The company
Tatum Crane, Inc. is a Texas crane service. The Better Business Bureau and Yelp list it on West Vickery Boulevard in Benbrook, on the southwest edge of Fort Worth. It is also registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as a for-hire carrier (USDOT 3376308), with an address in Gilmer, East Texas, on that record. Directory listings describe crane service in a range of sizes along with heavy haul work. We could not confirm an official website or a fleet list, so we will not guess at the specific cranes it runs.
From ground hand to certified operator
Crane services often grow operators from inside: someone starts as a driver, oiler or rigger, learns the machines, and eventually wants the seat. Federal rules (29 CFR 1926.1427) say that person must be certified for the type of crane before operating it on construction work, and the employer must also evaluate them as qualified for the specific crane. Certification is the part we prepare people for.
For a hand with some exposure but little seat time, the 120-hour fixed/swing cab course is the realistic route. The first stretch is classroom: crane components, OSHA Subpart CC and ASME B30.5, and load chart work until the numbers come easily. Simulator hours come next, then yard time on our telescopic cranes, building from setup and level checks to the moves on the practical exam course. The extra hours matter because the NCCCO practical is scored on precision and smoothness, and new operators need repetition to get there.
Keeping experienced operators current
NCCCO operator certifications have to be renewed every five years. Recertification requires passing the written specialty exam again, and an operator who has not logged enough hours on that crane type during the certification period also has to retake the practical exam. Check the current requirements with NCCCO for each person.
For operators who run cranes every week and mainly need to refresh the written material, the 40-hour fixed/swing cab course is usually enough. It reviews load charts, deductions, the regulations and the practical exam course, without the long build-up a new operator needs. A rental company with several operators on the same renewal cycle can spread them over a few class dates.
Rigging and signaling for the rest of the crew
Not everyone on a crane service crew runs the crane. The hands who hook loads at the customer's site and direct the operator can take the 28-hour Rigger/Signal Person Certification Level I course, which prepares for the NCCCO Rigger Level I and Signalperson exams. For a first introduction, our 4-hour Level I Rigger/Signal Person class covers basic hitches, hardware inspection and standard hand signals; it is a Miller Crane Works qualification, not an NCCCO credential.
This matters on rental jobs in particular. The crane service brings the operator, but the signal person and riggers are often the customer's people, and the operator has to confirm before the first pick who is giving signals and how. A crane hand who has been through signal person training knows what to ask, and is better placed to serve as the signal person, once qualified, when the customer has nobody who fits OSHA's requirements under 1926.1428.
From Benbrook to Seagoville, and how to book
Benbrook to our yard at 304 Tunnell St is a cross-metro drive, usually I-20 east past Arlington and Grand Prairie to the Seagoville area. Many Fort Worth-side students commute; others choose a premium course with optional room and board for the longer programs. To enroll several people, use company classes, call (214) 763-0513, or write through contact us with names, roles and the cranes each person runs.