NCCCO Offers Certification, Safety Demos, Examiner Workshops at CONEXPO 2014
Also sponsors the Lift Safety Zone and new Crane & Rigging Education Track
March 2014—Live equipment demonstrations, nationally accredited certification exams, education sessions, and practical examiner training all made for the largest-ever participation at any construction event in almost two decades by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) at CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2014.
New candidates and existing certificants alike had an opportunity to take a wide variety of ANSI-accredited and OSHA-compliant CCO written, practical, and recertification exams at CONEXPO/CON-AGG, held March 4–8, 2014, in Las Vegas, NV. And thanks to NCCCO’s “Visit CONEXPO—Leave Certified” program featuring onsite scoring and immediate test results, successful candidates could walk away from the event certified. Additionally, practical examiner workshops for most CCO programs were conducted onsite before and after the exposition.
NCCCO again co-sponsored the Lift Safety Zone, relocated this year to the Gold Lot, the acknowledged "nexus" of the show's crane exhibits. NCCCO also sponsored a series of educational seminars in CONEXPO’s new Crane & Rigging track, developed at the request of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). All of these activities promoted safe practices on construction sites and illustrated the need for qualified personnel, in line with state and federal requirements.
The once-every-three-years equipment showcase featured over 2,400 exhibitors and drew more than 130,000 attendees. “CONEXPO/CON-AGG provides an excellent opportunity for expo attendees to earn or renew their CCO certifications while attending one of the largest events of its kind in the world,” noted NCCCO Executive Director Graham Brent.
View a photo gallery of NCCCO's activities at CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2014.
NCCCO’s activities at CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2014 included:
“CONEXPO/CON-AGG is delighted that the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators elected to schedule its OSHA-recognized and ANSI-accredited crane operator and related certification examinations at the 2014 event,” said Megan Tanel, vice president of exhibitions and events for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the organization that operates CONEXPO/CON-AGG. “This provided an exceptional opportunity for crane operators and those who work around cranes to ensure that they are professionally certified to work in compliance with the pending OSHA rules on crane and lifting personnel.”
NCCCO Information Booth
NCCCO’s main informational exhibit was in its usual prime location at booth GL-20000 in the Grand Lobby by the North Hall next to the Silver Lot and just across from the Gold Lot, where the world’s leading crane manufacturers are located. NCCCO staff were on hand throughout the exhibition to answer questions about all CCO certification programs currently available and in development. Visitors could watch videos of all NCCCO practical exams, as well as enter a drawing for die-cast model cranes generously donated by the world's leading manufacturers.
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CCO Certification Exam Administrations
On Tuesday March 4 and Friday March 7, CONEXPO/CON-AGG attendees could sit for any of the ANSI-accredited CCO written exams in dedicated rooms located near the NCCCO booth. This included all programs, both regular and recertification exams. On all five days of the show, CCO practical exams were offered for mobile, service truck, and articulating crane operators. On Wednesday and Thursday practical exams were offered for the Signalperson and Rigger Level I programs.
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Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops
Employers with NCCCO-accredited Practical Examiners on staff appreciate the convenience of being able to schedule in-house tests to accommodate changing schedules caused by weather, workloads, and other factors. NCCCO-accredited Practical Examiners are also recognized as professionals in their field and may offer their services for hire.
As shown in the table at right, in the days before, during, and after the exposition, NCCCO held Practical Examiner Accreditation Program (PEAP) workshops for CCO certificants seeking to become Practical Examiners for CCO programs:
NCCCO reviews all potential participants' applications before admission to workshops is granted. All candidates attending the Mobile Crane, Articulating Crane, Signalperson, and Rigger Level I Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops must currently hold certifications in these programs.
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Lift Safety Zone
For the second time at CONEXPO, NCCCO co-sponsored the Lift Safety Zone (LSZ). Developed in conjunction with the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) and centrally located in Gold Lot #1817, the LSZ once again profiled best practices in crane and rigging activities with live demonstrations throughout the event. Industry experts were on hand to provide practical safety advice to those who operate, manage, and work with cranes and aerial lifts. NCCCO's mobile crane practical exams and CCO rigger certifications were also prominently featured.
A central theme of CONEXPO's Lift Safety Zone was a focus on the hazards of operating cranes and aerial lifts around power lines and the correct and safe way of doing so. The theme also tied in with the presentation made as part of CONEXPO's Crane & Rigging education track by Paul Satti of the Construction Safety Council entitled Safety of Equipment around Power Lines on Wednesday, March 5. Excerpts of a new video from the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) on the subject of cranes and power line safety was also shown.
Check out some highlights from CONEXPO 2011:
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Educational Seminars
The show’s organizer, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) provided an exceptional opportunity with its dedicated Crane and Rigging education track at CONEXPO 2014, and NCCCO assisted in assembling a stellar lineup of presentations on a host of crane and rigging topics. All speakers are veteran safety professionals and experts in their field, and many actively participate in the NCCCO Commission and exam management committees. The following seminars made up the Crane & Rigging seminar track:
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Crane & Rigging Educational Seminar descriptions:
- 2014 OSHA Requirements for Crane Operator Certification
Chip Pocock, Buckner Companies; Robert Weiss, Cranes Inc.
OSHA has published new 2014 OSHA requirements for certified crane operators and crane inspectors. Learn how to read the new requirements and how they will affect you and your business.
- What’s New in Tower Crane Standards?
Peter Juhren, Morrow Equipment Co.
Explore the key points of the ASME B30.3 Tower Cranes and ASME B30.29 Mobile Self Erecting Tower Cranes standards to ensure your programs are compliant and understand how these changes affect you.
- Cranes—A Walk through Time—Technology and Regulatory
Bob Berry, Sims Crane and Equipment; Billy Smith, NBIS
Learn how to read and understand the crane industry regulations from both a regulatory perspective and a safety standard perspective.
- Mobile Crane Blocks and Calculation of Sling Loads
Roger “Skip” Ohman, The Crosby Group
Gain an understanding of the mobile crane block system from the load hook through the side plates, sheaves and bearings to the dead end. Learn about the effects of sling angle on slings and hardware on sling tension, and how to calculate sling tension using trigonometry.
- Top 10 Losses in Crane & Rigging
Robert Moore, NationsBuilder Insurance Services, Inc. (NBIS)
Prepare your company to avoid unnecessary losses. Identify the ten most common losses and what plans need to be in place in order to protect your company and its financial health.
- Reliability Measures for Effective Training
Bo Collier, Crane Tech
Delve into the behind-the-scenes work of developing policies, procedures and methods necessary to ensure that information provides a positive change for those who require training
- Key Issues in Crane Safety
Theresa Anderson, Dimension Energy Services; Ray Feidt, Stephenson Equipment
In the world of crane safety, knowing the regulations and how to conduct qualified crane inspections with qualified individuals are critical. Review OSHA regulations and understand the importance of crane operator training and certification and qualified crane inspections.
- The Mechanics of a “Super Lift”
Joe Collins, Becht Engineering
Explore the procedures required to plan and safely execute a super lift.
- So You Think You’re A Lift Director?
William (Hank) Dutton, Travelers Insurance
Explore the new OSHA Crane rules, certification programs and ASME standard, and learn about the new requirements and best practices in safe lifting.
- An Examination of Crane Incidents
Jim Wiethorn, Haag Engineering
Review the results of a comprehensive study of crane accidents, explore the root causes in unprecedented detail, and learn how these findings can be used to address problematic areas so that future risks can be reduced.
- Safety of Equipment around Power Lines
Paul Satti, Construction Safety Council
This session will outline the responsibilities and competencies in power line safety and explain OSHA's power line safety rule, 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC.
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