November 2023

Issue Highlights

CCO proudly announced a significant enhancement to the myCCO and Verify CCO Online (VCO) systems: the ability for candidates to upload their own photos. This new feature goes live on November 15. Candidates will be able to upload a passport-style photo directly to their profile.

These photos serve multiple purposes, from ID verification to personalization of myCCO and CCO wallet cards, as well as display in VCO. This update streamlines the credentialing process significantly.

The inclusion of photos in VCO enhances the certainty of certification verification, offering employers a more reliable means of identification. The intuitive myCCO Portal facilitates easy photo management and is compatible with various devices, ensuring a user-friendly process whether from a desktop webcam or a mobile device.

All current and new myCCO users are invited to log in to the portal and contribute to this next step in CCO’s digital transformation which aims to ensure the highest standards of safety and verification in our industry​. Read more.

CCO stands alone in providing nationally accredited Rigger certification.

Our certifications are not only recognized across the nation but are also portable, meaning they can be trusted by employers nationwide. This portability is a significant advantage as it allows employers to rely on our certifications instead of conducting their own qualification, saving time, effort, liability, and money. By choosing CCO, certificants gain a credential that is universally respected and accepted, ensuring a high standard of safety, expertise, and in efficiency in rigging operations. Find out how to become certified here.

As we enter the holiday season, we at CCO would like to extend our warmest wishes to you and your families. We're grateful for our dedicated community of professionals who uphold safety and excellence throughout the year. May this holiday season bring you peace, happiness, and a time of rest. We look forward to continuing our journey together in the new year. Happy Holidays!

In 2023, CCO launched three new testing modalities: Online Proctored Testing (OPT), Test Center Testing (TCT), and Event Online Testing (EOT). From January 1, 2024, these three will fully replace traditional testing methods

• OPT: Remotely take exams in any private space with internet access.
• TCT: Utilize one of nearly 600 specialized test centers nationwide.
• EOT: Attend a CCO-established test center with provided computers.

Key features include:

• Same exam interface and content across all options.
• Immediate preliminary results.
• Flexible scheduling and modality changes without extra fees.

Embrace the convenience and flexibility of CCO’s modern testing methods to seamlessly continue your professional development. Compare testing options.

Effective January 1, 2024, CCO will transition paper/pencil testing (PPT) for written exams to a variance-only option, reserved for specific cases where other testing methods are not viable. This shift requires test sites to plan significantly in advance, maintaining existing timelines for test administration and candidate registration. Despite past discounts, PPT will no longer have reduced fees under its new, limited usage. This change aligns with CCO's ongoing commitment to modernizing and streamlining its certification processes. Read more.

CCO is thrilled to reintroduce the updated myCCO mobile app, now available for iPhone and Android users.

The updated app allows candidates to:

• View their certifications and expiration dates.
• Submit exam applications with ease.
• Keep track of upcoming exams and view results of recently taken exams.
• Conveniently update their contact information.

myCCO mobile app users who had previously downloaded the myCCO app will need to update it through the Google Play Store or Apple App store. After the update, users will be prompted to log in again. CCO suggests saving the password (assuming it is trusted personal device) for future ease of access.

Embrace this next step in CCO’s digital evolution and experience the convenience of managing your certification journey on the go!

VCO (Verify CCO Online) is evolving to include a crucial new feature: soon, it will display photos of candidates from their myCCO profiles. This enhancement makes the VCO portal even more reliable for certification verification, offering not just current status but visual confirmation of the individual's identity.

While VCO is invaluable during hiring, its utility extends far beyond. Regularly auditing the certifications of existing employees is a best practice, ensuring ongoing compliance of safety standards. VCO’s digital, user-friendly interface supports these continuous checks, underscoring its role as an essential tool for maintaining high standards in the industry. Give it a try here.

Gear up this holiday season with CCO's exclusive sales, each featuring special deals on a variety of merchandise. Each week provides holiday discounts on CCO merch packages that kick off on Black Friday:

Black Friday Sale (11/23-11/26): Brace for the cold with our ANSI 107 compliant jacket and CCO Fleece-Lined Knit Cap. Available together for the first time!

Cyber Week Sale (11/27-12/3): Go all-pro and update your wardrobe with our Black CCO Logo Polo, casual Black CCO Logo T-Shirt, and versatile CCO Ball Cap with the new CCO logo.

Safety Essentials Sale (12/4-12/10): Enhance your safety gear with our beloved CCO Decal, a handy CCO Pocket Flashlight, and high-visibility CCO Safety Vest. These items are essential for maintaining safety on the job.

On-the-Go Sale (12/11-12/17): Stay prepared and stylish on the move with a CCO Ball Cap, the convenient CCO Pocket Flashlight, and the durable CCO Stainless Steel Thermal Bottle, perfect for keeping your beverages hot or cold.

Celebrate the season with these special offers and ensure you're equipped with the best CCO gear! Check out the CCO Store here.

Discounts will be automatically applied at checkout. Place orders by noon (ET) on 12/17 for delivery before Christmas.

Last month, the 55th Biannual CCO Commissioners Meeting convened in Crosby, Texas uniting professionals to discuss the latest in industry safety and certification. With the generous sponsorship of IUOE and TNT Crane & Rigging, the meeting was a hub of progress, featuring updates on new CCO test administration processes and engaging dialogue on the future of CCO certification programs.

Of huge significance was the first ever training session for the new tablet-based exam process which streamlines Practical Exam Proctoring and candidate scoring in advance of its January 2024 launch.

The 8th Annual Industry Forum hosted be the NCCCO Foundation followed training, with OSHA’s Scott Ketcham highlighting pressing issues like operator training and certification compliance.

The results of these meetings underscore CCO’s dedication to continuous improvement, setting the stage for innovation in our processes to ensure the highest standards of safety. Read more.

As a result of guidance received during ANAB’s annual surveillance, CCO has updated its Code of Ethics to meet ANAB requirements for the agreement between CCO and candidates/certificants more closely. Specifically, candidates and certificants are now restricted from using their certifications or evidence of certification in a misleading manner or making claims regarding certification that go beyond the scope for which certification has been granted. Further, they may not use their CCO certifications in such a manner as to discredit CCO, nor may they make any statement regarding my certification which CCO considers misleading or unauthorized. Check out the full Code of Ethics here.

CCO proudly maintains its status as the industry benchmark, having renewed its ANAB accreditation for 2023–2024, underlining our adherence to the ISO/IEC 17024 standard.

This reaffirms our legacy since 1995 as a frontrunner in the field with fair, valid, and legally defensible programs​. Recognized for best practices in testing, CCO's accreditation by ANAB is a testament to our unwavering commitment to safety and excellence! Learn more here.

The Benefits of NCCCO Certification for Crane Operators in the Texas Job Market - Miller Crane Works, has offered crane operator training in Texas for over 20 years, highlights CCO certification as a crucial step for crane operators in Texas to enhance their safety awareness, career opportunities, and industry expertise​. Miller Crane Works, October 2023

Importance of Crane Operator Certification - CCO certification equips operators with essential skills in load dynamics, equipment expertise, safety protocols, and effective communication, essential for excelling in this demanding yet rewarding profession. Boss Magazine, September 2023

"Becoming CCO Certified has helped myself and colleages understand safe work practices and limitations associated with lifting operations and helps to ensure great decision making on the job site." -5-Star Recertificant

In November, we look back on a pivotal moment in the crane industry's history. On November 8, 2018, OSHA released its final rule on crane operator certification, representing a significant step forward for workplace safety. This rule mandated that crane operators must be certified according to the type of crane they operate, a move aimed at reducing the risk of accidents and deaths on the jobsite.

As a leader in certification, CCO has played an instrumental role in developing and advancing these safety standards. From the outset, we have worked diligently to ensure that crane operators not only meet but exceed the essential benchmarks set forth by OSHA's directive. Our commitment to safety is unwavering, as we believe it is fundamental to the safety of every individual in the field.

On the anniversary of this rule, we reaffirm our dedication to maintaining the highest safety standards within the industry. CCO continues to be a beacon of safety advocacy, emphasizing the importance and value of accredited certification.

Total number of exams CCO will have administered in our lifetime by the end of 2023!

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