By IAN LAHMER, Marketing Director | Venco Venturo Industries LLC

Dave Foster, VTS training manager, offers crane operator certification training. (Photo provided)

A majority of municipalities operate on a budget that requires diligent purchases for their vehicle fleets and maintenance trucks. These smaller municipalities also operate with one or two vehicles that multiple workers will be using in a given day.

New Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations — OSHA 1926.1400 — mandate that operators of most large cranes with 2,001 pounds of capacity and up will need to be certified by an accredited crane operator testing organization. This regulation states that all crane operators that use service truck cranes in a construction function must be “Certified” and when used in a maintenance-type function must be at a minimum deemed a “qualified operator.” The certifications and/or qualifications must be in place by Nov. 10, 2017 (§1926.1427(a)(k).

The state of Ohio has adopted this law, which will require all public employers, such as municipalities, schools, etc., to become certified operators if their cranes are used in a construction function. Check with your local and state laws for specific requirements.

This update will most likely cause issues with smaller municipalities on a strict budget, as well as with multiple operators in their vehicles using cranes. Understanding the limitations of many different sized towns and cities, Venco Venturo Industries LLC has identified several key solutions for municipalities.

VTS crane training services

Venturo Training Services can help develop an operator safety program and make sure municipalities are OSHA compliant. As a trailblazer in crane training for mechanic’s truck owners and operators, Venco Venturo Industries LLC has been a leader in crane training and operator certification. With more than 40 years of experience in the truck equipment industry, Dave Foster, vice president of manufacturing and engineering, has dedicated more than a decade to crane, rigging and technical training.

Foster is a qualified crane and rigging inspector, a certified factory trainer, a National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators TSS Certified Crane Operator and also has a Certificate of Competency under current OSHA and ANSIASMC codes. In addition to providing comprehensive training services, Foster is committed to improving training programs for the industry as a whole. He’s an active participant in the NCCCO’s Mechanic/Service Truck Operator Certification Work Group, which has developed a written and practical certification exam specifically for truck-mounted cranes.

With the unique perspective of being a crane manufacturer, Venco Venturo understands the equipment inside and out. VTS courses can be between two- and five-day sessions, depending on the subject. Most training also consists of a written exam and a practical operating evaluation. Attendees who meet all of the requirements for qualification at the end of a course will receive a certificate and a wallet-sized identification card.

For more information to get your workers OSHA compliant, contact VTS at (800) 226-2238.

Venturo cranes that meet OSHA requirements of smaller municipalities

Because OSHA training and compliance can be a cost prohibitive solution for many smaller municipalities, Venco Venturo cranes also has a line of Venturo cranes that fall below the 2,000-pound requirement for crane operator certification.

The newest crane featured was developed based on market research by fleets looking for a low-cost, lightweight solution that workers can operate without certification. The all-new et6k is one of the few cranes in the industry that falls below the certification requirements with continuous, power rotation and power elevation.

The addition of this innovative model provides a low-cost, lightweight service crane, exempt from OSHA 1926.1427 operator certification requirements.

The standard configuration for the et6k includes a manual extension boom from 6 feet- 10 feet and hydraulic elevation from -5 degrees to +75 degrees. The crane’s rating is 6,000 footpounds with a maximum lifting capacity of 2,000 pounds – falling below the OSHA requirement for operator certification. The et6k winch features a high-efficiency, heavy-duty three-stage electric planetary gear drive, 12V permanent magnet motor and dual braking systems.

The et6k comes standard with a capacity overload shutoff system, aircraft-quality wire rope and remote control pendant. Available options include radio remote control, anti-two-block system, which meets ANSI b30.5 safety standards, mounting pedestals for platform body applications, outriggers and jacklegs for a variety of truck bodies, and an adjustable boom rest with a load block storage hook.

The et6k crane is a lightweight, cost-effective choice for a variety of industries and general service applications on any truck with a GVWR of 8,000 pounds or more. Built with the same rugged design and reliable heavy-duty components of Venturo’s higher capacity models, yet exempt from OSHA operator certification requirements. The et6k provides a solution anyone can use to add a crane to a truck that was previously cost and regulation prohibitive.

Venturo Mast Cranes

Venturo mast cranes are ideal, cost-effective choices for pickup trucks, utility vans and trucks and platform bodies; and Venturo Training Services can ensure that municipalities’ crane operators are osha-compliant before the November 2017 certification deadline.(Photo provided)

Venturo mast cranes are ideal for pickup trucks, utility vans and trucks and also platform bodies. Venturo offers a variety of electric mast cranes ranging between 1,500 pounds and 2,000 pounds of capacity. Cranes that utilize a mast crane design provide a high-value, low-cost means of lifting loads. Many fleets invest in Venturo mast cranes for their ease of use and installation.

Venturo offers four mast cranes in multiple configurations to fit any application need. The CE1500FB is an 4,500-foot-pound, economical choice for light and medium-duty applications with a capacity up to 1,500 pounds. This crane includes an electric winch, manual rotation, extension and a folding boom.

The Venturo ct2000 Series includes three models based on boom length. The series includes the ct2003fb, ct2004fb and the ct2005. Each of these models is 6,000 footpounds with a 2,000-pound lifting capacity. These cranes include a heavy-duty winch, manual rotation, manual extension and a folding boom. The ct2005 does not fold down fully due to the boom length.

The ce6k is a 6,000-foot-pound crane with 2,000-pound maximum capacity that is available with your choice of boom sizes, mast heights and winches to meet a variety of lifting needs. Th is crane features an electric winch, manual rotation, manual extension and manual elevation.

The final mast crane Venturo offers is the ct310kx. This crane was originally developed for the military as a 6,650-foot-pound crane with a 1,900-pound maximum capacity. The ct310kx is a four-function electric crane, which features a heavy-duty winch, small footprint, hydraulic elevation, extension and rotation. These models come with a continuous power rotation or a 360 degree power rotation.

Venco Venturo Industries LLC has always offered cranes to fit the needs of its customers no matter the size.

If you would like more information, visit the website at www.venturo.com or call sales and customer service at (800) 226-2238.