March 24, 2020—NCCCO’s Lift Safety Zone, indoor information booth, written and practical certification exams, education sessions, and practical examiner training all added up to make CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2020 the largest construction show ever for NCCCO. Check out all that happened in Las Vegas this year:
- Lift Safety Zone—In the Festival Grounds, featured live NCCCO crane and rigging demonstrations, focus on limiting factors, crane safety advice, and much more!
- NCCCO Information Booth—Located in the North Hall Lobby had full information about all NCCCO certification programs as well as NCCCO’s activities around the exhibition.
- CCO Certification Examinations—NCCCO written, practical, and recertification exam administrations were offered on site at the Las Vegas Convention Center, giving attendees the ability to Come to CONEXPO—Leave CCO Certified!
- Education Sessions—A dozen seminars sponsored by the NCCCO Foundation were delivered by internationally renowned experts delivered solid advice for best practices in crane and rigging safety.
- Practical Examiner Accreditation Program Workshops—PEAP workshops for many NCCCO programs were held before and after the main exposition.
Throughout the show the NCCCO team shared exciting news on the latest developments at NCCCO, including the new myNCCCCO app, how testing in languages other than English is progressing, and what NCCCO will be doing to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Lift Safety Zone
This year NCCCO’s flagship exhibit—the Lift Safety Zone—was located at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds (F-9107), along with exhibits from most major crane and equipment manufacturers. At the LSZ attendees learned how limiting factors can affect a crane’s load ratings and load dynamics, including how issues such as line pull, quadrants of operation, wire rope layers on the winch, and similar factors impact crane safety and proper load handling. Attendees were also able see firsthand the practical exam process for the Tower Crane Zig-Zag Course and watch live demonstrations of the NCCCO Rigger Practical Exams.
Visitors could also grab a refreshing beverage at the Certification Cafe while NCCCO staff and volunteers answered questions about the certification process and regulatory issues affecting the crane and rigging industry. A large number of students stopped by to learn how to begin a career in the load handling industry by becoming an NCCCO-certified operator, rigger, or signalperson.
NCCCO Information Booth
Inside the Las Vegas Convention Center’s North Hall Lobby, NCCCO had its booth in its usual spot (GL-10878), where attendees could gather information about NCCCO and all of its activities at CONEXPO, see the new book Raising the Bar that highlights why NCCCO certification is regarded as the Gold Standard, view videos of CCO practical exams, talk with industry experts and NCCCO staff, discuss the latest OSHA requirements, and participate in drawings and giveaways.
On-Site CCO Exams
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. Thanks to NCCCO’s Visit CONEXPO—Leave CCO Certified program featuring onsite scoring and immediate test results, successful candidates could walk away from the event CCO-certified. “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 Director of Operations, Joel Oliva.
On Tuesday and Friday, CONEXPO attendees were able to take any CCO written exams onsite at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This includes both regular and recertification exams for all NCCCO programs.
In addition, on Wednesday through Friday, CCO practical exams were offered for mobile and articulating crane operators. On Wednesday and Thursday practical exams were offered for the Signalperson, Rigger Level I, and Rigger Level II programs, as well as Signalperson recertification exams.
Education Opportunities
With the assistance of the NCCCO Foundation, event organizer AEM assembled a stellar lineup of presentations on a host of crane and rigging topics. The internationally renowned safety professionals and lifting equipment experts lined up to speak shared the latest developments affecting the industry as well as valuable insights gained after decades of experience.
NCCCO CEO Thom Sicklesteel presented a session on “Responsibilities of Onsite Personnel for Cranes.” He then teamed up with NCCCO Foundation CEO Graham Brent to host a session entitled “Qualifications in the Crane Industry: What Does It Take?”
Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops
Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops for several NCCCO programs (Mobile Crane Operator, Articulating Crane Operator, Signalperson, Rigger Level I)—as well as Refresher workshops for operator programs, Rigger, and Signalperson—were conducted onsite before and after the exhibition, giving attendees a convenient opportunity to become accredited by NCCCO to administer practical exams.
See videos, photos, and recaps of what NCCCO did at past CONEXPOs: