April 2018—Mandatory crane operator certification came a step closer last month with the submission of OSHA’s proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Review of the proposed rule by OMB is a necessary and routine step before it can be published in the Federal Register, to be followed by a period of public comment and, possibly, a public hearing.
“It’s not over till it’s over,” said NCCCO CEO Graham Brent. “But the review by OMB is a promising indication after several months of inactivity that a final rule will see publication prior to the extended deadline of November this year.” The rule has been crafted by OSHA to clarify wording around type and capacity as well as operator evaluation by the employer.
Brent also noted the launch of NCCCO’s “It’s Not Worth the Wait” program featuring testimony from industry leaders as to why waiting to get certified is in no-one’s best interest. A series of short videos providing compelling arguments for certifying sooner rather than later can be viewed and downloaded at nccco.org/dontwait.
For additional history on OSHA’s Crane Rule, see NCCCO’s OSHA Crane Rule Resource Center.