Crane Rulemaking Committee Addresses Operator Certification

May 10, 2004
As the OSHA Crane and Derrick Negotiated Rulemaking Committee's (C-DAC) July deadline for reaching consensus approaches, one significant stumbling block appears to be the certification of crane operators.

A majority of committee members want the new rule to require the certification of crane operators by an accredited organization, according to Graham Brent, executive director of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators. But two industry groups, the National Association of Homebuilders and Associated General Contractors (AGC), disagree. The committee discussed the issue during its May 4-7 meeting in Washington, DC.

"We feel the certification and accreditation process is a means of determining the competency of operators," explained Jim Brown, director of safety and health for AGC of Indiana. "But we don't believe it's necessarily the means there are other methods that are much more economical and that are as protective."

Brown explained that contractors prefer a provision resembling that found in OSHA's powered industrial trucks standard (1910.178). According to this rule, employers are allowed to ensure that operators have successfully completed a training course, the contents of which are spelled out in the standard.

Contractors are currently one vote shy of the three they need to scuttle the unwanted provision. But two dissenting votes from such big organizations with large memberships could pose some undesired complications for the rule, according to Brent.

The next scheduled meeting of C-DAC will be during June and its location will shift to Phoenix, Ariz.

Sponsored Recommendations

April 25, 2025
Environmental audits should be a core part of your EHS program regardless of whether you choose to pursue ISO 14001 certification.
April 25, 2025
Streamline EHS inspections. Conduct, track, and manage inspections effortlessly with customizable checklists, real-time reporting, and actionable insights.
April 25, 2025
A winning business case is based on the ROI of the project. The essential first step is determining your EHS costs today.
April 25, 2025
The use of QR codes can greatly simplify observation, near miss, and incident reporting and improve the quantity and quality of data. The more safety information that is collected...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!