OSHA Crane Rule Resource Center
Following the November 9, 2018, publication in the Federal Register of the Final Rule for the qualification of crane operators, OSHA has provided further guidance and clarification on the effective dates of its new qualification requirements for crane operators. The three most important dates to be aware of are:
- November 10, 2018—Crane operators must be certified. Certifications may be by type alone and must be issued by an accredited certifying body such as NCCCO.
- February 7, 2019—Employers must evaluate their crane operators according to specified criteria and a stipulated process.
- April 15, 2019—Employers must ensure all documentation relating to their evaluations is current.
Following are resources relating to this issue:
- Two Decades of OSHA Recognition, April 5, 2019
- Navigating the Evaluation Maze, March 5, 2019
- OSHA Delays Crane Operator Evaluation Documentation Requirement, February 8, 2019
- OSHA Crane Operator Certification: Five Things You Need to Know, December 5, 2018
- NCCCO Publishes Employer Guides to the New Crane Rule, November 21, 2018
- Final Rule on OSHA Crane Operator Certification Published, November 9, 2018
- OSHA FAQs on Crane Operator Qualification, November 8, 2018
- OSHA Recognizes Certification by Type Alone, November 6, 2018
- Just What Does it Take to be a Qualified Crane Operator?, August 2018
- OSHA’s Certification Rule: 5 Things You Need to Know, July 16, 2018
- NCCCO Comments on OSHA’s Proposed Crane Rule, July 5, 2018
- OSHA Extends Comment Period for Proposed Rule by 15 Days, June 16, 2018
- OSHA Removes Capacity Requirement, May 21, 2018
- OSHA Certification Rule Takes Promising Step Forward, April 24, 2018
- NCCCO Introduces “It’s Not Worth the Wait” Program, March 1, 2018
- It’s Not Worth the Wait, December 5, 2017
- OSHA Extends Operator Certification Deadline to 2018, November 9, 2017
- Brent Talks Certification Delay, November 2, 2017
- OSHA Issues Proposed Rule to Extend Certification Deadline, August 31, 2017
- Another Year, Another Delay, August 1, 2017
- OSHA Proposes Further Delay to Crane Rule, June 23, 2017
- Understanding OSHA: Construction May Be More Common Than You Think!, June 2017
- Are You Ready for November?, May 1, 2017
- OSHA FAQs for Construction Cranes Operator Certification, Operator Qualification, and Certification by Type and Capacity, July 18, 2016
- OSHA Removes Capacity From Operator Certification, April 2015
- House Pressures OSHA to Act on Crane Operator Requirements, March 2015
- ACCSH to Discuss Crane Operator Qualifications Language, March 3, 2015
- NCCCO Joins Coalition Calling on OSHA to Fix Crane Operator Certification Requirements, October 31, 2014
- Top Ten Frequently Asked Questions about OSHA’s Delay of Its Crane Operator Certification Requirements, Sept. 29, 2014
- OSHA Extends Compliance Date for Crane Operator Certification Requirements, Sept. 25, 2014
- OSHA provides direction for inspecting cranes and derricks on construction worksites, U.S. Dept. of Labor Trade Release, Oct. 23, 2014
- OSHA instruction providing guidelines for enforcement procedures and inspection guidance conducted for equipment covered by 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, OSHA Compliance Directive, Oct. 17, 2014
- “Industry Agrees with OSHA's Proposed Delay,” American Cranes & Transport, May 2014
- OSHA Issues Proposed Rule to Extend Certification Compliance Date, February 7, 2014
- SC&RA webnar: “What’s up with OSHA’s Crane Personnel Qualifications?”, October 23, 2013
- “The Right Solution,” American Cranes & Transport, Sept. 2013
- “OSHA's Crane Rule Reopening, NCCCO Answers Questions,” Professional Safety, Sept. 2013
- “Refining the Requirement,” Safety + Health, July 2013
- “Top Ten” FAQs on OSHA’s Rule Reopening Decision (Download PDF)
- “OSHA Rethinks Capacity rule, Delays Crane Certification,” Cranes Today, June 2013
- “The Slow Work of Safety,” commentary by Will North, Editor, Cranes Today, June 2013
- OSHA Urged to Act Swiftly, “Certifying by Capacity” Likely to Disappear, May 29, 2013
- “OSHA Rethinks, Delays, Crane Certification,” Cranes Today, May 28, 2013
- OSHA to Reopen Crane Operator Certification Rule, May 24, 2013
- Testimony by NCCCO Executive Director Graham Brent before the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH), May 23, 2013
- “OSHA Announces Intent to Extend Compliance Date for Crane Operator Certification Requirements,” OSHA Trade Release, May 22, 2013
- “You May Already Be in Violation of OSHA’s New Service Truck Crane Rules and Not Know It,” Equipment World, May 21, 2013
- “OSHA Rules Must Change,” by Rob Weiss, Engineering News Record, May 20, 2013
- “Preserving C-DAC's Intent,” by Thom Sicklesteel, American Cranes & Transport, December 2012
- OSHA Stakeholders Meeting April 2013 Summary
- “Industry Protests OSHA Stance on Capacity,” American Cranes & Transport, May 2013. (read full article on NCCCO website)
- Letter from IUOE to OSHA Directorate Director Maddux, April 10, 2013
- “OSHA Confirms Industry Opposition to Capacity Testing,” American Cranes & Transport, June 2013
- Industry Responds to OSHA Testing Ultimatum, March 2013
- Important Message from NCCCO President, Thom Sicklesteel
- Letter from IUOE to OSHA Directorate Director Maddux, November 28, 2012
Additional Resources
UNDERSTANDING THE OSHA RULE AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOU
NCCCO has compiled numerous resources below to help employers, operators, riggers, signalpersons, and others from industry better understand the personnel qualification requirements under new federal OSHA's rule. These include an NCCCO Guide to the new rule, which contains the full regulatory text, answers to numerous frequently asked questions (FAQs), a flow chart to help determine when certified crane operators are required, applicable letters of interpretation from OSHA, and NCCCO’s analysis of the qualification requirements for crane operators, signalpersons, and riggers. As NCCCO receives and answers more questions about the rule, the FAQ list will continue to grow. Links to OSHA documents created to help understand the rule are also listed below.
NCCCO Resources
OSHA Resources (for additional information visit www.osha.gov)
Have a question about the OSHA Rule? Email us.
THE RULE IS PUBLISHED
OSHA Gives Employers 90 Days to Have Signalperson, Riggers Qualified
October 2010—While OSHA allows for a four-year implementation period for crane operators to be certified under its new rule published in August, the requirements for signalpersons and riggers to be qualified take effect on November 8, 2010, just 90 days after the new rule (29 CFR 1926, Subpart CC) was made final.
NCCCO Publishes Definitive Guide to New OSHA Rule
July 28, 2010—The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) has published what it calls “the definitive guide to the personnel qualification requirements” of the new OSHA rule, 29 CFR 1926, Subpart CC.
Crane Operators to be Certified Under New OSHA Rule
July 28, 2010—Extensive new requirements for the qualifications of crane operators and signalpersons were published today by Federal OSHA in the most wide-ranging revision of the rules governing the use of cranes in a generation.
HISTORY OF THE RULE
Ten Year Anniversary of OSHA Agreement
May 2009—Ten years ago this past February, a group of industry leaders gathered in Washington, DC to witness the signing of an historic agreement between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).
OSHA Proposed Rule: Make Your Voice Heard!
January 2009—The most significant revision to OSHA’s rules governing cranes and derricks is currently out for public comment. The Proposed Rule, 29 CFR Part 1926, Cranes and Derricks in Construction, will significantly change the way cranes are used on construction sites in this country for years to come.
OSHA Proposed Rule Published October 2008
NCCCO Urges White House to Move on Crane Rule
September 2008—Operator certification was top of the list of items under discussion last month at a meeting between officials of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and industry representatives.
OSHA Chief Commits to Publishing Crane Standard Revision
December 2006—“I am committed to getting the cranes and derrick standard through before the end of this administration.” So stated Ed Foulke, OSHA chief, at a meeting October 11, of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) in Washington, DC.
OSHA, Industry Address FCOC Meeting
March 2006—The tangible return to employers by investing in the training and certification of their crane operators was attested to by representatives of industry and government at the Florida Crane Owners Council (FCOC)’s first-quarter 2006 meeting in January.
OSHA Ponders Small Business Impact of Draft Crane Rule
September 2005—OSHA is currently conducting an economic analysis of its draft rule on cranes and derricks to determine if further study of the potential impact on small business is needed before publication of a proposed rule.
This information is provided as a public service by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be assumed by NCCCO for errors. OSHA remains the sole authority for interpretations of federal labor standards and should be consulted accordingly.