognized CCO certification since 1999, and dozens of industry associations and state and federal agencies as well as thousands of employers nationwide endorse and/or recognize CCO certification.
- Relevant—CCO exams test only the knowledge and skills that are relevant to the job and in a manner that is fair to the candidate.
- Volunteer-driven—CCO certification programs are developed and managed by scores of subject matter experts—representing literally thousands of years of load handling equipment experience—who volunteer their time and expertise.
- Defensible—CCO’s test integrity has never been legally challenged, even after the administration of hundreds of thousands of written and practical tests. CCO tests are continually reviewed to ensure optimum standards of test performance.
- Popular—CCO programs have an unparalleled retention rate of over 70 percent by operators, riggers, and signalpersons who choose CCO to recertify every five years.
- Audited—CCO certifications are backed by an unequalled quality assurance program centered on a comprehensive network of carefully selected and trained auditors who conduct on-site inspections at CCO test sites nationwide.
- Transparent—CCO management systems are subject to rigorous internal and external reviews for maximum transparency of the CCO certification process.
- Compliant—All CCO certifications meet or exceed federal, state, and industry standards such as OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC and ASME B30.
- User-friendly—Testing can be done at an employer’s location or at one of several thousand test sites nationwide.
- Standardized—From Florida to Alaska, Hawaii to Maine, CCO exams are designed to ensure uniformity of both written and practical test administrations.
- Independent—CCO does not provide training (nor is it affiliated with any training provider) to ensure complete impartiality in testing.
- Scrutinized—Every CCO test decision is subject to independent reviews by CCO Committees, the CCO Commission and, ultimately, the CCO Board of Directors.
- Recognized—CCO certifications are recognized in more states and by more employers and industry associations than any other certification program.
- Psychometrically sound—All certification exams are developed by nationally recognized test development specialists working hand-in-hand with industry subject matter experts.
- Unaffiliated—CCO provides certification services to all eligible candidates, regardless of union or association affiliation or membership.
- Up-to-date—CCO exams are continually updated by subject matter experts to reflect rule changes, best practices, and technological developments.
- Accessible—CCO provides more written and practical test centers nationwide than all other certifiers combined. All CCO written exams are available as paper-and-pencil tests and via computer-based testing.
- Comprehensive—CCO offers the largest range of certifications to encompass all critical aspects of load handling equipment and rigging operations.
- Representative—CCO’s subject matter experts represent all facets of industries that use load handling equipment, including manufacturers, insurance, petrochemical, steel erection, government, regulatory, labor, associations, consultants, and construction owners.
- Supported—All major load handling equipment manufacturers have supported CCO certification since its inception, and their representatives sit on CCO committees, the Commission, and Board of Directors.
- Mission-focused—The many industry associations CCO has partnered with are all in step with the common goal of improving load handling equipment safety through CCO certification.