experienced crane rental company Archives - Sheedy Crane

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February 20, 2020by elite0

As you might imagine, being able to lift, suspend and move heavy loads with precision is required by most construction projects and worksites. Whether you need to move materials to their proper places or you need to place objects accordingly, a qualified and skilled crane operator can not only make sure that the project goes efficiently and quickly, but also that there are no damages or mistakes that can result in safety concerns.

That being said, what qualifications should a crane operator have, and in what circumstances do they need certifications?

Crane Operator Qualifications

In November 10, 2018, crane operator qualifications were required by OSHA to be certified by an accredited certifying body. Testing is completed not just on written and practical testing, but by equipment capacity and type of equipment used. It is no longer sufficient by modern safety standards to have general certifications for crane operations. There are conditions and stipulations for crane operations that were long overdue.

A good analogy is like getting a driver’s license, you are certified to drive on the road under general conditions but your license doesn’t truly specify what your skillset is. Not all drivers are created equal, not everyone can drive as well on the highway as they can locally—and vice versa.

Operating a crane is a similar ordeal, just because an operator has experience with tower cranes does not speak to his or her skills with operating a mobile crane or a boom truck which all require different skill sets.

Consider all of the things a good crane operator needs to possess:

  • Proper knowledge of load-bearing and physics regarding suspended objects
  • Satisfactory depth perception
  • Ability to work in high places
  • Clear communication skills

Can A Crane Be Operated Without Certifications?

A crane can in fact be operated without certifications, but there are certain conditions that must be met. OSHA has a rule by which any operator who is not certified can operate a crane if they can be classified as an operator in training. Additionally, the operator in training must be supervised by an operator’s trainer. This is under the assumption that the operator has been sufficiently trained to do the task despite lacking certifications. There are also limitations on what types of lifts the unlicensed operator can perform.

However, it is assumed that these protocols are there to allow for some on the job training or for emergencies where a crane must be operated for basic purposes.

San Francisco Bay Area Crane Rental Company

The point of this all is to say, why take a chance? Hire an experienced crane operator to do your work. All of our crane rentals at Sheedy Crane come with an NCCO certified operator to operate the crane to fulfill any and all needs you may have.

We have helped a variety of industries with their load transferring needs such as electrical equipment, disaster, and emergency support, power plants, trees and landscaping, and many more. All-terrain cranes, lattice boom cranes, hydraulic truck cranes, rough terrain cranes, roof-mounted cranes, we provide the equipment necessary for any job.

Contact Sheedy Crane today for any upcoming projects you have which require the use of a crane, heavy hauling and rigging.


415-648-7171