The overhead crane industry can learn from other sectors when it comes to training, says Tad Dunville, director of corporate development at Ace World Companies.
This blog will make two key points: first, that training related to overhead cranes should be of paramount importance at any facility where they are present; and, second, that training should go way beyond educating the guy or gal at the controls.
As I said in a recent blog about crane inspection, conformity to OSHA standards should be an overhead crane owner’s minimum criteria. Similarly, industry needs to take greater ownership of crane-related training. Regardless of what the law states, it’ll become a legal problem if something goes wrong and a facility can’t demonstrate a thorough training program was in place.
Notice that I haven’t used the word ‘operator’ yet. That’s not because operator training isn’t the zenith of any program—it is—but it’s important we don’t look at operation in isolation. Take the locomotive and aviation industries as examples. They don’t just train the driver or pilot; they surround everyone who interfaces with machines and equipment with comprehensive education. Engineers, maintenance professionals, signalmen, air-traffic controllers, airfield operation staff, etc. are all highly trained and bolster their knowledge with ongoing refresher courses.
To transfer that breadth of education to the crane industry would mean anyone who works near a crane or even passes by it on their way to an unrelated workstation needs to be trained to an appropriate point. Beyond the operator, the maintenance supervisor, VP of engineering, purchasing agent, repair man and all supervisory staff should be exposed to education about the big yellow crane above their heads.
Training is always a good idea, but there are a number of key moments when someone should be picking up the phone to call in the professionals. The obvious ones are when a new crane is installed, a new operator joins a company, or an employee who used to operate another piece of equipment moves onto an overhead crane. Training is also important when an operator, even an experienced one, moves onto another crane having been at the controls elsewhere in the facility for a period of time. In fact, any time the word ‘change’ can be applied to the crane, its operators or environment, training is probably required.
Choose a third-party trainer
There are a myriad of training options out there but I’d advise people to choose from third-party providers, for a number of reasons. Principally, these companies conduct training every day and should be at the sharp end of their profession. They don’t typically have to dust off courseware that hasn’t been used for months and remind themselves what sheaves and gearboxes are. Further, they’ll provide a company with certification upon completion of training, which creates some shared liability.
Even once a training provider has been chosen, there will likely be a multitude of courses to choose from. Don’t go for the most comprehensive package and roll it out across the company; instead, match content with requirements. For example, it would be prudent to train a maintenance professional on simple crane repair. When a wire needs to be changed, it’ll be more efficient for them to swap it out than it will call in a crane manufacturer or repair company. Most manufacturers will offer basic training upon installation of a crane.
However, this should be treated as the minimum level of training. I’d rather have a crane operator in my facility that has taken a full day of training versus one who sat through a 15-minute run-through of controls or a two-hour basic introduction. While they’re simple in that they pick up loads and move them, cranes can be extremely complex pieces of equipment and in nearly every case operator error or lack of knowledge can lead to disastrous consequences.
In-depth, specific training is available for those who choose to consume it. Here at Ace we provide a thorough gearbox package that even includes inviting customers to our facility to see units being manufactured. A leading drives and controls provider I know offers a great course on their technology and another industrial equipment manufacturer gives equally robust sessions tailored for engineers and repair people.
Train the trainer
It’s important that trainers are trained. If there is a dedicated trainer at a facility, who trains them? How well equipped are they to deliver course content? Would they really know what to do if they had to react to a problem at the controls of the crane? That last question is important because I believe a good trainer is usually a competent operator. Applying theory to practice is best done through experience. If a student asks a question about what to do in a certain scenario, it’s disheartening when the instructor says, ‘Turn to page 27’, instead of answering themselves. Trainers should be retrained and subjected to refresher courses as often as possible.
Always keep in mind that training as a concept stretches beyond one’s facility. There are times when a crane will need to be repaired and it’s important to know how well trained that third-party is. Before committing to a long-term service contract, ask them how they train their staff. Do they offer refresher courses or will the repairperson assigned to a facility be reliant upon information and training he received 20 years ago? It’s not ideal if the third-party provider is hiring from outside sources and there’s no documented trail of continuing professional development.
Select permanent and / or visiting trainers diligently. I participated in a crane training session myself not that long ago and the instructor had a poor grasp of the English language despite it being a classroom full of English-speaking Americans. I found myself switching off because the content lost its relevance and edge. Personality is important too. A trainer needs to get their audience (students) to buy into their content and that’s hard to achieve if they’ve got the charisma of a retired High School maths teacher.
Look at the students and choose a trainer accordingly. If there’s a predominant language or background, factor that into the selection. If five, 50-year-old crane operators are going for a refresher course, it might not be wise to expose them to a 21-year-old trainer giving his first class. Only someone who knows their facility and personnel can make the judgment on the gender, age, background and experience of the ideal trainer.
In conclusion, remember the two key points I stressed at the outset:
How does your training program measure up?
Tad Dunville
Director of Corporate Development, Ace World Companies
Membership Committee Chairman and Board of Directors, Crane Certification Association of America
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