September 2016—The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) reached two significant milestones recently when it accredited its 2,000th Practical Examiner and held its 400th Practical Examiner Accreditation Program (PEAP) workshop. Practical Examiners trained and accredited by NCCCO play a key role in the ability of CCO certification exams’ ability to assess candidates’ knowledge and skills fairly, reliably and accurately, anywhere in the country and even the world.
NCCCO-accredited Practical Examiners are CCO-certified personnel who have been trained and authorized by NCCCO to administer the practical examinations for CCO certification programs. As long as Examiners remain active in administering exams, accreditation is good for five years, after which they must attend and successfully meet the requirements of a one-day PEAP refresher workshop.
Of the more than 2,000 Practical Examiners who have attended PEAP workshops over the past 18 years, more than 650 are still in good standing, collectively holding a total of 1,440 accreditations (most Examiners are accredited in more than one program). At more than 440, the Mobile Crane Operator program boasts the most accredited Examiners, followed by the Signalperson (301), Rigger Level I (175), and Tower Crane Operator (121) programs. This expansive team ensures that Examiners are available to conduct CCO Practical Exams in all parts of the U.S.
“NCCCO Practical Examiners are the backbone of the performance test component of CCO certification exams,” said NCCCO Director of Operations and Program Development Joel Oliva. “That’s why we place so much emphasis on maintaining the highest standards of training and information delivery at these training workshops.”
Professionals in Their Field
Since 1998, more than 400 PEAP workshops have been held in 36 states. While 2014 laid claim to having the most PEAP workshops in a single year (45), 2016 is on track to far surpass that. Over the years, 170 different companies and organizations have hosted workshops, delivering training to more than 4,300 attendees (many Practical Examiners attend more than one PEAP).
NCCCO Practical Examiners are recognized as professionals in their fields and may offer their services for hire. 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, equipment maintenance issues and other factors.
To maintain the highest level of test integrity, all Practical Examiners are subject to NCCCO’s rigorous audit program which requires audits of practical test administrations. Accreditation of Practical Examiners who do not comply with all NCCCO policies and procedures is subject to suspension and revocation.
More than 20 specially trained NCCCO Auditors conduct audits at practical test sites around the country to ensure CCO practical exams are administered consistently and in accordance with standard test protocols. NCCCO also conducts regular internal calibration meetings to ensure that all Practical Examiners are treated fairly when audit reports are reviewed.