§ 8E-9. Tower crane and mobile crane operator qualifications and certifications.

(a)

Tower cranes and mobile cranes shall only be operated by individuals certified in accordance with this Section. Certificates shall be issued by the Accredited Certifying Entity and shall be valid for five years. Certificates shall be issued to operators who:

(1)

Pass a physical examination conducted by a physician which at a minimum shall include the examination criteria specified in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B30.5-2000 standard, Chapter 5-3.1.2(a)(1—5, 7, 8) or the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) physical examination requirements contained in 49 CFR Sections 391.41 through 391.49.

(2)

Pass a substance abuse test. The level of testing shall be consistent with the standard practice for the industry where the crane is in use and this test shall be conducted by a recognized laboratory service.

(3)

Pass a written examination developed, validated, and administered in accordance with the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (Copyright 1999) published jointly by the Joint Committee of the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education. The exam shall test knowledge and skills identified as necessary for safe crane operations and shall, at a minimum, include the following:

a.

Operational characteristics and controls, including characteristic and performance questions appropriate to the crane type for which qualification is sought;

b.

Emergency control skills, such as a response to fire, power line contact, loss of stability, or control malfunction;

c.

A demonstration of basic arithmetic skills necessary for crane operation and the ability to read and comprehend the crane manufacturer's operation and maintenance instruction materials, including load capacity information (load charts) for the crane for which certification is sought;

d.

Knowledge of the requirements of this chapter, chapters 5-0 through 5-3 of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B30.5-2000 and B30.5a-2002 Addenda to the standard for mobile and locomotive cranes or chapters 4-0 through 4-3 of the ASME B30.4-1996 standard for portal, tower, and pedestal cranes or Chapter 3-3 of the ASME B30.3-1993 standard for Construction Tower Cranes, depending on the type of crane(s) the operator intends to operate.

(4)

Pass a "hands-on" examination to demonstrate proficiency in operating the specific type of crane, which at a minimum shall include pre-start and post-start inspection, maneuvering skills, shutdown, and securing procedures.

(b)

Recertification. Crane operators shall recertify every five (5) years and shall be required to meet all of the qualifications set forth in subsection (a). Operators with at least one thousand (1,000) hours of documented experience operating the specific type of crane for which recertification is sought as covered by this section during the immediately preceding certification period and who meet the physical examination, substance abuse, and written examination requirements set forth in subsections (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this section shall not be required to take the "hands-on" examination specified in subsection (a)(4) to recertify.

(c)

Trainees may be authorized to operate mobile or tower cranes provided they are under the direct supervision of an operator possessing a valid certificate of competency for the type of crane operated by the trainee. The term "direct supervision" means the supervising operator is in the immediate area of the trainee and within visual sighting distance and able to effectively communicate with the trainee. When performing direct supervision, the supervising operator shall have no other duties other than to observe the operation of the crane by the trainee.

(d)

Existing Operators. For the period commencing on the effective date and ending one year thereafter, the certification requirements of this Section shall be deemed satisfied by any individual who satisfies the waiver requirements of this subsection. To be certified by waiver an individual must: (a) make written application for waiver from the Accredited Certifying Entity; (b) demonstrate to the Accredited Certifying Entity three years' experience in the operation of tower cranes and mobile cranes and (c) pass a hands-on examination to demonstrate proficiency in operating the specific type of crane. Only active performance of the tasks and skills required to operate the equipment for which the applicant is seeking certification throughout the applicant's career shall be counted toward the experience requirements. A certification obtained by waiver shall be valid only for five years and shall be subject to recertification in the same manner provided for in subsection (b) above.

(Ord. No. 08-34, § 1, 3-18-08)