Running a crane you can't always see under
Tower crane work has its own discipline. The operator sits high above the site and often cannot see the load at all, so every blind pick depends on a signal person and on radio calls that leave no room for guessing. Capacity changes as the trolley moves out along the jib, and wind matters far more at that height than it does on the ground.
This course teaches those habits from the first day: read the chart for the trolley radius you are working at, check the wind, confirm communication, then lift. The 40 hours split between the classroom and the seat of our tower crane.
The rules behind it are the same ones site supervisors work from: OSHA's crane standard for construction (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC), which requires operators to be certified for the type of crane they run, and the ASME B30.3 standard for tower cranes.
Who picks the 40-hour tower course
- People new to tower cranes. You do not need prior tower time. A full week covers the fundamentals and still leaves real hours in the cab.
- Mobile crane operators. Mobile experience helps but is not required. If you already run telescopic or crawler cranes, you will learn what changes when the crane is fixed in place and the load travels on a trolley, and you can add a second certification.
- People aiming at building sites. High-rise and commercial projects are where tower cranes do most of the lifting.
If you already operate tower cranes and want only focused exam prep, look at the 20-hour tower course.
Topics, from the ground up
Classroom
- Types of tower crane, their main components and the safety devices that limit load and travel
- What the operator is responsible for, and the rules behind each lift
- Tower load charts: capacity at each trolley radius and for each jib length
- Wind limits, weather and changing site conditions
In the cab
- Pre-operational inspection and daily checks
- Hoist, trolley and slewing control, kept smooth and coordinated
- Blind lifts directed by hand signals and radio
- Precise load placement
- Out-of-service procedures and a proper shutdown that leaves the crane secure
Bring a valid photo ID, boots, layers for the weather, a notebook and a calculator. The first morning starts with your instructor, a safety briefing and an outline of the week.
The NCCCO tower certification
The NCCCO Tower Crane Operator certification (designation TWR) needs two things: a written exam and a practical exam. Unlike mobile crane certification, there is a single tower written exam rather than a Core plus specialty pair. The course prepares you for both parts.
The practical is taken from the seat of the tower crane in our yard and has five scored tasks. You explain how you would inspect five crane items, lower the hook and chain into a stop circle, carry the test weight to a load circle and back, guide it through a zigzag corridor forward and then in reverse without touching barriers or ground, and describe how you would secure the crane for the night. Two-blocking the crane, striking the crane with the test weight or ignoring a stop signal ends your exam. Candidates are expected to have reviewed the test crane's manual and load chart. More on the tower practical exam page.
Pass the written and practical within 12 months of each other. NCCCO grades and certifies; we prepare you.
Paying for the course and getting started
Tuition is $5,500. Veterans may be able to use GI Bill® benefits (Chapter 33 or Chapter 31), and other students rely on WIOA funds through their local Workforce Solutions office, employer sponsorship or self-pay. See funding options.
NCCCO candidates must be at least 18, meet its physical requirements and follow its substance abuse policy. When you call, admissions reviews those and the school's own requirements, confirms whether 40 or 20 hours fits your background and helps you choose a week. Then you plan your trip to Seagoville. Details are on the admission page; please read our grievance policy as well.
Travelling in from out of the area? The Premium tower course offers this tower training with premium extras and optional room and board.