Certifications for Drill Rig Operators Introduced The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) and the International Association for Foundation Drilling (ADSC) have jointly announced the introduction of a certification program for operators of drill rig equipment. Foundation drill rigs and anchor/micropile drill rigs represent specialized equipment used in the construction industry for drilling cylindrical holes in the earth. Until now, no independent mechanism has existed for operators to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities required of this equipment. A task force of subject matter experts representing operators, users, owners, manufacturers, trainers and other stakeholders developed the written and practical examinations that individuals must pass to become certified. Task force members identified the knowledge areas and tasks necessary for safe drill rig operation. Using sound psychometric principles and the very best practices of test development they developed examinations that are fair, valid, reliable, and legally defensible. Although OSHA does not currently require operators of drill rigs to be certified, employers are nevertheless required to ensure they are trained and qualified. Certification can play a major role in that process. To achieve certification, candidates must take the Drill Rig Operator Core written exam and at least one written specialty exam (Foundation Drill Rig and/or Anchor/Micropile Drill Rig), as well as the corresponding specialty practical exam. The written exams cover a wide variety of knowledge areas critical to drill rig work, including pre-operations, site conditions, operations, technical knowledge, tooling, and communication. The practical exams require candidates to demonstrate their ability to operate the equipment and to utilize skills they habitually apply to in-the-field activities. The foundation drill rig practical exam includes tasks related to inspecting the equipment, site safety protocols, identifying opera- tional controls, picking up and laying down pipe, tool positioning, drilling, and safe shutdown/securing. The anchor/micropile drill rig practical exam includes tasks related to inspecting the equipment, forward and reverse travel, vertical drill steel joint, angled and vertical drill steel placement, and safe shutdown/securing. Full documentation for candidates and test sites preparing for nccco.org/handbooks . For more information, contact NCCCO at (703) 560-2391, ext. 202, or email [email protected] . TITAN Preventer System Eliminates Dewatering for Dubai Project Located in Deira, approximately 500 m (1,640 ft) from a creek, a Dubai hotel apartment building had undergone some structural movement within the basement, leading to cracked columns, walls and slabs. Water had penetrated through the cracks in the basement slab and walls. The structure was built in 2007 and consists of 8 stories and two basement levels. An assessment of the building was carried out, and the consulting engineer compiled a detailed design to enhance the stability of the structure, which involved a combination of grouting and micropiling. The issue was that the micropiles and tube-á-manchette steel grouting tubes needed to be installed in the basement area, subject to a high groundwater table. The installation could have been achieved with temporary dewatering; however, this was not the preferred option because of the location of a nearby underground metro station. Ischebeck’s TITAN Preventer System (TPS) was used to install micropiles instead of temporarily dewatering the site. The TPS allowed the successful installation of more than 300 self-drilling micropiles and 580 tube-á-manchette grout tubes. The micropiling was carried out at El. -4.45 m (El. -14.6 ft) with the groundwater level at El. -1.45 m (El. -4.8 ft), without the need to temporary dewatering. The TPS is a valve system that is connected to a compressor via an airline. The system is operated by opening and closing the rubber insert, by applying air pressure to inflate (close) or deflate (open) the rubber insert. When the rubber insert is in the closed position, it restricts the ingress of water, while pressing tight against the CCO drill rig operator certification exams are available at nccco.org/DRO; free PDFs of the Drill Rig Operator Candidate Handbook and Test Site Coordinator Handbook can be downloaded from the micropile, allowing the installation and grouting to be completed. The TPS is fixed securely to the structure prior to commencing the installation and is removed once the grout has completely cured. The micropiles were installed and grouted using the TPS and implemented to strict health and safety procedures. The whole procedure enabled the contractor to maintain an excellent production rate, all to the satisfaction of the site engineer’s and client. The real benefit of the TPS was that it allowed the installation and grouting of the micropiles in a restricted working area without the need for temporary dewatering. It was estimated that there was a £350,000 cost saving (US $445,550) achieved on this project by using the TPS instead of dewatering. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • JAN/FEB 2019 • 103
