Not just anyone can operate a crane. When lifting tons (literally, tons!) of material, the level of responsibility crane operators shoulder is tremendous. No matter the size or type of crane, when fighting gravity, every move must be precise. A responsible crane operator is constantly aware of factors like load capacity, safe rigging practices, overhead safety hazards, communications and hand signals, and much more.

With this in mind, the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) was established in 1995 to set a recognizable standard for crane operators. Since then over 100,000 crane operators have received their NCCCO certification. This process includes a rigorous written exam as well as a practical on site exam. This effort has transformed the industry in terms of crane-related incidents and accidents. In a press release from January of 2015, NCCCO CEO Graham Brent stated that “studies have demonstrated an 80% decline in crane-related fatalities in areas where professionally developed certification has been adopted.”

We take safety statistics like that one seriously here at Nabholz, so we insist on providing our clients with the best NCCCO certified operators—anything less is not an option. We employ 12 NCCCO Certified crane operators throughout the Central and Northwest Arkansas regions, so when clients rent our cranes they can rest easy knowing that a knowledgeable operator is behind the wheel. Our operators work with your team members to proactively identify safety hazards on site, and then form a plan to tackle those hazards and get the job done. We know that the last thing our clients need is for their job to be shut down due to a preventable incident. Be it a general contractor erecting steel, mechanical contractor setting HVAC equipment, or a billboard company setting a sign—putting a Nabholz operator on the job results in a more productive and safe project. It’s an exceptional risk management practice that saves our clients time and money.