Crane operator certification software that holds the scope, the evaluation and the expiry on one record
Crane operator certification is the qualification 29 CFR 1926.1427 requires before an operator runs equipment covered by the construction cranes standard. A certification from an accredited testing organisation is issued by equipment type, or type and capacity, is portable between employers, and is valid for 5 years. The employer must separately document an evaluation naming the evaluator and the make, model and configuration used. Neurobird keeps scope, evaluation and expiry on one record per operator.
| Requirement | Status | Next due | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual comprehensive, crane 207 | current | in 42d | |
| New hire, certification not yet verified | due soon | in 9d | |
| Employer evaluation, telescopic boom 90 ton | current | in 120d | |
| Monthly inspection, crane 214 | overdue | 3d late | |
| Certification expiry, 5 year clock on Reyes | current | in 64d |
Tick a requirement to file evidence against it.
Neurobird Crane Operator Certification in short
- Hold certification scope per operator: equipment type, capacity and the date the five year clock runs out
- Store the employer evaluation with the evaluator name, the date and the make, model and configuration used
- Diary monthly inspection documents for the three month retention and annual comprehensive records for twelve months
- 5 years A certification issued by an accredited crane operator testing organisation is valid for 5 years and is portable among employers. An audited employer program certification is also valid for 5 years but is not portable. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427
- 1926.1427(f)(6) The employer must document completion of the operator evaluation with the operator name, the evaluator name and signature, the date, and the make, model and configuration of equipment used, and make the document available at the worksite. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427
- Pricing runs 160 to 700 US dollars per month across 3 tiers. Early access is free.
What crane and rigging contractors actually deal with
Why it stays broken
The 2018 rule split one requirement into two: a portable certification and a non portable employer evaluation. Most contractors kept the certification card in HR and left the evaluation as a form in a truck. Nothing joins the operator to the machine he is actually cleared for, so the answer at the gate is a phone call to the office.
One operator on a machine outside his certified capacity stops the job and puts the citation on the employer, not the operator.
The employer must provide retraining in relevant topics for each operator when, based on the performance of the operator or an evaluation of the operator's knowledge, there is an indication that retraining is necessary.
Neurobird Crane Operator Certification Compliance Platform
Make the operator and the machine the records, and join them. Certification scope, evaluation documents and inspection retention dates read off one screen before the crane is set up.
- 1Hold certification scope per operator: equipment type, capacity and the date the five year clock runs out
- 2Store the employer evaluation with the evaluator name, the date and the make, model and configuration used
- 3Diary monthly inspection documents for the three month retention and annual comprehensive records for twelve months
- 4Show at the gate which operators are cleared for which machines, without opening four systems
What changes with Neurobird Crane Operator Certification?
The same work, read left to right: how it runs today, and how it runs once the record is in one place.
| Today | With Neurobird Crane Operator Certification |
|---|---|
| A certification is valid for five years and is issued by type and capacity, so one operator can be current on one machine and out of scope on the next | Hold certification scope per operator: equipment type, capacity and the date the five year clock runs out |
| The employer evaluation is a separate document that has to name the evaluator and the exact make, model and configuration, and it has to be available at the worksite | Store the employer evaluation with the evaluator name, the date and the make, model and configuration used |
| Monthly and annual inspection records live in the machine file while the operator records live in HR, and the inspector wants both on the same day | Diary monthly inspection documents for the three month retention and annual comprehensive records for twelve months |
Who is this for?
Same standard, three different exposures.
You own the iron
Operators move between machines every week. You need type and capacity scope visible before the crane is set, not after.
You accept other people's operators
Subcontractor operators arrive with cards you did not issue. You need verification and the evaluation on file before they lift.
You run overhead and mobile equipment
Certification, evaluation and inspection all live in different departments. You need one record an auditor can read in a morning.
What the numbers say about crane operator qualification
Useful if you sign off on who runs the machine. Each figure links back to the standard that set it.
A certification issued by an accredited crane operator testing organisation is valid for 5 years and is portable among employers. An audited employer program certification is also valid for 5 years but is not portable.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427The employer must document completion of the operator evaluation with the operator name, the evaluator name and signature, the date, and the make, model and configuration of equipment used, and make the document available at the worksite.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427Monthly inspection documents must record the items checked, the results, and the name and signature of the person who conducted the inspection, and must be retained for a minimum of three months.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1412At least every 12 months equipment must be inspected by a qualified person, with disassembly as needed, and the annual comprehensive inspection record retained for a minimum of 12 months.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1412Washington requires that, before operating covered equipment, an operator holds a valid certificate for the type of crane to be operated, issued by a testing organisation with a program accredited by a nationally recognised accrediting agency.
Washington WAC 296-155-53300How does Neurobird Crane Operator Certification work?
Capture the certification
Testing organisation, equipment type, capacity and the date the five year clock runs out, with the card image attached to the operator.
Record the evaluation
Evaluator name and signature, the date, and the make, model and configuration used, held so it can be produced at the worksite while the operator is employed.
Keep the inspection clock
Shift, monthly and annual comprehensive records attach to the machine, with the three month and twelve month retention windows tracked rather than guessed.
Crane operator certification software questions, answered
Key terms
- What is crane operator certification?
- Crane operator certification is the qualification required by 29 CFR 1926.1427 before an operator runs equipment covered by the construction cranes standard. A certification issued by an accredited testing organisation is based on equipment type, or type and capacity, is portable between employers, and is valid for 5 years.
- What is the difference between certification and evaluation?
- Certification proves general knowledge and skill and comes from a testing organisation or an audited employer program. Evaluation is the employer confirming this operator can safely run this equipment. Under 1926.1427(f)(6) the employer must document the evaluation with the operator name, evaluator name and signature, the date, and the make, model and configuration used.
How long do we keep crane inspection records?
Under 1926.1412(e)(3)(ii) the monthly inspection document must be retained for a minimum of three months. Under 1926.1412(f)(7) the annual comprehensive inspection record must be documented, maintained and retained for a minimum of 12 months. Shift inspections by a competent person are required before or during every shift.
Does a state certification override the federal one?
States can run stricter programs. Washington requires a valid certificate for the type of equipment from an accredited testing organisation under WAC 296-155-53300, and California sets its own operator training and certification rule in Title 8 section 5006.2. The federal 5 year validity is the floor, not the ceiling.
Does this replace our HR or fleet system?
No. Payroll and maintenance stay where they are. What lives here is the qualification record: who is certified for what, which evaluation covers it, and which inspection documents are still inside their retention window.
Why we are building this
The certification rule is one of the clearest in construction and one of the worst documented. Certification is portable. Evaluation is not. Most people file both in the same folder and hope.
Then an inspector asks which machine a specific operator was evaluated on, and the answer takes a day of phone calls that should have taken a screen.
We would rather build this with the people who sign the evaluation. Tell us how you run it, and where we have got it wrong.
Where the requirement comes from
Public sources on operator certification, evaluation and equipment inspection.
- OSHA 1926.1427, operator training, certification and evaluation Certification by type or type and capacity, the 5 year validity, portability, and exactly what the employer evaluation document has to say.
- OSHA 1926.1412, inspections Shift, monthly and annual comprehensive inspections, with the three month and twelve month record retention periods.
- OSHA, operator certification final rule FAQs The agency's own answers on how certification and evaluation interact, written when the requirement changed.
- Washington WAC 296-155-53300 Operator qualifications and certification in a state plan state, including what makes a testing organisation accredited.
- California Title 8 section 5006.2 California operator training and certification, a reminder that the federal rule is the floor and states add to it.
- Washington L&I, construction cranes State crane certification and inspection requirements sitting alongside the operator rules.
How much does Neurobird Crane Operator Certification cost?
Priced per company because certification obligations sit with the employer. Operators, machines and users are unlimited on every tier.
- Operator records
- Certification scope by type
- Expiry diary
- Evaluation storage
- Email support
- Everything in Single crew
- Machine inspection retention
- Gate ready clearance view
- Inspector export
- Named contact
- Everything in Contractor
- State rule overlays
- Multi yard roll up
- HR system sync
- Onboarding included
Get free early access
If you run crane crews, tell us how you prove an operator is cleared for a specific machine today.
Straight answer on where this is: In development. Early access gets the working preview, a say in what ships first, and early access pricing. It does not get you a login today.
Prefer email? Write to office@neurobird.com and a person will reply. No autoresponder.