ESTA’s board members have given their backing to the development of a new European Crane and Transport Operators Licence (ECTOL) organisation. It will be formally given the go-ahead in the near future – assuming that it receives the final approval of the supervisory board of the existing European Crane Operators Licence, ECTOL will be an … Read more
ESTA fears that the heavy transport crisis in Germany is getting worse, despite assurances from regional and national authorities that they are responding to the industry’s concerns. It is warning that the country’s system for regulating heavy and abnormal transports is facing near collapse due to the lengthy and growing delays in obtaining permits. The … Read more
ESTA is aiming for its work on crane risk management to be completed early next year with a report published in the Spring. The ESTA crane risk management working group is planning to produce new guidelines to help companies assess the risks involved in different types of work and give them advice on how to … Read more
A meeting of ESTA’s SPMT working group in October will decide whether to adopt a new document on ensuring the stability of SPMTs and will also come to a final agreement on the contents of a new SPMT operators’ training regime. ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “Around the world, we are still seeing far too … Read more
ESTA has given a qualified welcome to detailed new proposals from the European Commission on the weights and dimensions of heavy-duty vehicles allowed to operate on Europe’s roads and related regulations governing heavy and abnormal transport. The proposals are contained in planned amendments to directive 96/53/EC published in July and will next be debated in … Read more
ESTA has been accepted as an associate member of ESPORG, the European Secure Parking Organisation representing all parties interested in safe and secure truck parking. ESPORG’s members include parking area operators, transport and logistics companies, shippers and drivers’ representatives. ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “The move is the latest example of ESTA’s intention to work … Read more
ESTA’s European Crane Operators’ Licence (ECOL) has renewed itsISO 9001:2015 certification after successfully meeting the required criteria. The news means that ECOL will continue to have the licence registered and recognised by the Dutch NLQF qualifications framework. Through the NLQF ECOL is aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) across Europe. The ISO 9000 family … Read more
ESTA is studying carefully new proposals from the European Commission on improving the efficiency and environmental impact of the transport sector – including abnormal transport. They were contained in the Greening Transport Package and the revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive on road transport – 96/53/EC – unveiled by Brussels last week. The wide-ranging … Read more
ESTA has reacted with cautious optimism to a letter from the European Commission expressing Brussels’ strong support for measures to improve the efficiency and safety of abnormal and heavy transport. The letter was written by Kristian Schmidt, land transport director at DG Move, the Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, on behalf of the European … Read more
The International Crane Stakeholders Assembly – of which ESTA is a member – has agreed to develop new guidance on the safe operation of mobile cranes near power lines. The ICSA’s move follows publication of the controversial new European Machinery Regulations. The document says that ‘where relevant’, it requires all mobile machinery to be designed … Read more