November 2018—NCCCO Auditors from across the country descended on the certification body’s Western Regional Office in Murray, Utah, in October to undertake their mandatory annual training to ensure they remain current with recent changes to CCO practical exams.
In addition to reviewing issues typically noted during audits as well as instructing the Auditors on appropriate responses, substantial time was spent on a hands-on review of significant recent changes to the Rigger Level I program. The Auditors also discussed potential improvements to Practical Examiner Accreditation Program (PEAP) workshops and the Audit Program itself.
NCCCO Audit Program Manager Erin Jones, conducted the training. “By keeping everyone on the same page regarding program improvements,” she noted, “we are ensuring CCO test procedures remain standardized and fair. The Audit Program brings our accountability full circle and improves the effectiveness of CCO certification in mitigating risk and generally making the construction industry and lifting operations a safer environment for all to work in.”
Also covered during the annual training were details of a new Mentor Program now available to all Probationary Examiners. Audits are now prefaced by a 10–20 minute mentoring period during which Examiners can ask Auditors specific questions to clarify certain issues and better prepare themselves for administering the exams.
Standardization of test site layout and scoring is key to test integrity and fairness. Here Auditors check the accuracy of a key element of the practical exam course.