Creating an Environment of Safety: Why the Lift Director’s Role is so Important
When you hire a lift director, you gain a team member who maintains the necessary leadership skills and trustworthiness to ensure your project proceeds safely. In addition to the training and certification, Lift Directors have thorough experience with both personnel and the equipment, which will help you complete your project faster, more efficiently, and with less liability on your company.
OSHA believes a lift director should be fully accountable for their decisions and commands. This means that much of the liability and accountability shifts towards the lift director. In the event of a catastrophic event, there is the possibility that a lift director could have serious charges filed against them if the event was deemed as their responsibility or fault.
OSHA 1926.1432
If you are at all familiar with the crane services industry, there’s no doubt you’ll know about Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard 1926.1432, which covers the requirement to thoroughly plan any use of multiple cranes or derrick lifts on the job. The central position involved in this standard is the lift director. OSHA 1926.1432(b)(1) indicates:
The multiple-crane/derrick lift must be directed by a person who meets the criteria for both a competent person and a qualified person, or by a competent person who is assisted by one or more qualified persons (lift director).
OSHA 1926.1432
Due to the overseeing or supervising element of the position, lift directors generally absorb more responsibility than other positions involved with the project, often including the project’s crane operator and project supervisor. In some instances, the lift director is designated as the supervisor for the entire site.
When working on a project, problems and complications are inevitable. Whether it’s a small issue or something that could be potentially catastrophic, letting a problem go uncorrected can lead to more trouble down the road. When you bring a lift director onto your project, you’re bringing an experienced and qualified professional who is familiar with each lift and how to address safety and performance issues either before or once they become apparent.
The title of NCCCO Lift Director comes with ample experience and training. Hiring a lift director is the optimal way to ensure your project and personnel maintain the highest levels of safety and efficiency. Learn more about hiring a lift director through Crane Industry Experts.
What Exactly Does the Lift Director Do?
As stated in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) protocol B30.5, a lift director’s major job responsibilities include:
- Checking on implementation of accepted traffic controls
- Ensuring any rigging is performed by proper personnel
- Immediately halting crane operations if the current conditions are deemed unsafe
- Checking on proper balancing and rigging of the load
- Ensuring proper planning and preparation has been completed prior to crane operations
- Following OSHA guidelines for specific lifting projects, including those with multiple crane or derrick lifts
- Organizing and assigning signal people who meet the required qualifications
- Ensuring safety and the completion of specific requirements necessary for crane operations held near power lines
- Ensuring personnel understand their job duties and the potential dangers that accompany them
- Maintaining a safe job site and ensuring any operations conducted on the site follow all safety standards and guidelines
As detailed in OSHA 1926.1432(b)(1), lift directors must also be qualified and competent (or competent and aided by someone who is qualified) when operating multiple crane or derrick lifts.
When looking for a competent and qualified lift director, it’s imperative that project leaders hire someone with a certification from the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). NCCCO is a not-for-profit group whose primary objective is to create industry standards for safe crane and derrick operation that help improve the overall construction industry. Hiring a NCCCO certified lift director is the best way to ensure their projects are completed with the utmost attention to detail and safety.
How Do You Become a Lift Director?
To become a lift director, one must gain the knowledge and training required to pass a set of NCCCO-administered exams known as the NCCCO Lift Director Certification Exam. Lift directors must be able to think critically and have a good feel for problem-solving, so learning to create custom lift plans for specific problems and scenarios is imperative. Some of these issues may deal with risk analysis, danger recognition, placement of personnel, and more.
If you are an aspiring lift director, we suggest completing a lift director training course with Train for the Crane. This comprehensive course is designed for individuals with extensive crane-related experience who desire to take the Lift Director Certification Exam. The course aims to fully prepare candidates for the required exam path to achieve mobile crane lift director certification. In addition to covering material that’s specific to each exam, the course offers test-taking strategies and a comprehensive practice exam to help prepare you for success in your new career.
For a full list of exam topics covered in the course, visit Train for the Crane.
You can learn more about a lift director’s responsibilities on our site.
Ready to hire a NCCCO certified lift director for your next project? Contact Crane Industry Experts today.
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