Dedicated Pile Driver Operator Certification Program Unveiled

February 1, 2017 - The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) and the Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA) have jointly announced the introduction of a certification program for operators of dedicated pile driving equipment.

“While operators of mobile cranes equipped with pile-driving attachments are already covered under the existing CCO lattice-boom crawler crane certification, the new Dedicated Pile Driver (DPD) Operator certification program addresses a need identified by the industry for an operator certification specifically designed for operators of these specialized machines,” said Joel Oliva, NCCCO's director of operations and program development.

NCCCO developed the program in cooperation with the PDCA. A task force of subject matter experts representing operators, users, owners, manufacturers, trainers, and other stakeholders identified the knowledge areas and tasks necessary for safe dedicated pile driver operation and developed the written and practical tests that individuals must pass to become certified according to sound psychometric principles.

The new operator certification program is designed to meet the operator certification/ qualification requirements of OSHA 1926 Subpart CC set to go into effect November 10, 2017. Dedicated pile drivers are specifically identified by OSHA as one of the equipment types within the scope of the Cranes and Derricks in Construction rule.

The written exam covers knowledge areas critical to dedicated pile driver work, including setup, inspection, operation, maintenance, and the ability to use load charts. The practical exam requires candidates to demonstrate their ability to operate the equipment and perform common activities, such as the lifting, securing, and lowering of a pile.

Full documentation for candidates and test sites preparing for the CCO dedicated pile driver certification exams is available at www.nccco.org/piledriver, from where free PDFs of the Dedicated Pile Driver Operator Candidate Handbook and DPD Test Site Coordinator Handbook can be downloaded, along with a schedule of upcoming test administrations and Practical Examiner Accreditation Workshops.