

A discussion on the most important issues today
Remain the most competent employee in your organization
CICB invites you to ‘Eat with the Experts’, our Q&A lunch at CONEXPO 2020.
Take a break from the bustle of CONEXPO and sit down with industry experts including Jim D. Wiethorn, Ph.D., P.E., as well as CEO of the NCCCO, Thom Sicklesteel. Bring any crane, lifting & rigging question you can think of and have them answered by the best in the business. Questions can be practical or theoretical in nature and submitted either in person, before the event, or electronically at the event.
In December 2018 OSHA introduced mandatory certification for all crane operators. Familiar terms are being redefined. The goal posts for compliance are shifting endlessly. Are you up to date?
Are you aware,
- That 93% of crane accidents are the result of human error, but that less than a third of those errors are made by the operator?
- That a NCCCO card is NOT enough to qualify your operators?
- That the only person who can sign-off on the qualification of your operators is the employer themselves?
Questions to Consider
- How do I know my operators are qualified?
- How do I know my program is effective? Safe? Efficient?
- Am I compliant?
On average, one person has died in a crane-related accident every week for the past 12 years. Only 7% of those and all non-fatal accidents have anything to do with equipment malfunction. The appointment and training of personnel is key.
This is a rare opportunity to address these issues with the people who have the answers. So eat with the experts. Ask Larry Kime how new regulations affect compliance. Ask Jim Wiethorn why accidents happen. Ask Thom Sicklesteel who needs to be certified. Ask John O’Connor what training is necessary and what is recommended.
Join us for this rare Q&A lunch and ask the experts those things no-one else can answer.
For directions, please see this map of CONEXPO and this floorplan of the Westgate Convention Center.
The Experts
Larry Kime – CICB’s Senior Instructor and Technical Adviser
Larry is CICB’s Senior Technical Advisor on all CICB training materials, as well as all written and practical examinations. His passion with safety began in the Air Force where he served 20+ years in construction. He had senior level responsibilities in supervision and specialized training to personnel for inspections and maintenance of all types of construction equipment including cranes, loaders, tractor-trailers, excavators, water trucks, dump trucks, graders, dozers, and backhoes. His 40+ years of experience with the Air Force and CICB have resulted in an encyclopedic knowledge of all NCCCO Certification programs, OSHA regulations and ASME standards. His gift for teaching, along with his passion for safety, are second to none.
Jim D. Wiethorn Ph.D., P.E. – Engineering Specialist at Haag Engineering Co.
Jim Wiethorn is an Engineering Specialist at Haag Engineering Co., as well as a Principal Engineer in the Houston office and a licensed engineer in 35 states. A third-generation general contractor, Dr. Wiethorn specializes in construction-related accidents, product design and operational issues, particularly dealing with crane operations. Dr. Wiethorn has completed over 1,100 crane-related accident evaluations. In 2014 Dr. Wiethorn published the results of his study of the first 500 crane accidents, ‘Crane Accidents: A Study of Causes & Trends to Create a Safer Work Environment, 1983-2013’. In May 2018, Dr. Wiethorn completed his doctoral dissertation, ‘An Analysis of Critical Factors of Lift Planning to Improve Crane Safety Based on Forensic Causation of Crane Accidents’ at the University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
Thom Sicklesteel – CEO at National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO)
Thom is the third generation of a family that brought cranes and lifting equipment to the Pacific Northwest. Under his leadership, Sicklesteel Cranes, Inc. won multiple national and regional safety awards. Thom is a voting member on the ASME B30.5 Subcommittee and serves as an alternate on ASME B30 Main Committee. Thom serves on the board of NCCCO and is the Immediate Past President. In Washington State, Thom served as a Member of the Negotiation Committee and panelist for the Washington State Crane Legislation. He also served as a stakeholder for the Washington State Crane Administrative Code Committee and Select Committee. Thom has served as a Subject Matter Expert for the Washington State Crane Certifier Exam as well as the NCCCO Lift Director Exam.
John O’Connor – Director of CICB’s Career School in Houston
John O’Connor is Manager of CICB’s Houston Operations and Director of CICB’s Houston Career School, which is approved and regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission, Division of Career Schools and Colleges. John is CCO certified and a practical examiner in virtually all NCCCO programs and is an NCCCO Elected Alternate Commissioner. John is also co-author of multiple CICB training programs including mobile and overhead cranes and hoists, tower cranes, heavy equipment, forklifts, aerial devices, rigging and other equipment used in the crane & lifting industry. His 30+ years of experience in training, inspections, operations, planning, maintenance, administration and personnel management for various types of lifting and earth moving equipment make him an invaluable safety asset in the crane and lifting industry.
Eat with the Experts Q&A lunch