On January 1, 2010, if your crane operators have not taken the training, successfully passed the tests and documented the required hours of crane operation, they will not be qualified to operate any crane and you will be unable to put them to work. To be in compliance with the new crane rules you need to have all the following in place:
Prior to January 1, 2010, all your operators must be qualified in accordance with the WAC 296-155-533, Part L, crane operator qualifications and certification. All operators must have the NCCCO certification for each type of crane they will be operating. They also must provide an affidavit of hours worked on each type of crane they are operating. The affidavit form can be found on the L&I Website at http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/AtoZ/Cranes/files/CraneOperatorQualsAffidavit.doc. This form must be notarized.
Make sure that all your cranes are certified by an accredited third party crane certifier. They need to be certified in all configurations. You can find a list of Washington accredited crane certifiers at the L&I Website http://www.lni.wa.govSafety/Topics/AtoZ/Cranes/files/ConstructionCraneCertifiers.pdf.
Be sure to document, document and document everything. The documentation of the crane operator’s hours is their responsibility, but ABC recommends that you make sure that you have copies of all their documents. You will also want to have in your files copies of all the crane testing documentation from the third party crane certifier.
Remember, this rule covers all types of cranes from the tower cranes and 300+ ton lattice boom crawler cranes down to the five to 15 ton small telescopic boom cranes. Articulating boom (knuckleboom) cranes as well as derricks are also included in this rule.
If you have any questions, contact Vice President of Safety and Education Ann Jarvis or (800) 640-7789.