Stakeholders who are interested in contributing their opinions to OSHA’s Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard are invited to a meeting on April 3, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C.

(Two meetings already scheduled for April 2 and 3 are full.)

The three meetings will focus on the effectiveness of crane operator certification to ensure that crane operators can safely operate equipment, and the level of competence and safe operation that certification ensures. The agency seeks information from the public on 1) the usefulness of certifying operators for different capacities of cranes, and 2) the risks of allowing an operator to operate all capacities of cranes within a specific type.

Part of OSHA's coverage of safety in the construction industry, the Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard governing crane safety is the product of a negotiated rulemaking process that began in the summer of 2003 and culminated in the publication of the final rule on Aug. 9, 2010. The standard requires operators to be certified by November 2014. Additionally, the standard requires that certifications issued by an accredited testing organization specify the "capacity and type" of cranes the operator is certified to operate.

All meetings will be held at the U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3437 A, B, and C. The Department of Labor is located at 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20210.

Individuals interested in participating in, or observing, a meeting must pre-register by calling OSHA's Directorate of Construction at 202-693-2020. Due to limited space, only one individual per organization may participate in a meeting. Organizations may only participate in one meeting. OSHA's goal is to accommodate as wide an audience as possible of informed technical experts on crane safety and operator certification. To facilitate as much group interaction as possible, formal presentations will not be permitted.