Sources: National Precast Concrete Association, Carmel, Ind.; CP staff
As industry observers hoped and anticipated, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has moved its crane operator certification deadline back a full year from a November 10, 2017 target. The compliance extension follows the agency’s early-July announcement that it would exempt operators of monorail hoists—also known as A frames and typically deployed in precast concrete delivery—from the crane operator certification rule.
The OSHA actions came after seven years of NPCA members and staff interfacing with agency officials. The certification extension gives precasters an additional year to pursue third-party testing for the crane operators who fall under the jurisdiction of the rule. “While this is no longer an urgent deadline, we still recommend that precasters continue with their plans to train and certify their crane operators soon,” says NPCA President Ty Gable. “The new deadline is just 16 months away and it would be wise not to wait until the last minute.”
NPCA crane operator certification resources are posted at www.precast.org/cranes.
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