CIC Proposes Reciprocal Certification with Canada
April 15, 2013- CIC welcomed International visitors from Canada and Mexico during its Annual Meeting, held March 5-7, 2013 in Lake Mary, Fla., demonstrating that U.S. crane operator certification programs have value to markets outside this country.
BCACS, Vancouver, British Columbia, is seeking to establish crane operator certification reciprocity agreements with U.S. certification providers in order to open up employment options for U.S. operators and to increase certification options for Canadian operators. Fraser Cocks, executive director of BCACS and Gunnar Mardon, director of strategic initiatives, provided information regarding Canadian labor shortages and the current crane safety legislative climate in Canada.
BCACS has reviewed CIC's certifications and discussions are ongoing to determine the outcome of a reciprocity agreement. This summer. Industrial Training International in Woodland, Wash., and Columbus McKinnon at its Training Center in Buffalo, N.Y., will assist with pilot testing for the reciprocal program. As needed, additional pilot testing will be set up in New England by Crane's Aerial Truck Service.
"The two certification programs have been reviewed side by side to check for compatibility. Where there are gaps between BCACS's program and ours, it's more of a difference in structure than in content," said Debbie Dickinson, executive director of CIC. Both organizations test by type and capacity. BCAC's operator tests also contain test criteria related to rigging, which can be drawn from CIC's Rigger and Advanced Rigger programs.
"We feel the two programs (BCACS and CIC) match up pretty well," said Gunnar Mardon.
Meanwhile, Oscar Islas of Equipment & Riggers Center, S.A., Tampico, Tamaulipas, represented the country of Mexico during the meeting. Islas is a member of the Spanish Translation Committee. The availability of U.S. crane operator certification in Mexico is important to U.S. contractors working in the country. He invited Jerry Lopez of Laguna Crane Services, Aransas Pass, Texas, to attend the meeting as a guest. According to Lopez, CIC is the only accredited certification provider that offers certification testing in Spanish, which is what interested him in the program. Laguna Crane offers operator training, crane inspection, and parts and service to companies in Texas and surrounding states as well as in Mexico.
Committee Elections
Tim Edwards, president of Tim Edwards Co. LLC, Campbellsville, Ky., was elected to the position of Public Member on the CIC Governing Committee. This position was recently vacated by Norm Hargreaves. The purpose of the public member is to represent the interests of CIC certification applicants.
Tim Edwards first became a CIC-certified crane operator in 2009. His company offers crane rental and rigging services, aerial work platform and specialty equipment rental, and industrial maintenance and turnkey installation. Today, Tim Edwards employs six crane operators and four riggers that have operator, rigger, and signalperson certifications from CIC.
"I hope to provide meaningful input and recommendations to the Governing Committee, and do my best to represent candidates and the crane industry from the perspective of the employer, crane operator, and the rigger," said Edwards.
Other Advisory Committee appointments include:
Matt Trefz of Altec Inc., Birmingham, Ala., to the Item Writing Committee
Jerry Lopez of Laguna Crane Services, Aransas Pass, Texas, to the Practical Exam Committee
Doug Smith of STI Group, Buna, Texas, to the Public Awareness Committee
