NCCCO Publishes Guide to OSHA Personnel Qualification Requirements

The new rule is the first major revision of OSHA requirements in this area since they were first issued in 1971. For the first time, crane operators must be either certified by an accredited crane operator testing organization, or qualified by an audited employer program. Signalpersons and riggers must be qualified.

“Although this final rule is based on a document that has been circulating since 2004, many employers are not aware of the new responsibilities that OSHA has placed upon them,” said NCCCO Executive Director, Graham Brent. “Most of the requirements take effect in November, so there is little time to lose.”

Whether employers choose to certify their operators through NCCCO, another organization, or even in-house, “NCCCO is pleased to provide this guide as a public service to the industry that has supported it since work began on the CCO national crane operator standard over a quarter century ago,” Brent added. “It is vitally important that these key provisions are known and responded to by all responsible parties in the industry.”

NCCCO has posted its document as a series of questions and answers based on its careful reading of the rule and preamble, which stretch to 1,070 pages. These FAQs will be continually updated as questions arise, Brent noted. Visitors to the NCCCO website at are invited to submit questions on personnel qualifications issues. Each question will be responded to personally and may also be posted in the FAQ section.