Buckner HeavyLift Boosts Safety and Cuts Costs with Digital Training

For more than 75 years, Buckner HeavyLift Cranes, based in Graham, North Carolina, has been a leader in large-scale crane operations, specializing in complex projects in wind power, stadium construction, refineries and industrial development. With the fifth-largest crawler crane fleet in the U.S., Buckner adopts and incorporates the latest cutting-edge technologies to consistently provide quality services, minimize equipment-related issues and prevent incidents and injuries.

For Buckner, however, managing certification and safety compliance training for over 75 crane operators across multiple branches posed significant challenges. Among them were finding ways to ensure consistent Certified Crane Operator (CCO) recertification training across a dispersed workforce while managing the administrative complexity that came with the size and scope of their operations.

CCO certification is essential for Buckner’s workforce, with operators required to recertify every five years. But relying on paper-based study prep guides that had to be mailed to employees nationwide, noted Colton Rhew, national safety manager at Buckner, created inefficiencies, limited visibility into progress and delayed preparation timelines.

Also concerns for Buckner were the high costs and logistical hurdles of in-person CCO training and travel as well as finding a means of adhering to safety and compliance training mandates while tracking completion rates across branches. In addition, there was the need to provide ongoing access to up-to-date training resources.

To address these issues, Buckner established a series of training program goals, including:

• Standardize, scale and track crane operator training for CCO mobile crane recertification and safety compliance
• Reduce costs and administrative burdens associated with CCO recertification
• Implement incentive programs to drive safety compliance and training engagement
• Broaden digital training adoption among seasoned operators while equipping sales teams and apprentices with deeper technical knowledge to support their growth and effectiveness

Digital Solutions

Today, while in-person training remains essential for hands-on skill development, Buckner is addressing its training challenges by strategically and selectively using online courses. The digital training solutions are being supplied and supported by Industrial Training International (ITI), an Interplay Learning company.

To augment and supplement their existing infrastructure of in-person training events, Buckner is using ITI’s crane and rigging catalog as a digital boot camp, familiarizing new apprentices and sales hires with fundamental crane operations while ensuring operators complete critical courses in fall protection, first aid in construction and personal protective equipment awareness. 

The structured, easy-to-follow courses not only prepare them for recertification exams but also reinforce proper inspection procedures and highlight common hazards, helping operators avoid dangerous shortcuts.

Providing Incentives

To further drive participation and engagement in training, especially among seasoned operators, Buckner also introduced an incentive program that’s tracked on ITI’s platform. Through the Buckner Bucks initiative, employees earn $40 for each completed safety course, up to 22 courses per year. The rewards can be redeemed for high-value items such as tools, electronics and branded gear, encouraging ongoing learning while recognizing employee effort, Rhew related.

While new employees quickly adapted to online training, Buckner needed to encourage adoption among seasoned operators less familiar with the latest technologies. To overcome this, the company introduced structured support programs, including group training and peer mentoring. 

Once operators saw how digital training supported certification, reduced travel time and allowed self-paced learning, adoption increased, Rhew noted. The ability to reference digital materials on demand also reinforced key concepts between hands-on sessions. And beyond operator recertification, the approach is also playing a key role in onboarding and career development.

“For companies spread across the U.S. or even globally, online training is essential,” Rhew said. “It’s made a huge impact on our operations. There’s no need for us to develop these courses ourselves, manage a production team or update content. Everything is kept up to date for us, saving time and money.”

Measurable Value

For Buckner, the results of strategically leveraging online training include:

• Crane operators have achieved a 98% pass rate for CCO recertification
• CCO recertification costs have been lowered by 87% every five years compared to sending all operators to traditional in-person training, excluding additional exam fee, travel and lodging expenses
• Safety training completion rates have risen from 75% to 99% 

There are indirect cost savings as well, according to Rhew. For example, automated reminders and progress tracking help ensure timely recertification without overburdening Buckner’s administrative team. Additionally, digital training minimizes operational downtime, keeping operators certified without leaving jobsites, which could cost Buckner up to $3,300 per day per unmanned crane if replacements were unavailable or operator certification lapsed.

“The ability for our crane operators to prepare for their CCO recertification remotely supports consistent training across geographically dispersed teams,” Rhew said. “Before, we struggled with getting the right study materials to our team on time, and there was no easy way to track it. Now, everything is in one place, and we can ensure operators are well-prepared.

“ITI’s digital training catalog has been a key resource for us,” Rhew added. “Safety and risk management are critical and providing our team with industry-leading technology and advanced training has been a huge advantage.”

That success is now helping further Buckner’s expertise in heavy lifting and complex crane projects, and their commitment to safety, efficiency and cost-effective and timely project completion.