Tadano and Manitowoc become ECOL training centres

Crane manufacturers Tadano and Manitowoc are the latest organisations to complete the process of becoming approved European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL) training centres and are expected to start their first ECOL courses soon. The companies’ training centres in Germany are expected to receive their ECOL Certificates shortly, after approval from Lloyds Register, the body tasked … Read more

ESTA calls on clients to publicly back ECOL licence

ESTA Director Ton Klijn has called on the construction industry’s major clients and contractors to give public backing to the fast-growing European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL) scheme. Klijn said that many clients and contractors – especially those in the energy and civil engineering sectors – have long complained to ESTA that they do not know … Read more

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 … Read more

Sarens runs its first ECOL training course

Sarens – the Belgium-based international heavy lift and transportation company – has run its first training course for the European Crane Operators Licence just weeks after becoming the latest organisation to complete the process of becoming an approved ECOL training centre.The company’s training centre in Wolvertem, Belgium, received its ECOL Certificate at the end of … Read more

Sarens receives ECOL training centre approval

Sarens is the latest organisation to complete the process of becoming an approved European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL) training centre and is expected to start its first ECOL courses shortly. The company’s training centre in Wolvertem, Belgium, received its ECOL Certificate at the end of last year following final approval from Lloyds Register, the body … Read more

ECOL exams available in three languages

The online examination system for ESTA’s European Crane Operators Licence project is now up and running in three languages – English, Dutch and Danish – and work is underway on German and Spanish versions. In addition, three more companies have announced their intention to set up ECOL training centres – Aertssen and Michielsens in Belgium … Read more

More training institutes apply to join ECOL

Five more training institutes have applied to join the European Crane Operators Licence system – three from Belgium and two from Germany. If their application is accepted, they will join the three training institutes already up and running – Mammoet in the Netherlands; EUC Lillebælt in Denmark; and Liebherr in Germany.

ECOL mutual recognition agreement talks underway with Germany, Ireland and Spain

Talks are underway with organisations in Germany, Ireland and Spain to establish mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) between the national crane operator licencing authorities and ESTA’s European Crane Operators Licence. ECOL has so far signed two MRAs – with the Netherlands and British Columbia in Canada. Such agreements involve ensuring that standards of the national licence … Read more

ECOL signs mutual recognition with British Columbia – agreement means licences are interchangeable

Crane operators holding a European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL) will be able to work in British Columbia, Canada – and vice versa – without undertaking additional training following the conclusion of a ground-breaking agreement last week. ESTA’s ECOL scheme has signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the British Columbia Association for Crane Safety (BCACS). … Read more

Support grows for ECOL in Germany

Crane & Logistics Partner has been certified as the first German-based examination institute for ESTA’s new European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL).The company, based in the town of Rheine in north-west Germany, passed the ECOL audit carried out at the end of March by Lloyd’s Register, the body tasked with overseeing standards.Company founder Marcus Wübbelmann, a … Read more