Safety Week 2025 Reinforces a Culture of Accountability Across the Crane and Lifting Industry
- Meagan Wood
- May 6, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 3
30-Second Takeaway
Held from May 6–10, 2025, Safety Week once again united crane operators, riggers, engineers, and safety leaders around a single message: “Every Lift, Every Time Safety First.” With industry-wide participation, hands-on training, and a growing emphasis on mental health and technology, Safety Week continues to shape year-round safety culture across the crane and lifting sectors.
A Unified Effort Across the Industry
Safety Week has become a cornerstone event for the crane and lifting industries, reinforcing shared responsibility across companies, job sites, and disciplines.
Major crane and heavy lift contractors including Maxim Crane Works, Bay Crane, Lampson International, Bigge Crane and Rigging, and Mammoet participated through toolbox talks, live demonstrations, safety stand-downs, and refresher training sessions. Topics ranged from lift zone control and load path planning to PPE compliance and communication protocols.
This week isn’t just about following rules it’s about re-centering safety as a personal responsibility,”
said Diane Wheeler, VP of Safety at Bigge Crane and Rigging.
“One careless step can impact an entire team. Safety Week is our reminder to stay vigilant.”
Key Focus Areas for Safety Week 2025
This year’s Safety Week placed strong emphasis on both traditional risk factors and emerging challenges facing modern crane operations.
Ground Condition Awareness
As mobile cranes increase in size and complexity, improper ground assessment remains a leading cause of incidents. Training sessions highlighted soil evaluation, matting selection, and outrigger load distribution to prevent tip-overs.
Lift Planning Technology
Companies promoted wider adoption of digital lift planning tools, crane simulation software, and real-time telemetry, improving transparency and reducing human error during complex lifts.
Mental Health and Fatigue Awareness
Recognizing that stress, fatigue, and distraction are critical safety risks, many organizations incorporated discussions around mental health, workload management, and crew wellbeing into their Safety Week programs.
Near-Miss Reporting Culture
Safety leaders encouraged open reporting of near-miss incidents without fear of discipline, reinforcing the idea that learning from close calls prevents future accidents.
Training, Technology, and Simulation in Action
Across North America, training centers used Safety Week to deliver immersive, scenario-based learning.
Facilities including NCCCO headquarters in Utah and IUOE Local 14 in New York deployed VR crane simulators, allowing operators to experience emergency situations such as:
Power line contact
High-wind load swing
Boom failure scenarios
Meanwhile, OEMs such as Liebherr and Link-Belt used the week to demonstrate modern crane safety technologies, including:
Automatic outrigger monitoring
Lift zone limiting systems
Integrated operator assistance features
These demonstrations reinforced how equipment design and operator awareness must work together.
Safety Week’s Lasting Impact
Safety Week’s value lies in what happens after the banners come down.
Many companies use the week as a catalyst to:
Update lift planning procedures
Roll out new training programs
Gather feedback directly from field crews
Strengthen leadership visibility on job sites
As the crane industry continues to see gradual but measurable reductions in serious incidents, Safety Week accelerates progress by promoting proactive risk management rather than reactive response.
The Final Word: It Starts With You
Whether you are signaling from the ground, setting rigging, or operating from the cab, safety is only as strong as its weakest link.
As seen on job-site banners across the industry this week:
“It starts with you because every lift counts.”
About NCCCO
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) is a non-profit organization that develops and administers nationally accredited certification programs for crane operators, riggers, and signalpersons.
Website: https://www.nccco.org
About IUOE
The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) represents skilled operating engineers across North America, providing training, apprenticeship programs, and continuing education for crane operators and heavy equipment professionals.
Website: https://www.iuoe.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Safety Week in the crane and lifting industry?
Safety Week is an annual, industry-wide initiative focused on reinforcing safe work practices, improving awareness, and strengthening safety culture across construction, crane, and lifting operations.
Is Safety Week only for crane operators?
No. Safety Week applies to operators, riggers, engineers, supervisors, safety professionals, and management. Every role impacts lift safety.
Why is mental health included in Safety Week?
Fatigue, stress, and distraction directly affect decision-making and situational awareness. Addressing mental health reduces the likelihood of human-factor incidents.
How does technology support crane safety?
Digital lift planning, telemetry, and crane control systems improve accuracy, visibility, and consistency reducing reliance on assumptions and manual calculations.
Does Safety Week actually reduce incidents?
Yes. While it’s not a standalone solution, Safety Week helps embed habits and awareness that contribute to long-term reductions in incidents and near misses.
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