One of the questions that pops up from time to time is: “What makes a good heavy equipment operator?” And then it gets a little more specific and turns into “What makes a good mobile crane operator?”

There’s some overlap, but there are a few differences.

Things Heavy Equipment Operators Need

All big machinery, no matter what it is, needs an operator who knows what is happening around them and isn’t afraid to stop when things get dangerous. Good heavy equipment operators have these qualities:

• hand/eye coordination
• certifications from trusted schools
• respect for the safety rules
• a feel for their machine’s location and operation
• an eye on their surroundings
• knowledge of their machine’s operation
• rehearsed emergency procedures for instant response

Heavy equipment is hard to stop once it gets going, and everybody is safer when the operator is a professional. But the mobile crane operator has some added factors:

Things Mobile Crane Operators Need To Add

All of the above applies to a mobile crane operator, but the fact that there are additional NCCCO Certified Crane Operator Programs tells you that things get racheted up with the whole overhead-lifting thing. Loads to be hoisted have to be rigged correctly or they’ll fall, and it won’t be pretty. The momentum of a big machine is multiplied when that big machine is swinging a big load around.

Crane operators function as part of a team, and communication is really important. They need the strength to ignore pressure to hoist unsafe loads, even if the boss is giving them a hard time. They need to know what is safe and what is not safe, and it’s a good idea to know why so you can explain your refusal clearly.

Mobile crane operators are heavy equipment operators who have gone into a specialized field and done the training to earn specialized certifications in that field. They have great responsibility and are up to the task.

You’ve seen that guy, or gal, in the reflective clothing with the flags and radios. Sometimes they are on the road, directing traffic. Most of the time, though, they are on the job site keeping everybody safe. Without a qualified rigger/signalperson, the load on the crane might be unstable and fall. The equipment could run into somebody and hurt them badly. The cost of not having a signalperson who knows their job is high, so everybody pays attention to what the signalperson says is going on.

Associated Training Services offers two levels of rigging/signalperson training:

1. The Rigging/Signalperson Qualification Program
2. The Rigging/Signalperson Certification Program

The Qualification program is the basic foundational training that has been mandated by OSHA and it will meet many of the job requirements on most sites. It takes 8-12 hours of instruction, written and practical training and testing, and you get a qualification compliance card at the end showing you meet all OSHA qualification standards.

The Certification program is more intense, with 32-36 hours of training (four days) and the same careful written/practical training and testing in more detail. By the end of this program, you will exceed the OSHA qualification standard for rigging/signalperson training and receive NCCCO Rigging Level One as well as NCCCO Signalperson Certifications.

Associated Training Services is fully qualified to administer the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) national certification program. We are experienced in preparing students for the CCO certification exams, which are offered regularly. Take a look at our NCCCO schedule and see what dates will work for your plans so that you will be the guy everyone pays attention to.

On February 7, 2014, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a proposed rule to extend the compliance date for crane operator certification requirements. This would give three more years to both the certification and phase-in requirements that ensure crane operators are qualified to operate the equipment. It is a good thing, but it’s better to just go ahead and get your crane operator certification now.

Associated Training Services offers training for the CCO certification exams and we endorse the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) national certification program. The NCCCO program is designed to provide a complete assessment of knowledge and skills for those who work in, with, and around cranes. It shows you are a recognized professional crane operator.

We think you should get your NCCCO Certification if you are going to operate a crane, pure and simple. It shows you know what you are doing, it keeps everyone safer on the job, and employers are more likely to choose you over other job applicants. Even though the OSHA deadlines are extended, you know they are coming so why wait?

Crane operators are in high demand and those who are well-trained make very good money. We are one of the biggest crane operator schools in the country and our Certified Crane Operator Program will give you the experience and training you need to get that higher wage. Our training includes experience with fixed cab and swingcab mobile hydraulic cranes and a whole lot more. You learn how to operate a crane professionally, and you get your NCCCO Certification by the time you complete your training. You will be ahead of the pack scrambling to meet the new OSHA deadline and in a good position to be hired.

Crane certifications make the heavy equipment industry safer and more professional. By ensuring that workers who step foot onto the work site are trained, qualified, and certified, all of us can know with certainty that the heavy equipment industry is better for it. So who certifies crane operators?

But who is responsible for those certifications?

The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) is the organization that certifies qualified crane operators to ensure that workplace safety is a top priority all over the country.

Associated Training Services (ATS) fully endorses the NCCCO standards, and we hire only instructors who are certified by the NCCCO. When you are trained by a training school that recognizes and adheres to the national standards set forth by the industry itself, you can be sure that you will get the best training by the best instructors.

ATS instructors are not just certified. They are experienced professionals. In many cases, they have years of experience as crane operators themselves and many have served as safety officers and managers.

If you are ready to start your career as a certified crane operator, sign up for the ATS crane operator training. Check our class schedule to see when our next training class begins. You will be trained by the best in the business to be the best in the business.

When it comes to career certifications, having a national certification actually works in favor of truck drivers, crane operators, and other heavy equipment operators. State certifications would do the trick, but if you moved to a new state, then you’d have to get a new certification. It would be a terribly inefficient system.

As it is, when you get your national certification for any heavy equipment training program, then it won’t matter where you live. You’ll be able to find a job.

There are two national heavy equipment certifications you should be concerned with:

• National Center For Construction Education & Research (NCCER) – NCCER is affiliated with the University of Florida, so that should take care of the credibility issue. When you complete your ATS training program for heavy equipment operations, you’ll receive national certification as a heavy equipment operator. With that certification, you’ll be able to go anywhere in the U.S. and get a job.
• National Commission For The Certification Of Crane Operators (NCCCO) – The NCCCO is a specific certification designed to ensure safety among crane operators. This piece of heavy equipment is very popular and demands its own certification because of its uniqueness and specific safety challenges.

Additionally, if you wish to work as a rigger or signalperson, then you can be trained and certified to work in that capacity. It’s an additional level of training with additional levels of safety piled on by OSHA regulations.

Truck drivers also have their own brand of certification. It’s actually a license. Any commercial vehicle driver must have a CDL, or commercial drivers license. ATS can train you and prepare you to take your CDL test anywhere in the U.S.

What is NCCCO? is an acronym that stands for National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators. The organization was formed in 1995 to administer the nationwide program for certifying crane operators.

The key here is nationwide. Once you’ve been certified by NCCCO, then you can go to any state and work as a crane operator.

All program guidelines and training initiatives meet OSHA guidelines for safety. That’s very important because the last thing any employer wants is a crane operator who is operating unsafely. The liability is too great. That’s why training and certification are so important.

NCCCO has spent a lot of resources to serve crane operators and employers nationwide by ensuring safety standards in training and on the workforce. These include:

• Reducing the risk of losses to employers on the work site
• Ensuring there are fewer accidents
• Maintaining a consistent training environment for crane operators
• Increasing job opportunities for crane operators

The organization enjoys support from a wide variety of industries and employers within the various industries, including training schools like ATS. Construction companies, crane rental companies, utility companies, energy companies, steel erection organizations, petrochemicals manufacturers, pulp and paper manufacturers, and government agencies at all levels support NCCCO.

NCCCO is a non-profit organization that operates within the private sector to ensure crane operators are trained safely and certified to operate cranes on any type of worksite in any state. They administer both written and practical tests to ensure proficiency in crane operations.

If you are ready to be trained and certified as a crane operator in the U.S., then look no further. ATS has the perfect training class for you.

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.

I’m not asking if you’re certifiable. That’s none of my business. I am asking if you have your certifications for working in the heavy equipment business. Are you certified?

There are different certifications you can test for. Every state has its own rules and regulations, of course, but you can get a national certification that will allow you to work anywhere. If you are a truck driver or heavy equipment operator, then I highly recommend one of those certifications.

There are two national certification agencies you should be familiar with:

• National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER)
• and National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO)

You can get credentialed from either of these certification agencies by taking a heavy equipment training course offered by ATS. These are nationally recognized training programs and nationally recognized certifications. They are accepted by government agencies, educational institutions, most industry employers, and professionals in the trucking and heavy equipment industries.

NCCER is a non-profit educational foundation associated with the University of Florida. All ATS instructors are required to have NCCER certification. Our students receive it as well when they graduate.

NCCCO was established to develop crane safety operation standards. It is recognized as the authority on crane safety in the U.S.

If you have an interest in the heavy equipment industry and are looking for a solid career, learn how you can get your certifications and join this growing profession.

Over the years the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) have established guidelines and minimum requirements for workers engaged in different industries. In the construction industry, there are a range of occupations that have been looked at in order to increase safety and, in so doing, decrease the number of accidents. Riggers have not been immune from this close examination, and from November 8, 2010, riggers had to be ‘qualified’ to undertake specific tasks.

To meet OSHAs criteria for a “qualified person”, riggers must meet certain conditions. These include:

….possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve/resolve problems relating to rigging.

The easiest way to demonstrate these abilities is by obtaining an NCCCO certification. This is generally obtained following training and assessment by a suitably qualified assessor. Experienced riggers can obtain certification by undertaking the assessment alone. However, rules and regulations are constantly changing so updating skills through training never hurts.

Employers must engage qualified riggers for work that includes the assembly and/or dis-assembly of cranes, hooking, unhooking, or guiding a load, or in the initial connection of a load to a component or structure and are within the fall zone. Associated Training Services has been accredited through NCCCO to deliver training and assessment to meet the standard required for certification as a rigger. By undertaking rigger training and assessment through ATS, employees will receive their rigger certification, a qualification that is portable and recognized across the country. If you are a rigger who requires certification, contact ATS for more information on our next training and assessment program.

If you’ve worked as a crane operator in the past and you’re considering moving back into the profession, you will have to consider many of the changes that have occurred in recent years. One of the biggest changes is that, in most states, crane operators are now required to be certified to a set of national standards. Technology has also improved so you may even require some retraining in order to pass certification assessments.

Retraining is an easy three week program that covers everything required to complete your certification tests and to receive certification. While basic crane operations will always remain the same, there are some areas that have now been taken over by computers. A good example is load monitoring. This is an alarm system that warns the operator when the computers have discovered an issue with the load.

Certification is awarded to those operators who complete the NCCCO-based written and practical examinations. The NCCCO (National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators) crane operator certification is one of the most widely recognized crane operator certifications available. Without this certification, operators are not allowed inside the cab of a working crane.

Associated Training Services (ATS) is one of our nation’s largest and most respected crane schools. While training operators is our core business, we are also accredited to undertake the examinations set out by the NCCCO for crane operator certification. This provides students (or former operators) with a clear path from training through to certification and then employment (via our Career Services department).

If you’re a former crane operator looking to return to the profession, or a rank novice looking to start a career, ATS has the skill, experience, and accreditation to help you achieve those goals.