June 2017—Crane operators, contractors, and others whose working lives bring them into contact with lifting equipment beat a path to the NCCCO Industry Forum on Personnel Qualifications last month in Honolulu. The Forum, only the second ever held (the first was in conjunction with NCCCO’s 20th Anniversary Gala in 2015), was an instant hit with the Hawaii crane community, who listened attentively to presentations, posed challenging questions, and participated in the ensuing dialogue.
Hosted by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), and with primary sponsor Hawaiian Dredging, the Forum featured sessions on the latest regulatory developments at state and federal level (notably the forthcoming OSHA certification requirement), NCCCO’s ethics and discipline process (including its ANSI-recognized audit program), and the latest certification trends and statistics.
Special focus was placed on two of the more recent CCO certification programs: for crane inspectors (certifiers) and lift directors, both of which are seeing increasing adoption by employers. Finally, delegates were left with an intriguing insight into the direction CCO certifications may take in the near future.
Licensing Board Hosts NCCCO Commission
The Forum followed a week-long series of CCO exam management committee meetings capped by an all-day meeting of the NCCCO Commission. This 42nd Biannual Meeting was hosted by the Hawaii Hoisting Machine Operators Advisory Board (HMOAB), which oversees the state’s crane operator licensing program.
HMOAB Chairman Tristan Aldeguer stated he was delighted the Board had been able to host these meetings of the NCCCO Commission. “It has been our distinct pleasure to make this event possible as a public service to the crane community of Hawaii,” he said. Observing that Hawaii (which has required crane operators to be certified and licensed since 2003 and is still one of only 17 states to do so), Aldeguer added, “This is an example of the way the Board stays ahead of the curve and promotes safety and risk management for the benefit of all.”
Kenny Shinn (K.J. Shinn) delivers his report at the 42nd Biannual Meeting of the NCCCO Commission.
Get Ready for OSHA’s November Deadline!
NCCCO Commissioners at their meeting last month in Honolulu had this message for anyone “not quite ready” for the November deadline for mandatory crane operator certification! The tongue-in-cheek statement had a serious intent: It takes time to get trained and tested in order to earn certification and, with just five months left, this is no time to procrastinate. Find out more here.