01.08.2012

NCCCO launches digger derrick operator certification

US based operator testing company - National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) - has launched its new CCO certification programme for digger derrick operators.

For those who are not sure, digger derricks are multi-purpose crane, work platform and hole borer designed to dig holes, set poles and fully install them.
Please register to see all images

A digger Derrick on a tracked chassis

The new operator certification programme is the first NCCCO has developed specifically for the utility industry. Although digger derrick operators are excluded from OSHA's operator certification requirements for utility work under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC (Cranes and Derricks in Construction), digger derrick operators are required to be certified for work such as erecting signs, lights, and telecommunication lines, as well as other construction work.

A task force of 20 experts representing end users, utility companies, trainers, and contractors developed the new programme over the past 14 months. The group was co-chaired by safety experts from the two major digger derrick manufacturers-Altec and Terex Utilities. In addition to hosting task force meetings, the two donated trucks and materials for programme development.

Crane Tech, Georgia Power, and the Southeast Lineman Training Center also hosted task force meetings. Psychometric consultants from International Assessment Institute (IAI), the testing services company that has provided exam development and administration services to NCCCO since 1999, also played a key role in guiding the programme development to make sure that the tests are fair, valid, reliable, and legally defensible.

The resulting CCO digger derrick operator written exam tests candidates' knowledge of applicable standards, safe operating procedures, and load chart usage, while the practical exam includes tasks to demonstrate operators' ability to control a load, dig a hole, and place a pole.

Joel Oliva, NCCCO programme manager for test development, said: "The request for this new program reflects a general trend among employers from many different industries seeking a means of ensuring operators are qualified to operate equipment safely. It's particularly noteworthy in this instance given the absence of a federal requirement for the utility industry."

"Regardless of the regulatory requirements, we see the same safety benefits accruing for our digger derrick operators as CCO certification has provided for our crane operators over the years," added Wilson Yancey, vice president of safety at Quanta Services, a provider of specialised contracting services for the electric power, natural gas and pipeline, and telecommunication industries."