A New York department of labour press release said that, between 1972 and 2000, certificates had been issued to operators who had failed their practical exams. “This is a public safety issue,” said Smith. “As of today, these crane operators are not certified to operate a crane in New York State. We are urging them to retake the practical exam or their licenses will be revoked.”
An investigation into New York’s crane certification scheme was opened in May 2007, following complaints. The labour department is reviewing the certificates of 3,000 operators in the state.
