Registration is now open and the Program is now available for the NCCCO Foundation’s Industry Forum on Personnel Qualifications. Now in its sixth year, the Forum is scheduled for Thursday, November 11, 2021 as a hybrid event to be held in person in Arlington, VA (Washington, DC) as well as via Zoom.
Scott Ketcham, Director of OSHA’s Directorate of Construction, is the invited keynote speaker for the third year in a row, and qualifications of crane operators and those who work with and around lifting equipment once again a central theme of the event. Exclusive sponsor of this year’s Forum is Industrial Training International (ITI).
The Forum will build on the success of previous events and focus on the latest developments in regulations and best industry practices as they pertain to the qualifications of personnel working in, with, and around cranes and other types of lifting equipment. “In light of the imminent publication of OSHA’s Compliance Directive on Crane Operator Qualifications, we anticipate the presentation by Director Ketcham to be especially popular,” said NCCCO Foundation CEO, Graham Brent.
Other sessions will focus on emerging issues in B30 standards, workforce development, telecommunications personnel qualifications, demographic (age and gender) trends, marketing opportunities for employers of certified individuals, and what’s around the corner in new certification programs.
The last Forum was held in 2020 as a virtual event and attracted record registrations of over 300 safety and construction professionals, three times higher than the previous record set in 2019 in Crosby, Texas when it was hosted by the International Union of Operating Engineers. A survey of attendees’ experience was highly positive. “Response to the last Forum was exceptional,” said Brent, “with fully 94% of delegates rating the event as meeting or exceeding their expectations.”
“It’s not every day that you get access to regulatory professionals like OSHA Director Ketcham who are on the front lines of safety and compliance issues,” said Brent. This accounted in large part for the popularity of the question-and-answer panel discussion that concludes the event, he said.
“We pack a lot into a four-and-a-half-hour window. With a dozen or so presentations, focusing on a variety of safety, personnel qualifications and workplace development issues, there’s always something for everyone,” he added.
There is no charge to attend the Forum, thanks to the sponsorship by Industrial Training International (ITI), but registration is required here.