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INTERNATIONAL AND SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT
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AUGUST 2013
OPERATOR TRAINING
Although operator training is moving forwards, both in terms of technology and safety, legislative
requirements and training standards around the world sometimes don’t keep up. Harold McBride
explains, “There are many developing countries that are experiencing construction booms
where occupational health and safety are all but non-existent. Companies and legislative bodies
recognise that training is needed to reduce equipment downtime and damage, but the safety
standards that come with the training are seen as an unreasonable cost.”
To help overcome these situations, companies, including crane manufacturers, are providing
training programmes to help keep operator training around the world up to date. Manitowoc
Crane Care, for example, offers operator training around the world, and has centres in Italy and
France. In the UK, Ireland and Trinidad and Tobago, the UK’s accredited lorry loader training
scheme (ALLMI) provides training programmes that cover all UK requirements and legislative
issues specific to those countries.
CM Labs also incorporates certification tests. “Within their training exercises operators
can practice standard tests such as the National Commission for the Certification of Operators
[NCCCO] tests using different types and sizes of cranes,” explains Loze. “Similarly, Vortex
Simulators can be used to help operators train and prepare for NCCA-accredited Crane Institute
Certification (CIC) exams.”
MEETING STANDARDS
surround sound speakers.
“Additionally, a motion base ensures that
the driver experiences realistic movement,”
Hans-Jörg Schwärzler, from Liebher-Werk
Nenzing, adds, “There is also a head tracker
which uses head movement to calculate the
view accordingly.”
Programmes
The improvement in simulator technology
has encouraged most, if not all, training
providers to incorporate simulators into
their training programmes. The OETIO,
for example, use a range of simulators in
conjunction with its training programmes,
from mobile crane simulators to simulators
for wind turbine erection.
Crane manufacturer Manitowoc’s
training division, Manitowoc Crane Care,
also includes real-life cabs with built-in
simulators inside the training centre in
Shady Grove, USA. Alexander says, “The
world of crane simulators has advanced
dramatically in recent years. It is a complete
contrast with the simulators that were
around as recently as a few years ago and
as technology develops, I think we will
see more simulators used for training and
fewer live cranes.”
“The rapid development of simulation
indicates that it will one day be possible
to substitute actual crane training with
simulator training,” Schwärzler concludes.
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A trainee taking part in a truck crane
training course at the OETIO
Hands-on
training in one
of Manitowoc’s
facilities in
Australia
who is trained and certified on one of
our older Manitowoc 4100 crawler cranes
might be an excellent operator, but it does
not mean they can just step into an 18000
and know how it all works.”
Simulation developments
Crane simulators have developed over
the years and now include a range of
environments. CM Labs, which works
in partnership with the OETIO and the
International Union of Operating Engineers
(IUOE), offer simulators for tower cranes
and mobile cranes to knuckle boom
offshore cranes and straddle carriers. All
options come with full simulation of crane
dynamics, cable systems, load dynamics, lift
operations, and ship or platform motion.
“Of course, simulation is always
second-best to the real equipment so we
do our best to make the experience as
realistic as possible,” Loze, says, “This
includes having real seats and controls,
authentic worksites, sounds and a head-
tracking system for precise points of
view. Additionally, a 3-degree-of-freedom
motion platform replicates the motion and
vibration experienced by the operator while
travelling and lifting.”
Also featuring OEM seats and
controls and motion based technology,
are simulators from TenStar. “It is very
important to us that the student is fully
immersed in the training experience,”
Hogg explains. “Our simulators have third
party lasers, Global Navigation Satellite
System (GNSS) machine control systems
and bucket tilt rotators. There are dedicated
exercises that focus on the use of these
attachments.” Tenstar simulators include
tower crane, truck mounted crane and
timber truck crane simulators.
Crane manufacturer Liebherr also offers
training simulators. Liebherr simulators
(LiSIM) include ship-to-shore gantry
cranes, rubber tyre gantry cranes, mobile
harbour cranes and offshore cranes. The
simulators have full high definition (HD)
flat screen monitors and high quality
Realistic detail improves the
crane simulator experience
