Northeast Regional Crane Operator Skills Competition Names Winners
 |
|
Enlarge Image
|
November 25, 2014 - CIC's Crane Operator & Rigger Skills Competition regional events continued in October in the Northeast. Cranes 101 and Wood’s CRW hosted the competition in North Oxford, Mass., at Wood's CRW's equipment yard. Ten crane operators and their families were at the event. These operators represented crane rental, steel erectors, industrial contractors, general contractors, and tree service companies.
Competitors ran one of two cranes—a Link Belt RTC-8065 rough-terrain crane and National 14127A boom truck. Tyler Mayo of BGM Inc., Hardwick, Vt., and Craig Tanguay of Summit Crane Co., Bristol, Conn., delivered the best scores among their peers, They will advance to a championship round to be held in late 2015 where they will have a chance to win a $10,000 grand prize.
Operators completed three challenges, designed by Crane Institute Certification, which test accuracy, control, and depth perception. This accounts for 80% of the final score. The other 20% comes from a rigging exercise provided by Columbus McKinnon, Amherst, N.Y. The exercise tests the operator’s knowledge of correct rigging practices and ability to identify deficiencies in equipment that they might encounter on the job site.
Mayo has an advantage moving forward, as this is the second time he has qualified for a Championship. He finished 10th out of 19 operators at the 2013-2014 Championship held at ConExpo-Con/Agg in March 2014. Mayo has been running cranes for about 10 years for his family’s residential construction business, where he works as a welder, operator, and occasional foreman.
Tanguay has operated nearly every type and capacity of crane from ancient friction rigs to modern 150-ton Demag ATs to versatile 300-ton Manitowoc crawlers. His ability to quickly familiarize himself with a particular make and model under the pressure of competition will serve him well.
While reducing risk in crane operations is serious business, the Northeast Regional Skills Competition was filled with family-oriented fun. Many of the operators were joined by spouses and children. “We had very good contenders and the competition was tight,” said Sturm. Cranes 101 and Wood’s CRW will hold another Northeast Regional event June 6, 2015, in Carlisle, Pa.
