Service Truck Crane Certification
OSHA regulations regarding the operation of service truck cranes require stricter training and certification standards for operators of these small to mid-sized cranes. Identified by their telescopic booms and smaller load capacity, these types of cranes are in operation in a wide variety of industries from construction and delivery to utilities and tree services.
What is STC Certification?
The NCCCO Service Truck Crane Operator certification (STC) is a subcategory of the CCO Telescopic Boom—Fixed Cab certification (TSS). Industry leaders asked the NCCCO to create guidelines specifically for these types of cranes so that operators across the country would be held to a uniform level of competency.
Current TSS certification covers service truck crane operation, which means any operator holding TSS certification won’t have to undergo additional training. However, STC certification is not reverse-compatible; STC certification is only intended for and applicable to operators of service truck cranes.
Who Needs STC Certification?
The certification requirement applies to any service truck crane operator involved in any aspect of construction, including certain delivery drivers. For instance, drivers who simply offload building components—lumber, generators, HVAC units, and so on—don’t need certification. However, any manipulation, support, or maneuvering of the deliverable that in any way aids the process of construction—such as dropping an HVAC unit on a roof or hoisting ceiling joists to the second floor of a structure—requires that the operator be STC-certified or else risk OSHA sanctions.
It’s the Law
In order to avoid potential fines and work stoppages, companies require their employees to earn STC certification through programs such as that offered by Nationwide Crane Training. Indeed, Tim Worman, business development Manager at IMT, says that many site supervisors “are taking the approach to protect themselves, saying, ‘If you are coming on my job site, I want you to be a certified operator. If you’re not, don’t come on my site.'”
Nationwide Crane Training STC Certification Program
A recognized leader in all aspects of crane training, NCT has been on the cutting edge of STC certification since OSHA first put in for the requirement in 2010.
NCT’s program meets or exceeds all of the NCCCO and OSHA regulations pertaining to the safe operation of service truck cranes and is led by industry experts with years of experience in crane operation and training.
Eligibility
Requirements for certification include the following:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Meet medical requirements
- Comply with NCCCO’s Substance Abuse Policy and Code of Ethics
- Pass the STC written examination
- Pass the STC practical examination
Exams
Certification requirements include passing a single written exam and a practical exam, both of which are similar to existing TSS tests but modified to focus on specifics that apply only to STC, such as the use of remote or pendant controls.
During the written exam, trainees are allowed 90 minutes to answer 70 comprehensive questions designed to encompass every aspect of Service Truck Crane safe operation.
The practical exam puts individuals in simulated real-world settings with live equipment and allows them to demonstrate their crane operation proficiency by requiring them to:
- Perform an inspection of the equipment
- Hoist with and without a load
- Operate the boom with and without a load
- Swing the boom with and without a load
- Accurately follow communication hand signals
- Combine these skills to the instructor’s satisfaction
