News

Big boost for ECOL as Denmark gives formal go-ahead

April 11, 2022

Denmark has confirmed that it is formally recognising the European Crane Operators Licence following a series of meetings and consultations.

As a result, any ECOL-qualified crane operator will be able to obtain a Danish crane operators’ licence on production of their ECOL status without the need for any further training or testing.

The news was received this week in a message from the Danish health and safety organisation Arbejdstilsynet (AT) to Danish training organisation EUC Lillebælt and ESTA member DI, the Confederation of Danish Industry. They in turn passed it on to the ECOL Supervisory Board.

The Danish authorities also said that in future they hope to allow ECOL-qualified crane operators to work in the country without the need to obtain a Danish licence but that this will take more time as such a move might require current regulations to be amended.

ECOL Supervisory Board member Klaus Meissner said: “`This is very good news indeed. Standards in Denmark are very strict and carefully supervised by the authorities there, and if they are happy to support ECOL, that should help persuade other national regulatory bodies to follow suit.”

He continued: “The potential for ECOL both to raise safety standards and increase efficiency right across Europe is not in question and we look forward to further developments in the near future.”

ESTA’s ECOL project received a boost in February when Belgium agreed to recognise the licence and positive talks are also ongoing with Germany, Spain and Ireland.

ECOL has already signed two mutual recognition agreements, with the Netherlands and British Columbia in Canada. Such agreements involve ensuring that standards of the national licence and ECOL are fully aligned.

Belgian authorities recognise ECOL

February 21, 2022

ESTA’s European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL) project continues to make progress with Belgium agreeing to recognise the ECOL licence and Denmark reportedly close to following suit.

Positive talks are also ongoing with Spain, although ECOL supporters warn that an agreement with the authorities there is not currently imminent.

The positive noises from Denmark follow a meeting last month between ECOL Supervisory Board members Klaus Meissner and Ton Klijn and senior officials from the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), the country’s largest business and employers organisation.

The meeting discussed the steps needed in Denmark to conclude a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between the Danish health and safety organisation Arbejdstilsynet (AT) and the ECOL foundation.

It was arranged by the Danish crane association, Dansk Kran Forening, and hosted by ECOL Expert Committee member Kim Hvolbøl from BMS Hvidovre.

ECOL makes progress in Denmark

January 10, 2022

Official Danish recognition of the European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL) has moved a step closer following last week’s meeting between ECOL Supervisory Board members Klaus Meissner and Ton Klijn with senior officials from the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), the country’s largest business and employers organisation.

The meeting discussed the next steps needed in Denmark to conclude a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between the Danish health and safety organisation Arbejdstilsynet (AT) and the ECOL foundation.

The meeting was arranged by the Danish crane association, Dansk Kran Forening, and hosted by ECOL Expert Committee member Kim Hvolbøl from BMS Hvidovre.

ECOL manager and ESTA Director Ton Klijn commented: “We were happy to learn that DI will put its weight behind the ECOL system and will urge the Danish authorities to accept the ECOL scheme as an improvement to safety and efficiency in the crane industry.”

It is expected that the combined efforts of DI and DKF will lead to a recognition of ECOL in Denmark before the second half of 2022.

(Photograph from left to right – Kim Hvolbøl (BMS), Ton Klijn (ECOL), Klaus Meissner (ECOL), Finn Vandborg (BMS), Ebbe Roy (DKF).

Mammoet’s ECOL success

December 22, 2021

Five more Mammoet crane operators have passed their examinations for a European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL). They take the total number of operators qualified with Mammoet to 25. The total number of ECOL-qualified operators now stands at 48.

Wouter van Noort, President of ESTA’s Section Cranes and Mammoet’s Europe Director said: “The ECOL qualification is steadily taking root and we remain absolutely committed to it. It is an excellent scheme that, as it develops, will raise safety standards and make our industry more efficient.”

Four ECOL training centres have already been approved – EUC Lillebælt in Denmark; Liebherr Werk Ehingen in Germany; Mammoet Academy in the Netherlands; and Sarens Academy in Belgium.

In addition, crane manufacturers Tadano and Manitowoc are in the final stages of completing the process of becoming approved ECOL training centres and the ECOL online examination system is now up and running in three languages – English, Dutch and Danish. while a German version will be available soon.

ECOL online exam system available in four languages

July 27, 2021

The ECOL online examination system is now up and running in four languages – English, Dutch, Danish and German – and work is underway on a Spanish version.

Tadano and Manitowoc become ECOL training centres

July 26, 2021

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 with overseeing standards.

Four ECOL training centres have already been approved – EUC Lillebælt in Denmark; Liebherr Werk Ehingen in Germany; Mammoet Academy in the Netherlands; and Sarens Academy in Belgium.

ESTA calls on clients to publicly back ECOL licence

June 30, 2021

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 whether the crane operators working on their sites are properly qualified for the machines they are operating – and are worried that safety might be compromised as a result.

He argued: “ECOL is making steady progress but we could move much more quickly with stronger support from the wider industry, especially from major international companies who wield great influence over their suppliers.

“For example, the big energy companies could publicly say that they expect crane operators on their sites to hold an ECOL licence or a verifiable qualification of comparable standard.

“This is a basic safety issue. Crane operator training standards vary hugely from country to country. ECOL is trying to raise the bar so that we eventually stop unqualified and dangerous operators from working equipment when they should not be doing so.

“We know that many firms are fully behind our work in this area, so now we are asking them to make their support public and to communicate that support to ECOL and their supply chains.”

ECOL announces new in-company training scheme.

April 27, 2021

ESTA’s growing European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL) has adopted a new in-company apprentice training structure which the organisation’s leaders hope will make it easier for countries with a strong tradition of apprenticeships to become directly involved in the project.

In light of the development, one leading German organisation has already indicated that it intends to agree a Mutual Recognition Agreement with ECOL, and ECOL managers hope that the change will lead to discussions with the CPA about the UK’s involvement as well.

ECOL’s new system for executing practical training in an in-company or apprenticeship setting involves a number of specific requirements.

These include:

• Declaration of details of the in-company training scheme upon registration of the applicant
• Training duration of at least 280 hours.
• Applicant keeping a record of his/her working hours and actions in the ECOL SkillRecord logbook.

ECOL also requires that the last 40 hours of this practical training should be carried out at an ECOL training institute. The exact content of those final sessions is agreed following an analysis of the apprentice’s logbook to ensure all elements are completed satisfactorily.

In addition, the training institute will conduct at least two unannounced survey visits to the training company and the apprentice during the first 240 hours of practical training.

Ton Klijn, ESTA Director and a member of the ECOL Supervisory Board, said: “We recognised that several European countries have high-quality and long-established apprenticeship systems that provide an important route into the industry for many young people, and as a result we have adapted ECOL’s requirements.”

“Any crane rental company hiring an operator from overseas will know that an operator holding an up-to-date and verifiable ECOL qualification has been properly trained to the required standard without the need for any further training or examination.”

He added: “In all these detailed discussions, we have to remember the great long-term safety and business benefits that we believe ECOL will deliver throughout Europe.”

ECOL in talks over rigger training

March 19, 2021

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.”

Sarens runs its first ECOL training course

February 19, 2021
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 last year following final approval from Lloyds Register, the body tasked with overseeing standards.

Sarens is the fourth ECOL training centre to be approved after Mammoet in the Netherlands, EUC Lillebælt in Denmark and Liebherr in Germany. Four more companies have so far announced their intention to set up ECOL training centres – Aertssen and Michielsens in Belgium plus Tadano Demag and Manitowoc in Germany. In addition, the German Genosk organisation is in talks to qualify its IHK apprentice training scheme under ECOL.

Sarens receives ECOL training centre approval

More training institutes apply to join ECOL

October 7, 2020

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

October 5, 2020

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 and ECOL are fully aligned.

Once they are, an ECOL licence and the national licence will be interchangeable and operators holding them will be able to work in all ECOL-recognising territories without the need for additional training or qualifications.

The current round of talks are with SOLAS in Ireland; BG Verkehr in Germany; and the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Spain.

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

July 15, 2020:

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). The move followed a meeting of the ECOL Expert Committee in May. The meeting – held electronically due to COVID-19 – agreed to an alignment of standards between ECOL and the BCACS. The two sides then signed a formal MRA, a process that was completed on July 8.

The agreement means that an ECOL licence and a BCACS licence will be interchangeable and operators holding them will be able to work in both territories.

ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “This shows the growing international interest in ECOL. Agreements like this will enhance crane operator training on a worldwide level. ECOL can improve both safety and employment flexibility, allowing good operators to work wherever they are needed – something that will be a significant plus, especially for the big international operating companies.”

ECOL supporters hope that the BCACS agreement will eventually lead to similar deals being struck with the rest of Canada.

“This is truly a landmark agreement which demonstrates our mutual commitment to the highest professional crane operator safety standards,” said Fraser Cocks, Executive Director of BCACS.

“Through our partnership we have made a world-class quality crane operator certification system and this work is only the beginning. We look forward to deepening our ties with ECOL while bringing the benefits of this MRA to the rest of Canada.”

The BCACS agreement is the second MRA that ECOL has agreed, and the first outside Europe. ECOL’s first MRA was signed with the Netherlands late last year, and the organization hopes to have further MRAs in place in the near future.

ECOL’s first MRA was signed with the Netherlands late last year, and the organization hopes to have a further MRAs in place in the near future.

Support grows for ECOL in Germany

April 30, 2020: 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 former crane and logistics expert for GE Energy, said that he and his colleagues were “super proud” at the news.

“The team has done a tremendous job to prepare the infrastructure and processes to be able to pass the audit.”

He added: “I believe that ECOL will both improve safety and lead to a stronger and more efficient industry. Better education is vital especially when one considers the increasing level of complexity of both projects and equipment.”
Immediately following certification – and before the lockdown – the first three examinations in the German language were performed by C&LP at Liebherr’s training facility.

Liebherr receives final ECOL approval

April 1, 2020. Liebherr has completed the process of becoming an approved European Crane Operators Licence training centre and has already carried out its first three German language ECOL examinations in Ehingen at the Liebherr Schulungszentrum.

The company received its ECOL Certificate last month following final approval from Lloyds Register, the body tasked with overseeing standards. The current certificate is valid until March 2023.Liebherr has long been a strong supporter of ESTA’s ECOL project and agreed to align its training systems with ECOL’s approach last year.

As a result, any operator that passes the aligned Liebherr training examinations will also be eligible to receive an ECOL licence – provided the operator registers with ECOL and the organisation’s SkillRecord system that logs his or her experience.

ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “On behalf of the ECOL Supervisory Board, we congratulate Liebherr on this result and we wish them and the Liebherr Schulungszentrum many successful ECOL training sessions and certified operators in the future.”

New EU directive shows urgent need for ECOL

February 10, 2020. Support for ESTA’s new European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL) could be given added impetus by a new directive from the European Union.

The directive – EU2018/958 – says that “national rules organising access to regulated professions” should not be used to deny work to qualified professionals from other EU member states.

It comes into force on July 30 this year and includes crane operators within its scope. As a result, any crane operator with a licence recognised by their national authority will be able to work anywhere in the EU.

ESTA Director Ton Klijn said that ESTA supported the policy of free movement, but the directive raises issues for the crane industry and its clients due to the huge variance in operator training standards between different countries within the European Union..

“In many countries the training is of an excellent standard. But, to be blunt, in others you can get an official operators licence with very little training at all. We knew that this directive was in the pipeline, and was one of the reasons why ESTA started to develop ECOL.”

Big boost as ECOL receives EQF approval

December 6, 2019. ESTA’s European Crane Operators Licence project received another big boost this week with the news that ECOL has been approved by the European Qualifications Framework.

Earlier this year, ESTA applied to have the ECOL operator certificate registered and recognised by the Dutch NLQF qualifications framework. Through the NLQF it would be aligned with the EQF across Europe.

This week the NLQF agency confirmed that the EQF Assessment Committee has approved the EQF qualification of the ECOL standard for the level of EQF 3.

This means that ECOL is now an officially recognised European training standard for mobile crane operators and ECOL will have the right to add the EQF logo to its certificates.

ESTA Director and ECOL Chairman Ton Klijn said: “This is very good news indeed and a marvellous early Christmas present for all ECOL supporters. Official EQF backing is further evidence of the professionalism and high standards underpinning this project.”

Sarens – the Belgium-based international heavy lift and transportation company – 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 tasked with overseeing standards.

Ton Klijn, ESTA Director and Chair of the ECOL Supervisory Board, said: “The ECOL Supervisory Board congratulates Sarens and we wish them many successful ECOL training sessions and certified operators in the future.”

Sarens is the fourth ECOL training centre to be approved after Mammoet in the Netherlands, EUC Lillebælt in Denmark and Liebherr in Germany.

Three more companies have so far announced their intention to set up ECOL training centres – Aertssen and Michielsens in Belgium and Manitowoc in Germany. In addition, the German Genosk organisation is taking steps to qualify their IHK apprentice training scheme under ECOL.

In a further development, the online examination system for ESTA’s ECOL project is now up and running in three languages – English, Dutch and Danish – and work is underway on German and Spanish versions.

Talks are also ongoing about signing Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) between ECOL and relevant organisations in Spain, Germany and the UK. So far two MRAs have been agreed, with TCVT from the Netherlands and BCACS from British Columbia, Canada.

To date, ECOL has carried out 19 examination sessions in four different languages. A total of 38 operators have been certified. They were examined in three different countries.