August 5, 2021—The CCO Boom Truck—Fixed Cab (BTF) designation, a subcategory of the Telescopic Boom—Fixed Cab (TSS) certification, was developed for operators in industries that use these specific machines. However, because the machines are so similar, crane operators holding TSS certification are also certified to operate fixed-cab boom trucks.
Although CCO created the BTF certification at industry request, and to assist employers with ensuring their operators meet OSHA Subpart CC, most operators and employers still opt for the TSS certification as it provides greater flexibility to operate more equipment. As a result of the low demand, the BTF examination will be retired as of September 30, 2021.
BTF certifications already issued will remain valid. At recertification, operators holding the BTF certification designation will be required to take the full TSS Specialty Written Exam, as well as the Mobile Crane Operator Core Written Exam. Candidates will still be able to use the Manitex – TSS (Boom Truck) load chart, the same chart used for the BTF certification, when taking the TSS written exam. No additional practical exam will be required. New certification cards will show “TSS” instead of “BTF.” The TSS certification will continue to cover BTF machines; “BTF” will simply not appear separately on the card.