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Featured Crane Schools and Certification Training
California Crane School
American Crane School - Houston, Texas
Crane training and crane operator certification are perhaps the most important factors in
maintaining crane safety in the construction industry. Prior to November 2018, just 26 states and a
handful of cities required crane certification but that has now changed with the introduction of a new
law that requires all crane operators across all 50 states to be certified. The Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) has always required that crane operators become qualified and now
they must be certified as well. There has been an ongoing debate as to whether crane operators
should demonstrate a minimum level of knowledge and skill before being issued their certification
card or whether an entry level operator, who has only passed their crane operator certification
exams, is in possession of the same level of qualification as a veteran crane operator. Although it is
definitely recommended that entry-level crane operators have practical or hands-on operational
training, it is not required by law.
In order to understand that better, having a crane certification means an operator has demonstrated
the minimum amount of knowledge and skill necessary for the certification company to deem them
safe enough to operate a crane under supervised conditions. It is important to note that employers
distinguish a crane operators skill level, or “qualification” based on how much experience and
aptitude an operator can demonstrate. A newly certified crane operator should not expect to be
deemed qualified without crane industry experience; therefore, attending a crane school only, is not
a substitute for hands-on, practical, real-world experience that would otherwise be gained while
working in the field where a crane operator gains additional knowledge related to crane inspection,
crane maintenance, crane setup, and crane operation. However, if your goal is to become a qualified
crane operator, attending a crane school can give you a head start before entering the industry.
Crane training schools can range anywhere from a few days to several months in duration. Just
keep in mind that the length of the class does not equate to the quality of that class or yield the
results you might be trying to obtain. While some schools focus on crane safety, signaling and
rigging, others focus on certification test preparation since there is a limited amount of knowledge
required to pass the crane certification written tests.
Overexposing yourself to too much crane information can actually make it harder to pass your crane
operator certification exams! If you are seeking certification, you first need to pass the written
exam(s) and practical (hands on) test(s). After you have accomplished that, you’ll get a shiny crane
operator certification card to put in your pocket. There are many crane training schools to choose
from that can help you obtain your crane operator certification. When finding a crane school that’s
right for you, it’s important to keep in mind that anyone can claim they will prepare you to pass the
crane operator certification tests. Therefore it’s recommended that you verify that the crane schools
you are looking into have some kind of a guarantee to back up their results, otherwise you might end
up paying for another class somewhere else. This wastes valuable time and money. Find the crane
training school that is best for you at Cranehunter.com.
