Crawler cranes that use manual brakes and clutches to control the hoist are a rare breed and so are the people with the skill needed to operate them. Seeing an opportunity to help those people tout their expertise, one certifying agency has created a new designation for friction-crane operators.
"It is much more difficult to operate," says Hans Merkel, president of Kissimmee Crane School, Kissimmee, Fla., speaking of the older-style cranes. "Your foot slips off the brake, and everything comes down." The school, an authorized examiner for Crane Institute Certification (CIC), began the testing late last month.