Crane Safety Expert Earns First of it Kind Certification
Billy Hale is Nevada's First "Construction Safety Manager."

by Joe Wheeler

From The Construction Zone: January 2001

Billy Hale of Jake’s Crane & Rigging became Nevada’s first Construction Safety Manager, a new safety certification offered by Nevada Contractors Insurance.

The Construction Safety Manager Certification is based on completing a series of training classes that uses material developed over the course of five years. Thousands of safety directors, foremen and supervisors have taken the classes, and several companies have reduced their accident rates by as much as 90 percent by applying the knowledge in the field.

The new certification is geared for the professional safety director to learn the requirements for creating and implementing a sound safety program, and successful candidates take back to the field a better grasp of the vital importance of safety on construction sites.

The certificate is designed to be equivalent to the OSHA 10 hour course that is typically met by taking the 1910 Business & Industry code and the 1926 General Construction code and choosing which courses suit the needs of the students. Each section, such as fall protection, hazard communication or scaffold safety, is considered an "hour." Such a program would teach 10 such subjects and, with breaks and a lunch hour, take from two to two and half days to complete.

The Safety Manager Cert can be earned over time, with the required and optional classes offered at least once a month on a rotating basis.

Hale is safety director and head of maintenance for Jake’s Crane & Rigging, one of the largest and most recognizable Nevada crane companies. He’s been with Jake’s for five years and got to know the people at the company through his previous employer, American Equipment Company. He had worked there for 23 years, and in that time gained a reputation as one of Nevada’s most experienced, knowledgeable and respected crane safety experts.

Married to Sue for 47 years, Billy is the proud father of four children and was glad to see both of his sons go into the construction business.

Back to Main Page