Seeing the load from the top of the tower
A mobile crane operator sits near the ground and watches the load at roughly eye level. In a tower crane you look down at the hook from the cab, and depth is much harder to read. Trolley, hoist and slew all move at once, and the load keeps swinging after the controls stop unless you catch it. The TWR practical is built around exactly that problem: small targets on the ground, judged from far overhead.
One extra step NCCCO asks of tower candidates: study the operator's manual and the load chart for the test crane before exam day. Ask us how to get them when you schedule.
The five TWR tasks
- Pre-operational inspection (untimed). Talk through five crane items, explaining how you'd inspect each and which deficiencies you'd be looking for. Allow about a minute per item.
- Stop circle (timed). Starting from the test weight circle, bring the hook and chain over so the chain touches down inside the stop circle.
- Load circle (timed). Pick up the test weight, carry it to the load circle, then take it back to the start circle.
- Zigzag corridor (timed). Move the load through the corridor forward, then reverse it back, touching neither the barriers nor the ground.
- Securing procedures (untimed). Describe how you'd secure the tower crane at the end of a workday.
Timed tasks carry an optimum time. Meet it and you keep every point; past it, points come off gradually, and the examiner may end a task once you hit 1.5 times the optimum. The full scoring rules sit in the current NCCCO candidate handbook.
Errors that cost the most
On a tower crane the costly mistakes are different from the ones mobile candidates worry about:
- Two-blocking. Hoisting the hook block into the trolley or jib is a disqualifying error. Watch your hook height on every pick.
- Hitting the crane with the test weight. Swinging the load into the tower or any part of the crane disqualifies you.
- Missing a stop signal. Every stop must be obeyed right away.
- Other unsafe acts, or going around the course. Either one loses all points for that task.
Booking and exam day
The practical is the hands-on half of NCCCO tower crane certification. Pair it with the tower written exam: NCCCO requires both to be passed for the same designation within 12 months. You must also be at least 18, meet NCCCO's physical requirements and follow its substance abuse policy. Many people take the written exam first, though NCCCO doesn't require that.
Call (214) 763-0513 to ask about upcoming tower practical dates. On the day itself:
- Watch the NCCCO Candidate Video within 24 hours before you test.
- Bring photo ID that shows your date of birth, such as a driver's license, and wear PPE that meets federal OSHA requirements.
- Use about 15 minutes to learn the tower crane controls, then up to five minutes getting a feel for the load.
NCCCO sends results after it receives the score sheet, typically within about 12 working days, by email and through your candidate portal. Details on the program are on nccco.org.
Train in the seat before you test in it
Because the exam is a testing service rather than a class, your preparation happens in one of our TWC-approved tower courses, with seat time on the same tower crane you'll test on. If you have never run a tower crane, the 40-hour tower course covers operation, load charts and exam-style tasks from the start. If you already operate towers and mainly need exam prep, look at the 20-hour course. Candidates traveling a long way can choose the premium tower course, which offers optional room and board.
The classroom simulator helps with depth judgment before you climb up, and extra hours on our cranes can be reserved through practice time. Read what to expect for a picture of a normal training day.