Testing crane operators by the capacity and type of machine to be used—which is required under today's federal crane rules—provides meaningful qualification of an operator's skill set. Without that, certification lacks the teeth to take a bite out of accidents. This level of testing reduces risks and can be done economically.
Some would argue that capacity is not a useful indicator of an operator's skill. However, the capacity designations used in Crane Institute Certification (CIC) tests are not arbitrary. As CIC's tests were being developed in 2007, industry experts determined that the best way to comply with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's requirement to assess the skill of the operator was to devise tests around the operator's ability to control the load.