INTERVIEW
24
ACT
JULY 2013
SO YOU’RE CONFIDENT CIC HAS TAKEN THE
RIGHT COURSE?
Sure, I am. There’s a reason that the
International Union of Operating
Engineers has a higher pay grade for long
booms. The 100-foot mark is where you
usually see the increase. The rates may
vary by local, but a typical labor agreement
offers 15 cents over scale for 100 to 150
foot booms, 30 cents over scale for 150 to
200 foot booms and 45 cents over scale for
booms over 200 feet.
THAT BEING THE CASE, WHY ARE CIC’S
FIVE CLASSIFICATIONS OF MOBILE CRANE
OPERATORS SEGMENTED BY CAPACITY RATHER
THAN BY BOOM LENGTH?
To comply with the OSHA crane rule
while also creating a practical test that
made sense for testing the skill level of the
operator, CIC devised its categories after
evaluating typical boom lengths found
on cranes in the capacity classes. For
example, cranes in CIC’s under 21-ton
class are typically industrial cranes, boom
trucks, and some rough-terrain cranes
with boom lengths ranging from 10 to 38
feet. CIC tests this class at a 36-foot boom
length.
ON MAY 22, OSHA ANNOUNCED IT WILL
PROPOSE TO EXTEND THE COMPLIANCE DATE
FOR THE CRANE OPERATOR CERTIFICATION
REQUIREMENT BY THREE YEARS TO NOVEMBER
10, 2017. WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS
DEVELOPMENT?
The proposed extension is likely to
pass and OSHA is expected to take the
regulation back to negotiated rulemaking.
During this time, OSHA will address
questions that were raised regarding the
idea that certification equals qualification
and add more language on employer
responsibilities. OSHA tells us that the
public can expect separate rulemaking as
a result.
The delay does not have any direct
bearing on our mission of saving lives.
The CIC method of certifying by different
levels of type and capacity will continue
to give operators a meaningful credential
and employers worthwhile information
about an operator’s knowledge, skills
and abilities. As CIC keeps an eye on
developments in Washington, we will
continue to provide the industry with
certifications that have merit and comply
with regulations.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE DEBATE OVER
QUALIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION?
The preamble to the crane rule does give
a clear parameter for what certification is
and a clear definition of what makes an
operator qualified. If the terms had not
been written and defended previously, this
would have been a legitimate issue. We’ve
taken a step backward to confusion.
You can determine whether a person
is properly credentialed and qualified to
be operating on a piece of equipment,
but you can’t legislate common sense
and good business sense. All of the
accredited certification organizations
agree that certification is worthwhile but
does not replace employer responsibility
for determining the qualification of an
operator for the job and equipment.
Think about a nurse who recently
graduated with straight A’s from a top
school. The nurse obviously has the right
credentials to be hired and has every
chance of becoming a valued member of a
hospital’s staff. Do you take that nurse in
the first hour on the job to work through
12 hours of delicate brain surgery on a
newborn? If the nurse has a specialty
degree such as neonatology, you match
the person to the right job. Beyond
that, the hospital has to consider her
experience, scheduling, supervision and
other important factors when determining
the nurse’s responsibilities. It works
the same way for the crane and rigging
industry.
ARE THERE ANY MILESTONES THAT HELP
DISTINGUISH CIC?
CIC was the industry’s first certifying
body to allow calculators during testing.
There was a huge debate about that from
day one. Our position was that a calculator
is just a tool and no more objectionable
than using a pencil and paper to make
calculations. We benchmarked other
countries and saw they had no problems
with the use of calculators. In fact, Canada
requires the operators to be able to use
calculators correctly.
We knew we needed to supply the
calculators ourselves to ensure they met
certain requirements. For example, they
had to be secure to prevent cheating and
they had to be silent to avoid disturbing
others taking the tests. Operators use
calculators on the job, so they need to be
available during testing to make a realistic
evaluation of personnel’s skill level.
Basically, that issue was put to rest after
OSHA included it in current regulations.
We also were the leader in terms of
computer-based testing. Such tests cost
less and give immediate pass or fail results,
at no extra charge. CIC currently offers
written tests in more than 250 active test
locations. Paper load charts and hand held
calculators are available by request at the
electronic exam site.
We offered the first in the industry
NCCA-accredited, OSHA recognized
certification for riggers and signalpersons.
And our MCM-CIC Crane Operator
Rodeo provides operators in North
America an opportunity to showcase
their skills, while introducing young
people to crane operation as a profession,
and educating local governments and
businesses about the role training,
experience, and certification plays in safe
crane operation.
Our biggest milestone, in terms of
industry value is one practical exam for
CIC staff stand outside the new Atlanta-
based Customer Service and Operational
Center in January. From left to right are
Tima Fuller, asssitant to executive director;
Angela Strange, editor and accreditation
services; Alex Farmer, customer service;
Debbie Dickinson, executive director;
Candice Eldredge, customer service lead;
and Amanda Branton, operations lead.
