Attention: All ATS Specialized Customers doing NCCCO training & testing.

Effective Date: January 1, 2024

Beginning on January 1, 2024, all NCCCO written exam testing will have to be done on a computer connected to the NCCCO written testing website.

ATS will be offering two ways for you to complete the NCCCO written testing:

• Event Online Testing (EOT): This method allows for an organization, such as yours, to set up an approved testing room at your location, as long as the room, table layout, and computers meet the NCCCO requirements. Your organization would be responsible for all costs associated with setting up the room and computers. ATS will assist you in setting up your room and computer stations to meet these requirements. This method will allow your employees to complete their NCCCO written exams at your site upon completion of any classroom training. Note: Applications for E.O.T. site approval must be submitted 30 days in advance.
  
• Testing in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin: ATS is an approved E.O.T. testing facility that you can use for any NCCCO written testing that we can schedule based on your needs. If this method is used, ATS will schedule the testing date, and submit/pay for all NCCCO written candidate applications. If this method is used, ATS can still deliver the classroom training and practical testing at your location and then your employees can take their written exams in Sun Prairie to limit their time away from home. The written exams generally take two to four hours.
  

Lattice cranes, also called lattice boom cranes, are transported by trucks and then assembled on site. Lattice cranes have high capacities and long boom lengths, making them perfect for various applications. There are many configurations of lattice cranes, and their modular design gives them the flexibility to adapt the crane to the specific needs of the project for which it is being used. ATS offers lattice crane training and certifications.

Not all lattice boom cranes are the same. There are three different kinds of these cranes. Here are the options:

• Crawler cranes – These cranes have the advantage of moving with heavy loads for short distances. It has a maximum capacity of 1.600 tons. Because of its compact design, it is an excellent choice if there is a project where there is a limited workspace.
• Outrigger cranes – These cranes consist of a truck crane and the pedestal crane. The pedestal crane is used for projects that are stationary and are capable of transporting up to 2.000 tons. It can be set up rather quickly, providing a lower cost for operation. The truck crane is a substructure made up of a multi-axle truck. This is a highly mobile crane and is drivable on public roadways while carrying up to 750 tons.
• Ring cranes – These are versatile and innovative cranes capable of heavy lifting, which can be used to accommodate the needs of the mining, oil and gas, refinery, nuclear power plants, and offshore platforms.

Crane operators must undergo extensive training and have the proper knowledge to operate a crane safely. Associated Training Services (ATS) offers crane training and has a new lattice crane to help students learn everything they need to know about crane assembly and operation.

Mobile Crane Operator Training

ATS has three different levels of mobile crane operator training. Here are the three levels are broken down for students:

• The first level focuses on hydraulic cranes and large hydraulic cranes.
• The second level focuses on lattice boom cranes and articulated boom cranes.
• The third level focuses on tower cranes and digger derricks.

During the programs, students learn to safely operate the cranes and obtain crane operator certification through the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). To learn more about the programs, call ATS at (800) 383-7364.

The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) is a non-profit agency that was established in 1995. With headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia, the organization’s mission is to develop effective performance standards that promote the safe operation of cranes. Operating a crane requires certifications, training, and skills to ensure the safety of the operator, coworkers, and the general public.

Associated Training Services (ATS) offer a variety of training programs, including those that help individuals train to be crane operators, riggers, or signalpersons. These programs will qualify or certify the trainee so he or she can seek employment in the field and perform their jobs safely and as they should. ATS offers several programs that are customized to meet the needs of the different employers in the fields. Here are some of the different NCCCO certifications that are available to ATS students:

• Lattice boom crane – crawler and truck
• Large telescopic boom cranes – swing cab and rough terrain
• Small telescopic boom cranes – fixed cab and boom trucks
• Articulated cranes – knucklebooms
• Digger derricks
• Tower cranes
• Overhead cranes

Also, NCCCO Rigger 1 and NCCCO Signalperson certifications are available. ATS also offers OSHA-compliant rigging and signalperson qualifications.

The Importance of Certifications

You need to have the proper training and certifications before you go on the job site. If you don’t have the proper certifications, you and your employer could face the consequences, especially if there is an accident with injuries or damages.

To protect yourself and to help you stabilize your career and future, make sure you understand all the processes and get the right certifications. There is a demand for qualified crane operators, so it is a great career choice. To learn more about the crane operator, rigging, and signalperson training available at ATS, call (800) 383-7364 today. Financial aid is available.

Every rigger/signalperson has to be certified. That’s a federal regulation from OSHA and most insurance companies have been insisting on it too. It just makes sense that this vital job be one that is held by a person who has been trained and passed the certification meeting the National Comission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).

This NCCCO certification goes past the federal standards and is recognized as the best in the crane and lifting industires. If you want to be the best rigger/signalperson on the job site, you need to have this certification.

How To Get Your NCCCO Certification

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School offers OSHA Rigger/Signalperson Training that results in getting your NCCCO Certification. This has a lot of advantages:

• OSHA Recognized
• Industry Recognized
• Portable – goes with person
• Opens additional job opportunities
• Short term – one week
• Additional credential

We Can Come To You

Employers can also take advantage of our Qualification program to train their employees at the ATS school in Wisconsin or bring ATS instructors on any site in the US. Rigger and signalperson information is taught and there are both written and practical exams. At the end of the time, credentials document the trainees’ completion of the program and are valid for three years.

Whether you come to ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School for the full NCCCO training or your employer has our instructors come to your job site and train you, that training will be the best we offer. Both the knowledge and the basic skills will be yours along with that precious certification that shows you are qualified to be the best rigger/signalperson on the job site.

One of the highest paid categories of heavy equipment operation is the crane operator, and a rigger is an essential partner in the operator’s mission. Because this is such an important job on a site, most states and insurance companies will require certifications for both positions. ATS is fully qualified to provide the training programs and certifications you need to hold both of these key spots on a work crew.

Our program can prepare and test you on both written and practical NCCCO exams; the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators and the recognized gold standard in the field. You can get experience operating swing and fixed cab, lattice and articulated boom mobile hydraulic cranes along with a good foundation in the safety regulations.

Choose The Programs You Need

There are five different types of NCCCO training offered at ATS:

• Mobile Crane Operations 1 — beginning level
• Mobile Crane Operations 2 — secondary level
• NCCCO Mobile Crane Operator Prep/Test — only for experienced operators & offered through a business
• NCCCO Rigger/Signalperson Certification — a vital position for the safety of everyone
• Specialized Crane Operator Programs — we work with you to provide the specific training needed

Every one of these programs has had hundreds of graduates over the years, and those graduates have gone on to provide valuable service by expertly performing their job. Employers trust the training that you get at ATS and the proof of your competence in passing the NCCCO exams means you are a valued employee.

If you are interested in becoming a mobile crane operator or rigger/signalperson, the most important thing on your resume is an NCCCO certification because it verifies your professional status.

The crane operator does spectacular things, hoisting heavy loads and accomplishing tasks like placing critical beams where the job requires it. But the crane operator doesn’t work alone because riggers and spotters are part of a team, making the whole unit successful. Without each member of that team, something bad could happen on the work site.

Riggers make sure the load is safely attached to the crane. The rigger’s job should be guiding the load, and keeping that load their priority.

Spotters make sure the crane is not going to hit any power lines or other hazards. They can’t guide the load, too, because they need to keep watch on the hazards. People have died when both rigging and spotting are done at once; all it takes is hitting a power line with the boom.

Crane operators need to be able to see both the rigger and the spotters at all times. Signals have to be clearly understood since the noise of the equipment messes up communicating by shouting. The operator uses the rigger and spotters as extra eyes to see what is going on and do the job safely.

All three positions on the team have to be filled by qualified people who were trained in all the safety procedures. Anything less than that is an accident waiting to happen. Associated Training Services provides that training and makes sure the certifications are earned. An ATS graduate has the knowledge and the training to be a part of the crane operation team and do it well. We schedule the NCCCO Certification regularly all through the year, so there’s no reason you can’t become part of this team of qualified professionals.

A lot of times you might hear someone say they just don’t have the time to go through a long training process because they have bills to pay. But you really shouldn’t say things like that without knowing how long certification can actually take. For instance, Mobile Crane Operations – 1 is the ATS beginner level program, and it just takes three weeks. You go from Monday to Friday three times and get NCCCO prep, testing, and certification in both fixed cab mobile cranes (small hydraulic or boom truck) and swing cab mobile cranes (large hydraulic or rough terrain — RT).

Once you successfully complete program 1, if you have the time and want to go further and train for lattice boom (crawler or truck) cranes and articulated (knuckleboom) cranes; it takes another three weeks of Monday through Friday commitment, and by the end, you get another NCCCO certification. That is pretty good for six weeks of class/training time!

Experienced operators who are being paid by a business can take a single week of Monday through Friday NCCCO mobile crane operator prep/test on any two combinations of these mobile crane types. One week to get the certification that verifies your experience and the benefits that come with it. The NCCCO Rigger/Signalperson certification and training takes one week, Monday through Friday, too.

Associated Training Services Heavy Equipment Operator Training School isn’t just a push-you-through and leave-you-hanging operation, either. We provide the best professional crane operator training in the industry and have the graduates to prove it. For more information, call (800) 678-8149 and ask about our crane operator training school, class dates, curriculum, or certifications. In a couple of weeks you could be getting a whole different paycheck.

National credential benefits the heavy equipment industry in a number of ways. First, it’s a great way to ensure safe practices in the workforce. If there is one industry standard for best safety practices, then it’s easier to ensure that every job site employs the safest equipment operators and operates efficiently according to industry guidelines.

Another way national certification benefits the industry is it cuts back on regulation.

If the heavy equipment industry is policing its own ranks, then the government (federal or state) won’t have to. That means there will be fewer regulations and fewer regulators climbing all over our backs.

Organizations like National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators and National Center for Construction Education & Research do a lot to ensure that the heavy equipment industry employs safe workers and uses the best safe practices on the job site. One way that is done is through training. If you get trained by an organization on good terms with these two industry certification authorities, then you start your career off on the right foot.

Many employers won’t hire you if you aren’t certified. Many of them won’t even talk to you.

On a personal note, national certification is a benefit to you because you can go anywhere in the country and get a job. You don’t have to transfer your certification from one state to another, and you don’t have to worry about getting re-certified if you relocate. Your certification is good in every state.

Heavy equipment certification benefits everyone, including you as an employee.

Many states today now require crane operators to be certified. This should not be seen as a negative or an obstacle. Sure, it might be a little inconvenient, but think of the benefits.

First, crane operators are in high demand. If you are certified to operate a crane, then you’ll be more in demand as an employee and have a leg up in job interviews. Secondly, crane operators make a lot of money. In fact, they are some of the highest paid heavy equipment operators on the work site.

Crane operator certification through ATS includes training on fixed and swing cab mobile hydraulic cranes. The training will prepare you for the NCCCO certification exams, both the written and practical versions. You’ll receive the most rigorous training offered through the industry. In addition, you’ll be trained on special types of cranes, including:

• Rough terrain boom cranes
• Lattice boom cranes
• Articulated and knuckle boom cranes
• Swing cab boom cranes
• Fixed boom trucks
• Fixed cab cranes

ATS also provides OSHA-compliant rigging and signalperson training.

Crane certification training can take place at ATS facilities or on the employer’s job site. Having the training on your job site could be beneficial if you have several crane operators you want to be trained and certified. You can get more details on crane certification training through ATS.

It doesn’t matter what sort of training you undertake. It is going to cost you. If you were buying a car or a washing machine, for example, you would ensure you were getting value for money, so the same should hold true for training. When it comes to crane operator training, you can undertake basic training, which will provide you with some of the skills required, or you can undertake training that leads to a national certification.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training Schools goes one better. We deliver crane operator training and follow that with NCCCO-approved assessments and certifications. Employers cannot employ a crane operator unless they are certified, so it makes sense to walk away from your crane operator training with that certification, not just the basic skills. The ATS training program includes options for:

• Training on swing cab boom cranes,
• Training on rough terrain boom cranes,
• Training on fixed cab cranes,
• Training on fixed boom trucks,
• Professional lattice boom crane instruction,
• Articulated crane training (aka knuckleboom crane),
• OSHA-compliant rigging & signalperson training,
• NCCCO written exams, and
• NCCCO practical exams.

Our training methods and standards are up-to-date and designed with future employment specifically in mind. We want our graduates to have long and successful careers as crane operators – you are, after all, our best advertisements. Your success helps us to remain successful with a philosophy we have held over fifty years, and one that has been maintained through our strong reputation with industry.

If you are interested in a rewarding and interesting career as a crane operator, then talk to us about your training options. You’ll be surprised at how quickly we can have you ready to commence work as a crane operator.