Training and safety go together like hand and glove. Safety is a mantra that underpins the lifting and moving industries. The work is inherently dangerous and safety is a priority. Effective training is key to ensuring safety standards are met and there are multiple organisations and companies around the world working hard to raise safety levels in a variety of ways.

Holding an awareness day, for example, is an approach being used by UK lifting industry organisation LEEA. LEEA, plus supporting organisations – including lifting industry PR agency Bridger Howes, have established an annual Global Lifting Awareness Day (#GLAD2023). One of the aims of this awareness day is to promote increased safety, industry standards, and best practice. It also aims to raise the industry’s profile and attract new talent.

The first Global Lifting Awareness Day took place in 2020 and it has been growing in momentum ever since.

This year GLAD will take place on July 13th, 2023.

As part of its remit relating to safety GLAD 2023 is specifically looking to ensure that end users make well-informed purchasing decisions by fully understanding their legal obligations. It also looks to raise the industry’s profile with stakeholders and legislators who, LEEA says, could otherwise forget about the importance of lifting and working at height.

A primary way in which GLAD is looking to raise awareness is through social media. The awareness day provides an opportunity for anyone with an interest in lifting and working at height to contribute and share material which promotes safe and high-quality load lifting by using the hashtag #GLAD2023 on their own social media platforms. The campaign starts now and culminates on July 13th with a host of digital content.

Past GLAD content and videos can be found by searching the hashtags #GLAD2022, #GLAD2021 and #GLAD2020.

Utilising social media also provides a way in which the impact of the campaign can be gauged. “Participation is key,” says Richard Howes, director at Bridger Howes. “Such days are only impactful when they engage an audience and present a case so strong that a community becomes ambassadors and wants to align activity and content to that cause. They’re proud to support the initiative and excited to share words, pictures and videos about how they’re doing — before, during and after the designated day.” More about #GLAD2023 can be found at: globalliftingawarenessday.com

FACE-TO-FACE

Away from the digital realm, in-person trade shows are back on the agenda and all eyes are now on Las Vegas, USA, for the forthcoming ConExpo trade show which will provide a focal point for a whole host of safety and training related activities.

US trade association Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) in conjunction with the NCCCO Foundation – a charitable organisation formed by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) in 2018, will offer 12 educational sessions on crane and rigging topics. See the attached box for details.

An emphasis on safety in crane and rigging will also be part of the SC&RA’s Workshop Program Task Force, part of it its Crane & Rigging Workshop, which takes place 26- 28 September, 2023, in Oklahoma City, USA.

The Workshop is designed to bring together safety directors, owners, top managers, legal experts, and operations personnel from the industry’s leading companies. SC&RA is currently accepting speaker and topic proposals for this. If you’re interested please contact the SC&RA before March 31.

At its January Board & Committee Meetings the SC&RA determined one of its top priorities for 2023 is to request California’s Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board to appoint an advisory board to address concerns raised by the Association regarding crane proof load testing.

Also several Association projects are underway in 2023 and are expected to be completed within the year. These include the Boom Dolly e-learning module and the Safety Talks e-learning modules.

EXAM TIME

Also at ConExpo the NCCCO will host a range of activities including written and practical exams, Practical Proctor training and credentialing, Practical Exam Proctor Program workshops, plus other crane-and-rigging related educational seminars.

At the show written exams for all CCO certifications will be offered using CCO’s new Event Online Testing (EOT) option for testing on Tuesday, March 14, and Friday, March 17. Outside the venue it will have equipment for attendees to take operator practical exams from Wednesday, March 15, to Friday, March 17.

Attendees can schedule practical exams for the Telescopic Boom Crane—Swing Cab, Telescopic Boom Crane—Fixed Cab, or telehandler.

Inside the show the Foundation is offering Signalperson and Rigger Level I practical exams on Wednesday, March 15, and Thursday, March 16.

Those interested in becoming new Practical Exam Proctors will be able to take advantage of an arrangement by which they will receive the necessary training and then get audited at the show for no additional charge.

The NCCCO Foundation will also host a range of educational seminars at ConExpo. There will be 12 in total. See the box (p38) for full details.

Another international construction show, Bauma 2022, provided the backdrop for Montreal, Canada-based simulation specialist CM Labs Simulations to demonstrate the successful use of simulation training and testing to meet German requirements for crane operator certification.

DGUV APPROVAL

At the show operator-in-training Patrick Schultka, who had no experience with cranes, spent eight hours over the course of four days at the show using CM Labs’ Tower Crane Simulation Training Pack on its Vortex five-screen Advantage Simulator. With self-guided practice and one-on-one coaching from a trainer he completed a written exam, plus a 30-minute qualification test, using CM Labs’ Crane Training Pack based on the real-world CCO exam.

According to CM Labs, in September 2021, German Statutory Accident Insurance (DGUV – Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung) issued report FBHL-019 allowing the use of simulation systems for the qualification of heavy equipment operators. DGUV, the organisation that oversees the use of simulation for heavy equipment training in Germany, helps companies and educational institutions with a range of prevention measures and services.

Matthias Mueller, management safety engineer and owner of AST (Arbeits Sicherheit & Technik, a recognised educational institution), supervised the live certification and documented the process.

 AST has been using CM Labs simulators for the past two years to qualify operators in accordance with DGUV guidelines.

“Using simulation to certify crane operators offers the next level of training and development in the skilled trades,” said Lisa Barbieri, CM Labs’ VP of marketing and product management. “The requirements set by DGUV are essential to creating a unified objective standard of measure to use simulation for certification in Germany. CM Labs is positioned to provide the right solution as the industry evolves to take advantage of the benefits of simulation training in new ways.”

REAL WORLD ALGORITHMS

The DGUV report stipulates that simulated curriculum must include realistic use of the equipment, real-world scenarios to reinforce correct safe working interactions and habits, and problem-solving scenarios to establish good judgment for safe operation and avoiding near collisions and injuries.

Simulation for certification must meet five technical criteria in order to comply.

  1. Realistic immersive display (such as curved or five-sided case);
  2. Acoustic feedback to reinforce audio queues common on the job site (engine, alarms, etc.);
  3. Realistic motion system – such as five degrees of freedom and motion platform;
  4. Faithful replica of a typical worksite for operator context;
  5. Realistic high-quality simulation model – real-time simulation, vehicle behaviour, steering, vibrations, the behaviour of objects and materials, graphics, and environmental scenarios (night/day/wind gusts, etc.).

CM Labs claims it accurately replicates real-world machine and materials behaviour resulting in effective, efficient operator training. The company even claims its’ patented physics-based Smart Training Technology (STT) system even exceeds the technical criteria for German certification.

The STT comprises proprietary and patented algorithms designed to deliver a simulation that models machines as they would react with the environment and materials in the real world, explains CM Labs.

Its precision is backed by more than 20,000 automated daily tests and ongoing research and development.

The company says that by using the system trainees gain a better feel for engine transmission, crane boom, and jib bending/torquing, as well as wire rope and crane block spin and environmental factors like wind, precipitation, day and night settings.

A video from CM Labs about the use of simulators in operator training in Germany can be seen here: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=TR9KYT7v62M

SWITZERLAND RECOGNISES ECOL

European association for the abnormal road transport and mobile crane rental industry ESTA, received a boost just before Christmas as its European Crane Operators Licence scheme (ECOL) was recognised in Switzerland by the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund, SUVA (Schweizerische Unfallversicherungsanstalt).

Alfred Suter, SUVA health and safety specialist, said, “We were pleased to note that the training of ECOL crane operators meets the requirements of the Swiss Crane Ordinance and the EKAS RL 6510.”

As a result, since January 1st, 2023, an ECOL licenced operator can request the issue of a SUVA crane operator licence, Kranführerausweis Kat. A without the need for any further training or testing.

Switzerland is the fifth territory to recognise ECOL, following Belgium, Denmark, The Netherlands and British Columbia in Canada.

Talks are also continuing with authorities in Germany, Spain, Ireland and the UK.

Ton Klijn, ESTA director and chair of the ECOL Supervisory Board, said, “We are delighted with the decision of the Swiss authorities and thank them for their support. Standards in Switzerland are very high and if experts there are happy to back ECOL, we hope that will encourage other national authorities to follow suit in the near future.

“The potential for ECOL both to raise safety standards and increase efficiency right across Europe is not in question and we look forward to further developments in the near future.”

It is great to see new technology, such as CM Labs’ simulators, and association work, such as ECOL, becoming more accepted by health and safety governing bodies.

In addition, in a world less constrained by Covid, face-to-face meetings for training and testing are also back on the cards. It really is the best of both worlds.

Sarens' revamped Belgium training centre supports ESTA'S ECOL

Sarens inaugurated its revamped operator training centre in Wolvertem, Belgium, in December 2022, increasing its capacity both for classroom and practical crane training operations. The centre has also included ESTA’s European Crane Operators Licence in its courses.

To mark the development, the company organised an open day giving interested individuals and companies the chance to explore the centre and discover the range of training courses on offer – and also take the opportunity to sit in a crane themselves.

Explaining the company’s support for ECOL, Sarens RDTS Manager Line Rigo said: “By adding ECOL to our training centre courses Sarens wants to support and promote the importance of professional competence and skills. Creating a uniform crane operator licence within Europe will make it more transparent to guarantee quality and reliability and more effi cient to work in different countries.”

Ton Klijn, ESTA director and chair of the ECOL Supervisory Board, said: “Sarens has been a strong supporter of the ECOL concept from the very beginning and we are delighted to see that support being developed in practice.”

NCCCO educational sessions scheduled to take place at conexpo 2023:

The NCCCO’s educational seminars at ConExpo (booth Grand Lobby (GL) -10882) will comprise:

  • Crane 101: An understanding crane basics including crane working principles, rigging basics, ground pressure stability, and crane.
  • Qualifications of Onsite Personnel for Cranes: This is designed to help attendees ensure they are in compliance with OSHA requirements and latest industry (ASME) standards.
  • Best Practices for Oversized Cranes & Specialized Carrier Permits: Best practices and resources will be offered for ensuring loads and equipment arrive safely and on time, especially considering the different rules and regulations at every border.
  • Crane Lift Planning Essentials: Start Every Lift by Addressing These Questions: This interactive session will cover the foundations of successful lift planning, the principles applying to load weight, centre of gravity, rigging methods, and lift and set sequences.
  • Lifting Load Effects on Elevated Structures: This will cover load effects impacting elevated structures and decks, bridges, and underground facilities, including host structure stability and integrity during lifting and horizontal movement activities.
  • Mobile Elevating Work Platform Supervisor Training:
  • Crane Analytics: The Operator Is Responsible for 99% of All Accidents. Or Are They? Information about the latest accident data associated with ASME responsible parties of crane lifts, the Crane Safety Research Lab, and emerging gaming technologies for crane operator training will be presented and discussed.
  • Best Practices for Inspecting & Connecting Rigging: Documentation requirements on hoists, slings, and hardware plus marking requirements on hardware and slings will be covered.
  • Crane Accident Prevention and Management: This will look at why crane accidents happen and how best to manage it.
  • The Why and How of Load Testing for Cranes: This session will outline details the reasons for performing load tests on mobile cranes.
  • Crane Contracts:
  • 15 Things to Prepare for Tower Crane Success on Your Site: A review of items that need to be considered prior to installing a tower crane on any jobsite.

 Cm Labs Mobile Training Centre

CM Labs Simulations has announced a Mobile Training Center for North America designed to give companies and training institutions the flexibility to offer training and assessment anywhere.

The Mobile Training Center can offer an on-site presence that reduces team displacement and job site disruption. For community colleges and vocational schools, it can multiply training locations and provide access to markets that were previously out of reach or too remote.

“Bringing training and recruitment to where it’s needed most can be a cost-effective strategy,” said CM Labs’ VP of Product, Lisa Barbieri. “The combination of our best-in-class-simulators and high-impact messaging gives our customers the means to position themselves leaders in operator safety training and assessment.”

DICA supplies the IUOE'S Texas Training Center with crane pads

The International Union of Operating Engineers’ (IUOE) Training Center in Crosby, Texas, has received a set of FiberMax Crane Pads from outrigger and crane pad manufacturer DICA to use with its two new all-terrain cranes. As one of the IUOE’s equipment partners, these FiberMax 6x4x6 crane pads join other DICA products already in use at the training centre.