When it comes to the labor shortage plaguing the construction industry, the consensus remains that there aren’t enough young workers stepping up to replace those who are retiring. Given the fact that only16.7% of Gen Z-ers are interested in pursuing a career in construction, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s been obvious for quite some time that the skilled trades lack appeal to the tech-savvy younger generation. Although this is a multi-faceted issue that cannot be ignored and requires collective effort, perhaps it’s time the industry shifted some of its focus to older workers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4 million Americans quit their jobs in July 2021. This exodus was mostly driven by those 30-45 years old. It seems that increased pressure and demands in their current positions have caused some to rethink their career choices. Gone are the days when workers landed jobs in their twenties and stayed the course until retirement. While switching jobs once tainted a resume, in recent years it’s become much more accepted.
In fact, research shows that Americans change jobs on average every four years and that number is slowly decreasing. Technology has compounded the issue forcing many whose positions have become obsolete, outsourced or simply digitally transformed to reinvent themselves. While there are many factors driving the “Great Resignation”, not the least of which is better pay, those industries and companies willing to understand and meet the needs of a dissatisfied workforce can emerge as winners. This is especially true among construction companies willing to invest in people and build strong cultures.
For years industries like construction have failed to properly position themselves in a drastically changing talent landscape. As attitudes towards the skilled trades shifted, industry response lagged. The benefits of pursuing a career as a craft worker like low tuition, speed to income, good wages (that are increasing due to lack of talented supply) have long been ignored by many in favor of the status and income associated with a four-year college degree. However, perception doesn’t always equal reality and people are beginning to realize that a degree doesn’t necessarily guarantee a golden ticket to the promised land. Often the work itself lacks fulfillment for those with a different calling.
According to Simon Sinek “True joy and true fulfillment in our work is the feeling that our work is contributing to something bigger than ourselves.” Another widely overlooked intrinsic value of learning a skilled trade is that it taps into the human need to create.
In many jobs, it’s not easy to achieve the gratification that comes from building a new home, working with wood to craft beautiful furniture, erecting a bridge used by millions of daily commuters, creating a protective flood wall to shelter a community, among many other things. Thankfully, there’s been more movement towards highlighting the merits of careers in construction from social media influencers to dirt podcasts and initiatives like women in construction.
With so many workers contemplating new jobs, now may be the perfect opportunity for the skilled trades to invest in a different approach to recruitment marketing and shine a light on what makes theirs an appealing path to pursue. Not just for the younger generation but also for a broader segment of the population searching for flexibility, stability, good wages, and an opportunity to create more in their daily work.
Crane Industry Services, LLC (CIS) is actively pursuing individuals with crane and rigging experience who are interested in a second, rewarding career. CIS agrees with Ms. Dewan’s perspective that in addition to the 20-somethings who are considering different career options, people in their 50’s and 60’s with knowledge and aptitude are often outstanding employees in this industry. Cranes and rigging can be a safe, gratifying career for the women, and men, across decades of ages.
Mala Dewan is a freelance writer and marketing communications professional who’s worked in the technology, agriculture, retail, food, and real estate industry. She also actively writes her own personal blog.
Crane Industry Services, LLC (CIS) works nationwide to provide training, certification testing, equipment inspections, expert witness, and consulting to the crane and rigging industry.
https://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ResourcesIcon.gif201201Adminhttps://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/centered-on-safety-HEADER-020720.pngAdmin2022-03-11 11:52:182022-03-23 10:57:22How the Construction Industry Can Benefit from the "Great Resignation"
Everyone using rigging gear should know how to visually inspect and measure it for the following items:
Wear
Broken strands
Hook throat opening
UV or temperature damage
A readable capacity tag that matches sling size
Check end fittings for safe use
In addition to visual inspections and taking measurements, another valuable practice is to conduct Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). The type of NDT may vary with the jobsite and equipment in use. Common types include Magnetic Particle, Ultrasonic, Eddy Current, Radiography, Acoustic Emission, Dye Penetrant, and Leak Testing.
Magnetic Particle Testing is one of the most common types of tests for the cranes and rigging gear, which is routinely conducted on crane hooks and wedge sockets. A magnetic particle testing yoke is easily portable and can detect cracks or shallow, sub-surface imperfections. Typically, magnetic particle testing is conducted in conjunction with crane and rigging inspections and helps identify flaws that may not be visible on the surface.
Knowledge of how, and when, to properly use a magnetic particle test is essential. Individuals conducting NDTs should also have knowledge of cranes, rigging gear, components, and be a qualified NDT Technician. The inspection technician should have the expertise, tools, and technology to conduct the NDT and the inspection in a manner that does not alter the future usefulness of the test object.
As always, buyer beware of “home remedy testing” from an individual, or anyone not using materials that are specifically formulated for NDT. The person conducting the NDT must always be qualified.
Another form of NDT is ultrasonic testing, which is more in depth, and can reveal subsurface dimensional flaws, and internal weaknesses. Ultrasonic testing is used if a job site requires it, or if a flaw is suspected.
Magnetic Analysis Corp. explains that “Ultrasonic waves create a mechanical vibration or pressure . . . usually from 1MHz to 30MHz and is designed to test without damaging the test objects. Two methods of Ultrasonic testing used for flaw detection are – Shear and Compression Wave.
Shear method uses an angled beam that is usually 45 degrees. This enables surface and subsurface testing. With the shear method, surface cracks, seams, and near surface inclusions can be detected. Shear method can overlap the normal incidence method inspection and result in a 100 percent volumetric test of the bar.
Compression is also known as normal incidence. This is the primary internal inspection for bar testing.
So, how do you know which type of testing is necessary? As usual, the demands of the job, and the conditions warranting an NDT dictate the skill and equipment needed. Magnetic particle testing costs less to conduct. However, if you are in doubt about the reliability of the equipment or component, Ultrasonic testing is far less expensive than a failure during service.
https://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ResourcesIcon.gif201201Tracy Bennetthttps://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/centered-on-safety-HEADER-020720.pngTracy Bennett2022-03-09 17:42:232022-03-11 12:55:12Non-Destructive Testing: More Than Meets the Eye
A load chart indicates the crane’s capabilities and how its lifting capacity varies when considering radius, boom angle, and boom length. The loads weight, deductions, boom length, boom angle, parts of line, and other factors will vary the capacity. Load charts are one of the most important resources for crane operators, and understanding them is paramount.
Crane Industry Services trainers have noticed that when students take assessments for certification testing, the load chart portion is where students are most likely to make mistakes. Tips to help understand load charts are:
1. Read the questions slowly and carefully. See what information is given, and what the question is asking. If the question is asking for gross capacity, the gross capacity is stated in the capacity listing portion of the chart. Simply locate the number based on the criteria given. No math is required to know the gross capacity! Net capacity, on the other hand, is the gross minus applicable deductions.
2. Locate the correct chart! For example, some load charts will have different charts for outriggers fully extended, outriggers mid extended, with a certain amount of counterweight, and on rubber. For example, if the question asks for gross capacity at a certain boom and radius length, lifting with outriggers fully extended, then use the outriggers fully extended chart.
3. Read the notes. Always read the notes in the charts. If you don’t, you may miss important information that is needed when calculating net capacities.
4. Manufacturer’s load charts look different because they are specific to the make, model, and configuration of the crane. However, they all include the same type of necessary information for interpretation. Only use the load chart that is found in the operation manual or posted by the manufacturer for that machine. Verify that you have the correct load chart by matching the serial number on chart with the serial number on the machine.
https://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ResourcesIcon.gif201201Adminhttps://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/centered-on-safety-HEADER-020720.pngAdmin2022-03-09 17:35:062022-03-09 17:35:174 Tips to Help Students Understand Load Charts
While working on a job site, communication is critical to safe operations. When working with loud heavy equipment verbal communication is not always efficient or possible. That is why hand signals and the use of a certified and qualified signal person is vital during crane operations.
Crane Industry Services Trainer & Inspector Noel Whelchel recommends these five best practices when communicating with a signal person.
Utilize voice communication in addition to hand signals.
Crew members should communicate prior to the lift
Be fluent with the use of standard and international signals, published by ASME and OSHA.
Always have hand signal charts properly displayed.
Make sure the signal person is qualified.
If using voice communication, radios are the preferred method but must take place on a designated channel. Using a cell phone is not recommended because of the potential for clear reception and distractions.
Before lifting operations, the signal person, crane operator, and lift director should always talk in order to agree on the signals that will be used. When nonstandard signals are given, it creates confusion if the signal is misinterpreted, which can be dangerous.
However, anyone on the job site can give the stop/emergency stop and it must be followed. According to OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1417(y)m “The operator must obey a stop (or emergency stop) signal, irrespective of who gives it.”
Hand signal charts must be posted conspicuously on the job site. The easiest way to do this is usually on the equipment in use, typically, the crane itself. As a certified inspector, I direct the site contact that a signal chart needs to be ordered immediately if the chart is not legible or in a clearly visible location.
Finally, the signal person must be qualified (OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1428). Qualification requirements include knowing and understanding the type of signals used. If hand signals are used, the signal person must know and understand the Standard Method for hand signals. A signal person must be competent in the application of the type of signals used, and have a basic understanding of equipment operation and limitations, including the crane dynamics involved in swinging and stopping loads and boom deflection from hoisting loads. Then, the trainee must pass a written or oral test, and a practical exam.
Crane Industry Services offers NCCER rigger and signal person certification and qualification courses. While these courses are typically bundled together, they can be taken as separate courses. When bundling the courses together participants are required to pass a written and practical exam for rigging, and a written and practical exam for the signal person as they are two distinct certifications (or qualifications).
https://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ResourcesIcon.gif201201Tracy Bennetthttps://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/centered-on-safety-HEADER-020720.pngTracy Bennett2022-02-10 11:22:092022-02-11 12:52:325 Best Practices for Communicating with a Signal Person
Villa Rica, Ga. (January 21, 2022) Crane Industry Services (CIS), provider of hands-on, classroom and simulation-based training for the skilled trades, is expanding its team with two new NCCER Trainers and Examiners, Nelson Plumb and Bernard (Barney) Burns. Also joining the team is Kristian Faria, a Marketing Specialist and Market Research Analyst.
Nelson Plumb
Nelson Plumb is a Crane & Rigging Trainer and Examiner. His career includes construction management, supervision and training of employees, and heavy equipment operations. He has experience in the erection, operation and dismantling of Tower Cranes.
Plumb is an NCCER Master Trainer Administrator and Proctor, a Mobile and Tower Crane Operator Practical Examiner, a Certified Tower Crane Service Technician, and a Rigging Inspector. Plumb serves as a subject matter expert for NCCER Tower Crane Operators, Mobile Crane Operators, Rigging Persons, Signal Persons, and Ironworker Committees. He was also a member of the NCCER Crane Operator Certification Board. In 2014, he was recognized as the industry’s Corporate Top Trainer by Crane Hot Line magazine and the Association of Crane & Rigging Professionals.
Bernard (Barney) Burns
Bernard (Barney) Burns, is a Certified Safety Professional with over 37 years of industrial and construction safety, health, and environmental experience in the pulp, paper, and packaging industries.
Burns experience includes managing OSHA Voluntary Protection Program Star level safety and health programs. He was the project manager for the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification process. In this role, he was responsible for ensuring effective safety policies, procedures, and training were properly developed, implemented and frequently audited for the safe operation and maintenance of several types of cranes. Burns holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Safety Sciences from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Kristian Faria
Faria is a certified NCCER Proctor and Microsoft Office Specialist. In her marketing role, she helps manage the CIS social media platforms and researches consumer trends and data to determine marketing strategy. Faria is a recent honors college graduate with a degree in Digital Marketing and Advertising. She is passionate about creating an enjoyable customer experience through digital and traditional marketing channels.
About Crane Industry Services
Crane Industry Services LLC, (CIS), established in 2008, is based in the Atlanta, Ga. area, and works nationally. CIS provides hands-on, classroom, online and simulator-based training for the skilled trades, with emphasis on the crane and rigging industry. CIS provides equipment inspections, expert witness services, and consulting to the lifting industry. CIS is a certified WOSB (Woman Owned Small Business) and provides training and OSHA-recognized, ANSI-accredited, NCCCO or NCCER crane operator and rigger certification testing. Industries served include: Utilities, Construction, Manufacturing, Refineries, Demolition, Movie & TV Production, US Military, Government Contractors, & Environmental Services www.centeredonsafety.com or (770)-783-9292.
https://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/CompanyNewsIcon.gif201201Tracy Bennetthttps://centeredonsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/centered-on-safety-HEADER-020720.pngTracy Bennett2022-01-20 11:52:082022-01-20 11:52:18Crane Industry Services Welcomes New Team Members
“Workforce development encompasses four key areas—recruitment, assessment, training, and leadership management. Organizations that only focus on one or some of these areas will never fully solve their skilled workforce challenges,” said Pete Krammer, Senior Partner of Okos Partners.
Crane Industry Services (CIS) uses cutting edge training and assessment tools to help employers achieve organizational excellence. “Self-sustaining workforce development—not just mere compliance—is at the heart of what CIS offers construction, utility, manufacturing, and heavy industry markets,” said Debbie Dickinson, CEO of CIS.
The company’s workforce development consulting services incorporates the TradeUp program, which is a collaboration with Okos Partners.
The following interview provides additional insight into the forces that impact the complex issues of workforce development.
Are you seeing trends among employers regarding the realization that they need comprehensive workforce development plans? If so, what has shifted that focus from the over-simplified idea that there just aren’t enough people coming into the trades?
Dickinson: An operations manager for a national stevedoring employer recently told us: “Our company has enough opportunities to double its business. However, the key to being able to grow is in recruiting, training, and having qualified skilled labor, ready to work.” Businesses are realizing their growth and profits are hindered by not having enough people with the right skills.
The manager went on to say that they are actively setting up programs to train people who want to work. Employers are realizing that they can’t simply recruit a ready-made employee. They must provide their own training to develop people who do not currently have skills but want to learn and work. Doing so is critical to sustaining and growing. Thinking that someone else will train and develop is an opportunity killer.
Historically, one of the fears of employers is that if they spend money on training, employees will leave to go work for a competitor for minor hourly increases. That’s outdated thinking. Studies show that people more often leave because they don’t trust management or there are not clearly identified career growth opportunities. Developing people helps solve both of those problems. We all need to work together to provide opportunities and career enhancements to people who are willing to perform work that is financially and personally rewarding.
Peter Krammer, Senior Partner of Okos Partners.
Krammer: Employers have recognized that they must approach workforce development differently than they have in the past. And, slowly, they are beginning to understand that the challenge is not just finding people, it’s keeping them. Creating an environment for workers to grow and thrive in is the leadership challenge that faces every manager, from the foreman to the CEO. There is a trend in industries that rely heavily on skilled labor to build a level of trust integral to encouraging employees to commit and motivate themselves. That requires a set of conditions where employees feel that they can safely engage with management, whether it’s providing input to work planning and processes, or making decisions. If individuals are connected to the goals of the project and the company, and to each other, then they feel valued, like they are contributing, and are more inclined to stay. A management culture that cannot build and maintain these conditions will face increasingly difficult challenges finding and maintaining the crews and teams that help their business grow.
Often workforce development is only defined as recruiting. But it is so much more than that. Do you think internal development of employees is more or less important than recruiting new employees? Why or why not?
Krammer: This is exactly the principle behind TradeUp, a process that helps employers with recruitment, assessment, training, and leadership management. Everyone is naturally motivated by opportunities to advance. Some people are driven by doing the work well and continually improving. Others are driven by results, and the better the result, the more motivated they become. Others need additional responsibility and want to lead. Understanding what drives the people you recruit, and providing a path that fits their individual goals and motives creates a lot of positives: better retention, higher quality, higher efficiency, lower costs, greater profits. This allows a company to recruit more strategically with the knowledge that those they bring in will prosper and help the company grow while they grow themselves. This is the heart of workforce development.
Dickinson: Workforce development has to happen both internally—often called reskilling or upskilling—and externally—which falls into the recruiting category. A successful program must provide training to address the needs of individuals in three skills levels: Novice, Intermediate, and Journeyman craft professionals. We like to call this Recruit, Train, Develop, Repeat.
So, yes, if your workforce development only focuses on recruiting you are taking one step forward and two steps back. The full package should include career paths for people at all levels with accompanying pay scales, benefits, and most importantly, opportunities, based on business goals and the achievements of individuals.
How can HR, Safety, Project Management, and other departments work together to make this Recruit, Train, Develop, Repeat concept successful?
Dickinson: Workforce development is an all-company strategy. HR and Project Management may be key drivers but every craft supervisor and employee need to know their leaders are knowledgeable, accessible. Leaders must also be advocates for craft professionals.
Project management should review work plans frequently to know what has changed and what different skill sets may be needed. Likewise, assessing skills and qualifying individuals for work is integral to a strong safety culture. In return, a reputation as a safe company by itself becomes a recruiting tool that HR can use.
We work with all of these departments to make sure they are in sync when it comes to workforce development.
Krammer: A formal plan is critical to the Recruit, Train, Develop, Repeat process. The planning needs to involve Senior Management, HR, Safety, Project Management and other departments. The success of this workforce development plan depends on alignment with these different perspectives. This approach sets the foundation for a companywide culture of commitment and engagement, with everyone involved.
Furthermore, this concept applies to both Union and Open Shop work. Unions heavily rely on the recruiting and training piece, however, management needs to also be aligned with those activities by providing career growth opportunities. In Open Shop environments, leaders must manage the spectrum of Recruit, Train, Develop, and Repeat processes.
What tools or tips do you recommend to help employers establish this mentality for their workforce development?
Dickinson: Employees often are the ones closest to the problems. They see where time or money is wasted. I suggest starting daily task and safety briefings with open ended questions. Listen. Recognize crews and individuals who do a good job. For example: Does anyone have a suggestion for how to rig this load in a safer way? What gear or equipment would make the job easier? Based on the plan, what recommendations do you have to make the work safer and easier? FYI, safety and better practices go hand-in-hand and yield higher productivity.
Demonstrate leader accountability and awareness of what takes place on job sites. If workers can anticipate leaders coming to them to ask what they are doing and the best way to get the job done, that gives employees opportunities to shine. Recently, CIS was on a jobsite helping an employer develop a safety plan. Cliff Dickinson, CIS President, noticed a pile of steel that was not stacked correctly. If someone stepped on a bottom piece, the pile could have toppled. He put on gloves, gathered a few people he was there to train, and in minutes they straightened the pile. He told the crew, “If we walk by and see a potential problem, we are the best ones to fix it, right then and there.” The crew agreed and was glad to be a part of the solution. The work took minutes and prevented a possible injury.
Lance Simons, VP of Safety and Quality, for the Haskell Co. Inc., a full-service engineering and construction firm, stands firmly against the idea that “Safety” is a department that operates independently from the rest of the business. He insists that safety is a part of every task, project, and plan. We wholly agree. Too often safety is considered the Safety Manager’s job or safety is incorrectly viewed only in the context of compliance requirements. Core to safe work are people who are trained and skilled to perform optimally, which a compliance checkmark alone will never reach.
In addition, one reason that the future workforce is cautious about choosing a career in skilled trades is the horror stories of injuries. A well-trained, continuously skill-developed workforce, with career advancing opportunities are keys to success.
Krammer: Safety culture means that the work is done, and the teams are led safely. Period. Culture is driven both from the top down and from the bottom up. It requires a concentration on both day-to-day operations and long-term planning. We employ a Vital Statistics Report that analyzes how in sync workers and leaders are. When crews are in sync, productivity and safety results can soar.
How can employers measure if they are being successful?
Krammer: Too often data is merely a reflection in the rearview mirror. Did we hit the timeline? Did we hit the budget? Did we stay safe? However, while we’re collecting job data and before we can report on it, work is being done, and it’s difficult in the heat of the action to know how it’s being done unless you ask the people who are doing it.
At periodic intervals we survey people’s perceptions of their immediate crew’s effectiveness along six dimensions: communication, accountability, feedback, structure (process effectiveness), cohesion, and emotional intelligence. These are correlated to labor costs so that people understand that whether you excel or have challenges in any of these areas, there are hard costs associated with these “soft skill” behaviors. Positive movement means positive financial results, for sure, but more importantly, these six areas of team and crew performance are the key drivers of creating conditions of motivation and commitment. By measuring these factors, employers gain deep insight into the culture and conditions of their crews and can take prescriptive actions while the work is being done so that how the work is being done can continually improve.
How the Construction Industry Can Benefit from the “Great Resignation”
/in Resources /by AdminAuthor: Mala Dewan
When it comes to the labor shortage plaguing the construction industry, the consensus remains that there aren’t enough young workers stepping up to replace those who are retiring. Given the fact that only 16.7% of Gen Z-ers are interested in pursuing a career in construction, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s been obvious for quite some time that the skilled trades lack appeal to the tech-savvy younger generation. Although this is a multi-faceted issue that cannot be ignored and requires collective effort, perhaps it’s time the industry shifted some of its focus to older workers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4 million Americans quit their jobs in July 2021. This exodus was mostly driven by those 30-45 years old. It seems that increased pressure and demands in their current positions have caused some to rethink their career choices. Gone are the days when workers landed jobs in their twenties and stayed the course until retirement. While switching jobs once tainted a resume, in recent years it’s become much more accepted.
In fact, research shows that Americans change jobs on average every four years and that number is slowly decreasing. Technology has compounded the issue forcing many whose positions have become obsolete, outsourced or simply digitally transformed to reinvent themselves. While there are many factors driving the “Great Resignation”, not the least of which is better pay, those industries and companies willing to understand and meet the needs of a dissatisfied workforce can emerge as winners. This is especially true among construction companies willing to invest in people and build strong cultures.
For years industries like construction have failed to properly position themselves in a drastically changing talent landscape. As attitudes towards the skilled trades shifted, industry response lagged. The benefits of pursuing a career as a craft worker like low tuition, speed to income, good wages (that are increasing due to lack of talented supply) have long been ignored by many in favor of the status and income associated with a four-year college degree. However, perception doesn’t always equal reality and people are beginning to realize that a degree doesn’t necessarily guarantee a golden ticket to the promised land. Often the work itself lacks fulfillment for those with a different calling.
According to Simon Sinek “True joy and true fulfillment in our work is the feeling that our work is contributing to something bigger than ourselves.” Another widely overlooked intrinsic value of learning a skilled trade is that it taps into the human need to create.
In many jobs, it’s not easy to achieve the gratification that comes from building a new home, working with wood to craft beautiful furniture, erecting a bridge used by millions of daily commuters, creating a protective flood wall to shelter a community, among many other things. Thankfully, there’s been more movement towards highlighting the merits of careers in construction from social media influencers to dirt podcasts and initiatives like women in construction.
With so many workers contemplating new jobs, now may be the perfect opportunity for the skilled trades to invest in a different approach to recruitment marketing and shine a light on what makes theirs an appealing path to pursue. Not just for the younger generation but also for a broader segment of the population searching for flexibility, stability, good wages, and an opportunity to create more in their daily work.
Crane Industry Services, LLC (CIS) is actively pursuing individuals with crane and rigging experience who are interested in a second, rewarding career. CIS agrees with Ms. Dewan’s perspective that in addition to the 20-somethings who are considering different career options, people in their 50’s and 60’s with knowledge and aptitude are often outstanding employees in this industry. Cranes and rigging can be a safe, gratifying career for the women, and men, across decades of ages.
Mala Dewan is a freelance writer and marketing communications professional who’s worked in the technology, agriculture, retail, food, and real estate industry. She also actively writes her own personal blog.
Crane Industry Services, LLC (CIS) works nationwide to provide training, certification testing, equipment inspections, expert witness, and consulting to the crane and rigging industry.
Non-Destructive Testing: More Than Meets the Eye
/in Resources /by Tracy BennettEveryone using rigging gear should know how to visually inspect and measure it for the following items:
In addition to visual inspections and taking measurements, another valuable practice is to conduct Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). The type of NDT may vary with the jobsite and equipment in use. Common types include Magnetic Particle, Ultrasonic, Eddy Current, Radiography, Acoustic Emission, Dye Penetrant, and Leak Testing.
Magnetic Particle Testing is one of the most common types of tests for the cranes and rigging gear, which is routinely conducted on crane hooks and wedge sockets. A magnetic particle testing yoke is easily portable and can detect cracks or shallow, sub-surface imperfections. Typically, magnetic particle testing is conducted in conjunction with crane and rigging inspections and helps identify flaws that may not be visible on the surface.
Knowledge of how, and when, to properly use a magnetic particle test is essential. Individuals conducting NDTs should also have knowledge of cranes, rigging gear, components, and be a qualified NDT Technician. The inspection technician should have the expertise, tools, and technology to conduct the NDT and the inspection in a manner that does not alter the future usefulness of the test object.
As always, buyer beware of “home remedy testing” from an individual, or anyone not using materials that are specifically formulated for NDT. The person conducting the NDT must always be qualified.
Another form of NDT is ultrasonic testing, which is more in depth, and can reveal subsurface dimensional flaws, and internal weaknesses. Ultrasonic testing is used if a job site requires it, or if a flaw is suspected.
Magnetic Analysis Corp. explains that “Ultrasonic waves create a mechanical vibration or pressure . . . usually from 1MHz to 30MHz and is designed to test without damaging the test objects. Two methods of Ultrasonic testing used for flaw detection are – Shear and Compression Wave.
So, how do you know which type of testing is necessary? As usual, the demands of the job, and the conditions warranting an NDT dictate the skill and equipment needed. Magnetic particle testing costs less to conduct. However, if you are in doubt about the reliability of the equipment or component, Ultrasonic testing is far less expensive than a failure during service.
4 Tips to Help Students Understand Load Charts
/in Resources /by AdminA load chart indicates the crane’s capabilities and how its lifting capacity varies when considering radius, boom angle, and boom length. The loads weight, deductions, boom length, boom angle, parts of line, and other factors will vary the capacity. Load charts are one of the most important resources for crane operators, and understanding them is paramount.
Crane Industry Services trainers have noticed that when students take assessments for certification testing, the load chart portion is where students are most likely to make mistakes. Tips to help understand load charts are:
1. Read the questions slowly and carefully. See what information is given, and what the question is asking. If the question is asking for gross capacity, the gross capacity is stated in the capacity listing portion of the chart. Simply locate the number based on the criteria given. No math is required to know the gross capacity! Net capacity, on the other hand, is the gross minus applicable deductions.
2. Locate the correct chart! For example, some load charts will have different charts for outriggers fully extended, outriggers mid extended, with a certain amount of counterweight, and on rubber. For example, if the question asks for gross capacity at a certain boom and radius length, lifting with outriggers fully extended, then use the outriggers fully extended chart.
3. Read the notes. Always read the notes in the charts. If you don’t, you may miss important information that is needed when calculating net capacities.
4. Manufacturer’s load charts look different because they are specific to the make, model, and configuration of the crane. However, they all include the same type of necessary information for interpretation. Only use the load chart that is found in the operation manual or posted by the manufacturer for that machine. Verify that you have the correct load chart by matching the serial number on chart with the serial number on the machine.
5 Best Practices for Communicating with a Signal Person
/in Resources /by Tracy BennettWhile working on a job site, communication is critical to safe operations. When working with loud heavy equipment verbal communication is not always efficient or possible. That is why hand signals and the use of a certified and qualified signal person is vital during crane operations.
Crane Industry Services Trainer & Inspector Noel Whelchel recommends these five best practices when communicating with a signal person.
If using voice communication, radios are the preferred method but must take place on a designated channel. Using a cell phone is not recommended because of the potential for clear reception and distractions.
Before lifting operations, the signal person, crane operator, and lift director should always talk in order to agree on the signals that will be used. When nonstandard signals are given, it creates confusion if the signal is misinterpreted, which can be dangerous.
However, anyone on the job site can give the stop/emergency stop and it must be followed. According to OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1417(y)m “The operator must obey a stop (or emergency stop) signal, irrespective of who gives it.”
Hand signal charts must be posted conspicuously on the job site. The easiest way to do this is usually on the equipment in use, typically, the crane itself. As a certified inspector, I direct the site contact that a signal chart needs to be ordered immediately if the chart is not legible or in a clearly visible location.
Finally, the signal person must be qualified (OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1428). Qualification requirements include knowing and understanding the type of signals used. If hand signals are used, the signal person must know and understand the Standard Method for hand signals. A signal person must be competent in the application of the type of signals used, and have a basic understanding of equipment operation and limitations, including the crane dynamics involved in swinging and stopping loads and boom deflection from hoisting loads. Then, the trainee must pass a written or oral test, and a practical exam.
Crane Industry Services offers NCCER rigger and signal person certification and qualification courses. While these courses are typically bundled together, they can be taken as separate courses. When bundling the courses together participants are required to pass a written and practical exam for rigging, and a written and practical exam for the signal person as they are two distinct certifications (or qualifications).
Crane Industry Services Welcomes New Team Members
/in Company News /by Tracy BennettVilla Rica, Ga. (January 21, 2022) Crane Industry Services (CIS), provider of hands-on, classroom and simulation-based training for the skilled trades, is expanding its team with two new NCCER Trainers and Examiners, Nelson Plumb and Bernard (Barney) Burns. Also joining the team is Kristian Faria, a Marketing Specialist and Market Research Analyst.
Nelson Plumb is a Crane & Rigging Trainer and Examiner. His career includes construction management, supervision and training of employees, and heavy equipment operations. He has experience in the erection, operation and dismantling of Tower Cranes.
Plumb is an NCCER Master Trainer Administrator and Proctor, a Mobile and Tower Crane Operator Practical Examiner, a Certified Tower Crane Service Technician, and a Rigging Inspector. Plumb serves as a subject matter expert for NCCER Tower Crane Operators, Mobile Crane Operators, Rigging Persons, Signal Persons, and Ironworker Committees. He was also a member of the NCCER Crane Operator Certification Board. In 2014, he was recognized as the industry’s Corporate Top Trainer by Crane Hot Line magazine and the Association of Crane & Rigging Professionals.
Bernard (Barney) Burns, is a Certified Safety Professional with over 37 years of industrial and construction safety, health, and environmental experience in the pulp, paper, and packaging industries.
Burns experience includes managing OSHA Voluntary Protection Program Star level safety and health programs. He was the project manager for the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification process. In this role, he was responsible for ensuring effective safety policies, procedures, and training were properly developed, implemented and frequently audited for the safe operation and maintenance of several types of cranes. Burns holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Safety Sciences from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Faria is a certified NCCER Proctor and Microsoft Office Specialist. In her marketing role, she helps manage the CIS social media platforms and researches consumer trends and data to determine marketing strategy. Faria is a recent honors college graduate with a degree in Digital Marketing and Advertising. She is passionate about creating an enjoyable customer experience through digital and traditional marketing channels.
About Crane Industry Services
Crane Industry Services LLC, (CIS), established in 2008, is based in the Atlanta, Ga. area, and works nationally. CIS provides hands-on, classroom, online and simulator-based training for the skilled trades, with emphasis on the crane and rigging industry. CIS provides equipment inspections, expert witness services, and consulting to the lifting industry. CIS is a certified WOSB (Woman Owned Small Business) and provides training and OSHA-recognized, ANSI-accredited, NCCCO or NCCER crane operator and rigger certification testing. Industries served include: Utilities, Construction, Manufacturing, Refineries, Demolition, Movie & TV Production, US Military, Government Contractors, & Environmental Services www.centeredonsafety.com or (770)-783-9292.
Recruit, Train, Develop. Repeat.
/in Skilled Labor Supply /by Admin“Workforce development encompasses four key areas—recruitment, assessment, training, and leadership management. Organizations that only focus on one or some of these areas will never fully solve their skilled workforce challenges,” said Pete Krammer, Senior Partner of Okos Partners.
Crane Industry Services (CIS) uses cutting edge training and assessment tools to help employers achieve organizational excellence. “Self-sustaining workforce development—not just mere compliance—is at the heart of what CIS offers construction, utility, manufacturing, and heavy industry markets,” said Debbie Dickinson, CEO of CIS.
The company’s workforce development consulting services incorporates the TradeUp program, which is a collaboration with Okos Partners.
The following interview provides additional insight into the forces that impact the complex issues of workforce development.
Are you seeing trends among employers regarding the realization that they need comprehensive workforce development plans? If so, what has shifted that focus from the over-simplified idea that there just aren’t enough people coming into the trades?
Dickinson: An operations manager for a national stevedoring employer recently told us: “Our company has enough opportunities to double its business. However, the key to being able to grow is in recruiting, training, and having qualified skilled labor, ready to work.” Businesses are realizing their growth and profits are hindered by not having enough people with the right skills.
The manager went on to say that they are actively setting up programs to train people who want to work. Employers are realizing that they can’t simply recruit a ready-made employee. They must provide their own training to develop people who do not currently have skills but want to learn and work. Doing so is critical to sustaining and growing. Thinking that someone else will train and develop is an opportunity killer.
Historically, one of the fears of employers is that if they spend money on training, employees will leave to go work for a competitor for minor hourly increases. That’s outdated thinking. Studies show that people more often leave because they don’t trust management or there are not clearly identified career growth opportunities. Developing people helps solve both of those problems. We all need to work together to provide opportunities and career enhancements to people who are willing to perform work that is financially and personally rewarding.
Krammer: Employers have recognized that they must approach workforce development differently than they have in the past. And, slowly, they are beginning to understand that the challenge is not just finding people, it’s keeping them. Creating an environment for workers to grow and thrive in is the leadership challenge that faces every manager, from the foreman to the CEO. There is a trend in industries that rely heavily on skilled labor to build a level of trust integral to encouraging employees to commit and motivate themselves. That requires a set of conditions where employees feel that they can safely engage with management, whether it’s providing input to work planning and processes, or making decisions. If individuals are connected to the goals of the project and the company, and to each other, then they feel valued, like they are contributing, and are more inclined to stay. A management culture that cannot build and maintain these conditions will face increasingly difficult challenges finding and maintaining the crews and teams that help their business grow.
Often workforce development is only defined as recruiting. But it is so much more than that. Do you think internal development of employees is more or less important than recruiting new employees? Why or why not?
Krammer: This is exactly the principle behind TradeUp, a process that helps employers with recruitment, assessment, training, and leadership management. Everyone is naturally motivated by opportunities to advance. Some people are driven by doing the work well and continually improving. Others are driven by results, and the better the result, the more motivated they become. Others need additional responsibility and want to lead. Understanding what drives the people you recruit, and providing a path that fits their individual goals and motives creates a lot of positives: better retention, higher quality, higher efficiency, lower costs, greater profits. This allows a company to recruit more strategically with the knowledge that those they bring in will prosper and help the company grow while they grow themselves. This is the heart of workforce development.
Dickinson: Workforce development has to happen both internally—often called reskilling or upskilling—and externally—which falls into the recruiting category. A successful program must provide training to address the needs of individuals in three skills levels: Novice, Intermediate, and Journeyman craft professionals. We like to call this Recruit, Train, Develop, Repeat.
So, yes, if your workforce development only focuses on recruiting you are taking one step forward and two steps back. The full package should include career paths for people at all levels with accompanying pay scales, benefits, and most importantly, opportunities, based on business goals and the achievements of individuals.
How can HR, Safety, Project Management, and other departments work together to make this Recruit, Train, Develop, Repeat concept successful?
Dickinson: Workforce development is an all-company strategy. HR and Project Management may be key drivers but every craft supervisor and employee need to know their leaders are knowledgeable, accessible. Leaders must also be advocates for craft professionals.
Project management should review work plans frequently to know what has changed and what different skill sets may be needed. Likewise, assessing skills and qualifying individuals for work is integral to a strong safety culture. In return, a reputation as a safe company by itself becomes a recruiting tool that HR can use.
We work with all of these departments to make sure they are in sync when it comes to workforce development.
Krammer: A formal plan is critical to the Recruit, Train, Develop, Repeat process. The planning needs to involve Senior Management, HR, Safety, Project Management and other departments. The success of this workforce development plan depends on alignment with these different perspectives. This approach sets the foundation for a companywide culture of commitment and engagement, with everyone involved.
Furthermore, this concept applies to both Union and Open Shop work. Unions heavily rely on the recruiting and training piece, however, management needs to also be aligned with those activities by providing career growth opportunities. In Open Shop environments, leaders must manage the spectrum of Recruit, Train, Develop, and Repeat processes.
What tools or tips do you recommend to help employers establish this mentality for their workforce development?
Dickinson: Employees often are the ones closest to the problems. They see where time or money is wasted. I suggest starting daily task and safety briefings with open ended questions. Listen. Recognize crews and individuals who do a good job. For example: Does anyone have a suggestion for how to rig this load in a safer way? What gear or equipment would make the job easier? Based on the plan, what recommendations do you have to make the work safer and easier? FYI, safety and better practices go hand-in-hand and yield higher productivity.
Demonstrate leader accountability and awareness of what takes place on job sites. If workers can anticipate leaders coming to them to ask what they are doing and the best way to get the job done, that gives employees opportunities to shine. Recently, CIS was on a jobsite helping an employer develop a safety plan. Cliff Dickinson, CIS President, noticed a pile of steel that was not stacked correctly. If someone stepped on a bottom piece, the pile could have toppled. He put on gloves, gathered a few people he was there to train, and in minutes they straightened the pile. He told the crew, “If we walk by and see a potential problem, we are the best ones to fix it, right then and there.” The crew agreed and was glad to be a part of the solution. The work took minutes and prevented a possible injury.
Lance Simons, VP of Safety and Quality, for the Haskell Co. Inc., a full-service engineering and construction firm, stands firmly against the idea that “Safety” is a department that operates independently from the rest of the business. He insists that safety is a part of every task, project, and plan. We wholly agree. Too often safety is considered the Safety Manager’s job or safety is incorrectly viewed only in the context of compliance requirements. Core to safe work are people who are trained and skilled to perform optimally, which a compliance checkmark alone will never reach.
In addition, one reason that the future workforce is cautious about choosing a career in skilled trades is the horror stories of injuries. A well-trained, continuously skill-developed workforce, with career advancing opportunities are keys to success.
Krammer: Safety culture means that the work is done, and the teams are led safely. Period. Culture is driven both from the top down and from the bottom up. It requires a concentration on both day-to-day operations and long-term planning. We employ a Vital Statistics Report that analyzes how in sync workers and leaders are. When crews are in sync, productivity and safety results can soar.
How can employers measure if they are being successful?
Krammer: Too often data is merely a reflection in the rearview mirror. Did we hit the timeline? Did we hit the budget? Did we stay safe? However, while we’re collecting job data and before we can report on it, work is being done, and it’s difficult in the heat of the action to know how it’s being done unless you ask the people who are doing it.
At periodic intervals we survey people’s perceptions of their immediate crew’s effectiveness along six dimensions: communication, accountability, feedback, structure (process effectiveness), cohesion, and emotional intelligence. These are correlated to labor costs so that people understand that whether you excel or have challenges in any of these areas, there are hard costs associated with these “soft skill” behaviors. Positive movement means positive financial results, for sure, but more importantly, these six areas of team and crew performance are the key drivers of creating conditions of motivation and commitment. By measuring these factors, employers gain deep insight into the culture and conditions of their crews and can take prescriptive actions while the work is being done so that how the work is being done can continually improve.