The Crane Operator Skills Championship is a partnership between CIC and Maximum Capacity Media, publisher of Crane & Rigging Hot Line magazine. Other sponsors supporting the event are Liebherr, Houston International Insurance Group, Slingmax, The Crosby Group, Hirschmann, DICA Outrigger Pads, and InfoChip. The crane operator skills competitions are designed to acknowledge the special skills it takes to be a crane operator; to introduce the profession to young people; and to educate local governments and businesses about the role training, experience, and certification plays in safe crane operation. Mike Smith, Safety Director of Crane Rental Corp., Orlando, Fla., commented that the course challenges, which are a modification of the Practical Exams administered by CIC for certification, accurately demonstrate the skills an operator uses on the job at a construction site. “It’s all about the control, whether or not the hook is 250 feet away from the crane, or it’s working right up close to the machine shaking out iron. It’s a very hard skill to master. It’s definitely a good thing to be able to come out here and show your skills,” Smith said of the Orlando regional event he attended. At ConExpo, operators will compete on a 265-ton Liebherr LTM 1220-5.2 all-terrain crane, featuring a 197-foot main boom. Liebherr is the official crane sponsor of the National Operator Skills Championship. “CIC congratulates the operators who have qualified for the Championship. Operators at this level demonstrate tremendous skill. In addition, operators prove knowledge as t
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 21:32:47 +0000