Recertification for Tower Crane Operators Now Available

The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO), Fairfax, Va., has announced the availability of its CCO tower crane recertification written examination.

Since the CCO tower crane recertification program was introduced in late 2004, more than 1,500 operators have taken the written examination and close to 1,000 for the practical, reported David Ritchie, chairman of the Tower Crane Management committee and risk control specialist, cranes and rigging, for St. Paul Travelers.

Certified operators who have maintained 1,000 hours of crane-related experience in the past five years and have a current, completed CCO physical examination form or a current DOT medical certificate do not need to retake the tower crane practical examination to recertify.

“Although none of the tower crane certifications issued have yet expired (certification is valid for five years), operators who need to recertify in mobile cranes can now also take the tower crane recertification written exam at the same time and thereby maintain their tower crane credentials,” Ritchie said. This has the added advantage that CCO-certified operators have only one common expiration date for all the categories of crane they may be certified in, Ritchie added not only aids accurate recordkeeping but also serves to clarify the certification process.