California demands crane operator certification

Effective June 1, 2005, most operators of mobile and tower cranes in California will have to be certified from June 1, 2005, according to the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).

It claims that certifications may be issued only by a 'certifying entity' whose certification program has been accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

The NCCCO added: “Under an amendment to Article 98 of California's General Industry Safety Orders, a new Section 5006.1 has been added which requires operators to hold a valid certificate of competency for the type of crane he/she wishes to operate.

“In order to be certified, operators must pass (i) a physical examination, (ii) a substance abuse test, (iii) a written examination developed, validated, and administered in accordance with the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, and (iv) a "hands-on" examination to demonstrate proficiency in operating the specific type of crane. Certification is valid for a maximum of five years.”

Operators must re-certify by meeting the requirements of initial certification, except that operators with at least 1,000 hours of documented experience operating the specific type of crane for which re-certification is sought do not need to take the "hands-on" examination.

Trainees may be authorised to operate mobile or tower cranes provided they are under the direct supervision of an operator possessing a valid certificate of competency for the type of crane operated by the trainee.

The regulation does not apply to operators of mobile cranes with a boom length less than 25ft or with a maximum rated load capacity of less than 15,000lbs. Also exempted from the rule are operators of electric line trucks, and marine terminal operations regulated by California's Article 14.

West Virginia, New Jersey and Hawaii have a requirement for CCO certification. New Orleans and Omaha Nebraska accept CCO certification for meeting city licensing requirements. Utah, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania have introduced legislation requiring certification or licensure based on the CCO model. Alaska and Montana are proposing legislation based on CCO model.

Cal-OSHA and the state of California determined the need for operator certification as a result of a year long, open public-forum meetings.