Every line of work has its own identity - the way people talk to each other, the way people act, and the rules that they have to follow will always be different according to their industry.
The rules and regulations regarding crane operations are especially unique and require specific training.
You may be asking, “Who is in charge of making sure this training is completed the right way?”
Funny you should ask! We were just planning to talk about this very subject!
OSHA & ASME
Most people are somewhat familiar with OSHA, who regulate most areas in construction, with crane operations being no exception.
In the case of training crane operators though, OSHA refers to ASME’s guidelines. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers have pretty specific language about training.
According to ASME B30.2, management is given the explicit responsibility to provide training to persons who will operate a crane.
Let’s talk a little about these responsibilities assigned to managers by ASME in a little more detail...
Responsibilities Of Managers
As one would guess, ASME states that management is responsible for the division and designation of tasks for each worker. In addition to these responsibilities, they are in charge of making sure that crane operators are given proper training on the equipment being used on a site.
Management is required to provide both written and practical examinations which show an operator has the necessary skills to operate the exact crane that they will be using.
This next part is important.
Managers must properly document that each operator is certified. These documents should show that they successfully completed both written and practical examinations.
The Breakdown Of Manager Responsibilities:
- Provide Appropriate Training For Operators
- Properly Document Completion Of All Required Training
- Ensure That Exams Cover Local, State, And Federal Provisions
- Provide Both Written & Practical Exams For The Specific Crane Being Used
The Three Steps Of Operator Certification:
Each operator needs to be certified to use the specific crane they will be running. There are 3 steps to completing certification.
Operator Certification Requirements:
- Training On Equipment Being Used
- Completing A Written & Practical Exam
- Evaluation By Employer On The Specific Crane Being Used
What A Practical Examination May Look Like
The Practical Examinations and Evaluations will always be performed on the crane the operator is using and will include many different skills. These tests should prove an operator’s abilities to run a crane up to all state, local, and federal regulations, as well as any regulations provided by their union.
Skills That May Need To Be Demonstrated In A Practical Exam:
- Blocking
- Outrigging
- Controlling A Load
- Knowing The Weight Of A Load
- Performing Basic Routine Inspections
- An Operator Setting Up The Crane Themselves
What Are Some Qualifications For Crane Operators?
Operating a crane is a very unique job. A good operator will need to have some pretty diverse qualifications. Some of these are common skills, while others are more specific and rare
Qualifications Of An Ideal Crane Operator:
- Patience
- Attentiveness
- Self Motivation
- Safety Conscious
- Physical Ability To Climb
- Knowledge Of Equipment
- Strong Communication Skills
- Willingness To Follow Direction
The Takeaway
While crane operating is a skilled labor that requires specific skills, personality traits, physical abilities, and knowledge, when it comes to providing training, the ultimate responsibility will always lie on management.
It is up to managers to provide training, test training, and document training for each operator. Management must be able to verify that each person running a crane has demonstrated the ability to work with the specific equipment that they are assigned to use on a job.
Because of the nature of running cranes, it is imperative that training, examinations, and evaluations are centered around the actual equipment being used. Certification for working on each job requires this sort of diligence and it is up to management to make sure these requirements are met.