Crane operator certification requirements: OSHA proposes one-year delay

Washington – OSHA is seeking a one-year delay on crane operator certification requirements scheduled to go into effect in November.

The proposed rule, published in the Aug. 30 Federal Register, would move the compliance deadline to Nov. 10, 2018. The extra time is needed so OSHA can address stakeholder concerns, the agency states in a press release.

In its Cranes and Derricks in Construction Standard issued in 2010, OSHA mandates that crane operators become certified through an accredited testing service, an independently audited employer program, military training, or compliance with qualifying state or local licensing requirements. The final rule also states that employers need to ensure workers are adequately skilled and properly instructed on how to operate the machines safely.

Those requirements originally were set to go into effect in November 2014, but the deadline was delayed for three years because of two issues: The standard required certification for both the type of cranes and their capacities, and stakeholders expressed concerns about the rule’s language – that “certification” didn’t mean an operator had the necessary skills.

OSHA’s Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health hosted a teleconference on June 20 to discuss the proposed one-year extension, and the agency is seeking feedback once again. The deadline to comment is Sept. 29.