
Welcome to the ECOL Foundation
EUROPEAN CRANE OPERATORS LICENCE
Welcome to the website of ECOL, the European Crane Operators Licence project.
Currently each European Member State has its own rules for the professional competence and certification of crane operators. These rules range from compulsory to optional and even to no rules at all. The differences can lead to confusion, have a negative impact on safety and also prevent the mobility of crane operators in Europe.
For this reason ECOL is committed to developing a system for the optimum distribution of safe and qualified crane operators within Europe.
ECOL is a non-profit organisation, structured as a foundation under Dutch law and governed by a supervisory board with representatives from the crane users, crane manufacturers and crane operator labour unions.
It is ECOL’s ambition to:
- enable every crane operator in Europe to demonstrate that he or she meets the minimum requirements of the industry.
- enable every crane operator to exercise his profession in any European member state, without having to attend multiple unnecessary retraining and examination sessions.
- enable every employer to assess the qualifications and experience of any operator applying for a position.
- enable every site or plant manager to check the qualifications and experience of any crane operator who enters his construction site or plant.
Sarens’ revamped training centre backing ECOL
Sarens inaugurated its revamped operator training centre in Wolvertem, Belgium, last week, increasing its capacity both for classroom and practical crane training operations. The centre has also included ESTA’s European…
Christmas boost as Swiss recognise ECOL
Switzerland is the latest country to formally recognise the ESTA’s European Crane Operators Licence as the scheme continues to expand its influence. The news was received this week from the…
ECOL welcomes first woman licence holder
Kelly Doruijter from the city of Spijkenisse in the Netherlands has become the first woman to hold an ECOL licence. She joined Mammoet in April 2021 and worked as a…