Practical Exam | Crane Institute Cert

Practical
Exams

The Practical Exam is a demonstration of the candidate’s hands-on skills operating the crane. With CIC, one Practical Exam may qualify an operator for several types of certifications.

All Practical Exams consist of four (4) challenges demonstrating the following:

Accuracy & Depth perception (this is a timed challenge)
Hand Signals
Ability to maintain a load under control (this is a timed challenge)
Exiting the crane safely

Scheduling Practical Exams

All Practical Examinations must be administered by a CIC Authorized Practical Examiner at a CIC Authorized Practical Exam Site.

Some Candidates contact and hire Practical Examiners directly, selecting an authorized Practical Examiner from the contact list of public/traveling CIC Authorized Practical examiners on this website. Some companies have a private CIC Authorized Practical Examiner employed or contracted by their company who administers Practical Exams on the company site. Some of these sites permit non-employees to take Practical Exams at their location. Candidates are advised to check with these sites to see if their location is more conveniently located to the candidate’s location.

Practical Examiners will coordinate the scheduling of the exam with the candidate and the exam test site, and then complete the Practical Exam registration online for the candidate. CIC Authorized Practical Examiners are not employed by CIC. Payment is made directly to the Practical Examiner and fees may vary between Practical Examiners.

If candidates need to register for and schedule a RUSH Practical Exam within fewer than ten (10) business days and have difficulty identifying an available Authorized CIC Practical Examiner or Exam site, candidates may call CIC at (407) 878-5590 for assistance finding Exam sites and related personnel on the desired date and time (if available). Rush fees will apply.

Registration support is available from CIC by telephone and email (help@cicert.com) Monday-Friday during traditional business hours (EST), excluding holidays.

Candidates are entirely responsible for making sure that accurate and complete Practical Exam pre-registrations and registrations are submitted online prior to the desired Exam date.

Minimum Passing Practical Exam Scores

The Practical Examiner and Assistant Examiner record their observations of the Candidate's skills in four skills domains as listed in the table to the right; however, it is important to note that Examiners do not calculate the final grade. Exam Observation Sheets are used to calculate final grades by the third-party exam adminstration vendor.

Points are deducted for errors made during the exam, or for exceeding the stated time limit to complete particular tasks. The minimum score required to pass the Practical Exam is 70%. The table to the right summarizes the four key domains which are assessed during the exam and the approximate percentage of the exam each domain represents. This information may help guide your preparation for taking the Practical Exam.

For more information view the Candidate Handbook.

Click Here for Candidate Handbook

Fees

The $70 CIC Practical Exam fee does not cover the cost of Practical Exam Administration or Exam Site Fees. The candidate pays these fees directly to a Practical Examiner and Practical Exam Site. These fees are variable, as Practical Examiners and Exam Sites are private entities not employed by CIC. CIC will maintain neutrality in the market and will not engage in price fixing with any organization.

Practical Exam Administration Procedures

Before the Practical Examination: Candidate Responsibilities

Hiring a Practical Examiner. Candidates are responsible for identifying and hiring an Authorized CIC Practical Examiner directly from (link to Practical Examiner list). Some employers which are designated as Authorized Practical Exam Sites and an Authorized Practical Examiner will handle registering, scheduling, and exam administration internally.

Ensuring Scheduling of Exam at Desired Date/Time and Location. While the Candidate does not handle the scheduling directly, it is their shared responsibility with the Practical Examiner and Exam Site to ensure desired dates and arrangements are secured and confirmed.

Paying Practical Examiner & Exam Fees. CIC Practical Examiners are not employed by CIC and set their own exam administration rates. Likewise, Exam Sites may charge a site fee which the Candidate is responsible for paying. Prices often vary.

If employed by a company serving as an Authorized CIC Practical Exam Site, the company’s designated Site Coordinator and/or Practical Examiner will coordinate all aspects of the Candidate’s exams.

Get Prepared. Pursue quality training in advance, practice your skills, and get feedback about your skills from qualified professionals. Review course preparation materials and helpful resources (link to prep materials and helpful resources)

Cancellations

Practical Exams - Practical Exam fees paid to a public Practical Exam site or CIC Authorized Practical Examiner reserved by CIC are not refundable, but exams may be rescheduled. If a candidate must reschedule or cancel a Practical Exam once it has been scheduled and confirmed by the exam site, the candidate is responsible for rescheduling and paying any applicable fees. No fee is charged to the candidate when an exam is cancelled or rescheduled by the Practical Examiner or Practical Exam Site. The section to the right provides examples of various issues that could cause a Practical Exam cancellation.

Potential reasons for rescheduling include, but are not limited to:

1.Site Issues

Crane unavailable or unusable
Course materials incomplete or inadequate
Failed to schedule Candidate, Examiner, or Assistant Practical Examiner for the proper time.
Site Coordinator fails to show up.

2.Weather Conditions (no one's fault)

Excessive wind
Thunder or lightning
Fog, precipitation, or other weather conditions that obscure vision.

3.Examiner Issues

Examiner arrives late and misses exam.
Missing Examiner materials or tools

4.Candidate Issues

Missing ID or problems with verification of candidate identity
Does not wish to proceed on day of exam for any reason (illness, discomfort with crane operation, etc.)
Cancels exam less than a week before exam