ECOL in talks over rigger training

ESTA’s European Crane Operator Licence is in talks about the possibility of developing a rigger training scheme to run alongside its increasingly popular operator training courses.

The move was revealed at last week’s online ECOL Participants meeting and followed discussions at the most recent meeting of the ECOL Supervisory Board. The Board gave the go-ahead for ECOL to investigate the issue in more detail.

Following the Board meeting, ECOL informally contacted a number of leading industry companies to test their reaction. The idea received a positive response from the oil and gas sector in particular, notably Shell and Exxon Mobile, and ECOL experts are now drawing up more detailed plans.

ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “Currently, rigger qualifications are often different in different companies and countries and it may be that ECOL can help create a common standard that would improve safety and efficiency. 

“That is what we are currently investigating and we will be talking to those authorities who currently run rigger training to see if we can develop a common and acceptable Europe-wide approach.”