NCCCO to Offer Certification, Safety Demos, Examiner Workshops at CONEXPO 2014

FAIRFAX, Va. — Live equipment demonstrations, nationally accredited certification examinations, education sessions and practical examiner training will all go to make for the largest ever participation at any construction event in almost two decades by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators at the forthcoming CONEXPO/CON-AGG, the Virginia-based non-profit organization has announced.

New candidates and existing certificants alike will be given an opportunity to take a wide variety of ANSI-accredited and OSHA-compliant CCO written, practical and recertification exams at CONEXPO/CON-AGG, to be held March 4-8 in Las Vegas, Nev. And thanks to NCCCO’s “Visit CONEXPO-Leave Certified” program, featuring onsite scoring and immediate test results, successful candidates will be able to walk away from the event certified. Additionally, practical examiner workshops for most CCO programs will be conducted onsite before and after the exposition.

NCCCO will again co-sponsor the Lift Safety Zone now relocated to the Gold Lot, the acknowledged “nexus” of the show’s crane exhibits. NCCCO is also sponsoring a series of educational seminars in CONEXPO’s new Crane & Rigging track developed at the request of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. All of these activities promote safe practices on construction sites and illustrate the need for qualified personnel, in line with state and federal requirements.

The once-every-three-years equipment showcase will feature over 2,400 exhibitors and is expected to draw more than 130,000 attendees. “CONEXPO/CON-AGG provides an excellent opportunity for expo attendees to earn or renew their CCO certifications while attending one of the largest events of its kind in the world,” noted NCCCO Executive Director Graham Brent.

NCCCO’s activities at CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2014 include :

• Lift Safety Zone (G-1817 in Gold Lot)—featuring live CCO practical exam demonstrations, and crane and rigging safety best practices with a special emphasis on operating cranes safely around power lines.
• NCCCO Information Booth (GL-20000)—providing information about all CCO certification programs as well as NCCCO’s activities around the exposition.
• CCO Written, Practical and Recertification Exam Administrations—allowing candidates to recertify or earn new CCO certification(s).
• Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops for aspiring CCO crane operator, rigger and signalperson examiners, held before and after the main exposition.
• Educational Seminars—featuring world-class experts providing up-to-the-minute information on an array of issues of critical importance to crane users in construction.

“CONEXPO/CON-AGG is delighted that the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators has elected to schedule its OSHA-recognized and ANSI-accredited crane operator and related certification examinations at the 2014 event,” said Megan Tanel, vice president of exhibitions and events for the AEM. “This will provide an exceptional opportunity for crane operators and those who work around cranes to ensure that they are professionally certified to work in compliance with the pending OSHA rules on crane and lifting personnel.”

NCCCO Information Booth
NCCCO’s main informational exhibit will be in its usual prime location at booth GL-20000 in the Grand Lobby by the North Hall next to Silver Lot and just across from the Gold Lot.

CCO Certification Exam Administrations
On Tuesday, March 4 and Friday, March 7, CONEXPO/CON-AGG attendees will be able to sit for any of the ANSI-accredited CCO written exams in dedicated rooms located near the NCCCO booth. To register and for the complete schedule of written exams, please contact Shawna Parham atsparham@nccco.org. Preregistration is required for all written exams and for the Signalperson and Rigger Level I practical exams.

On all five days of the show, CCO practical exams will be offered for mobile, service truck, and articulating crane operators. On Wednesday and Thursday practical exams will be offered for the Signalperson and Rigger Level I programs. To register and schedule practical exams, please contact Erin Jones at ejones@nccco.org.

Practical Examiner Accreditation Program Workshops
In the days before, during and after the exposition, NCCCO will hold Practical Examiner Accreditation Program workshops for CCO certificants seeking to become practical examiners for CCO programs. Two-day workshops for articulating cranes and service truck cranes will be held before the expo on Feb. 28-March 1; a three-day mobile crane PEAP will be held after the expo on March 9-11 with a one-day refresher workshop on March 8; a one-day Signalperson workshop will be held on March 8; a two-day Rigger Level I on March 9-10 and a two-day Rigger Level II workshop will be held on March 11-12. Please direct any questions about the PEAP workshops to Erin Jones at ejones@nccco.org. Preregistration is required for all PEAP workshops.

Lift Safety Zone
For the second time at CONEXPO, NCCCO is co-sponsoring the Lift Safety Zone. Developed in conjunction with the International Powered Access Federation and centrally located in Gold Lot #1817, the LSZ will once again profile best practices in crane and rigging activities with live demonstrations throughout the event. Industry experts will be on hand to provide practical safety advice to those who operate, manage and work with cranes and aerial lifts. NCCCO’s mobile crane practical exams and CCO rigger certification will be prominently featured.

Educational Seminars
The following seminars are planned for the Crane & Rigging seminar track:

• 2014 OSHA Requirements for Crane Operator Certification
• What’s New in Tower Crane Standards?
• Cranes—A Walk Through Time—Technology and Regulatory
• Mobile Crane Blocks and Calculation of Sling Loads
• Top 10 Losses in Crane & Rigging
• Reliability Measures for Effective Training
• Key Issues in Crane Safety
• The Mechanics of a “Super Lift”
• So You Think You’re a Lift Director?
• An Examination of Crane Incidents
• Safety of Equipment Around Power Lines

Source: National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators