CCO Policies

CCO has adopted a Code of Ethics that exemplifies the professional conduct that is expected of CCO-certified personnel and candidates for certification.

CCO’s Code of Ethics is as follows:

In my occupation, I will conduct myself in a manner:

(i) So as to place the safety and welfare of others associated with my work above all other considerations,

(ii) So as to protect and preserve nearby general public property and the environment, and

(iii) So as to be free of bias with regard to religion, ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, and disability.

Furthermore, in connection with my work and in my dealings relating to CCO certification, I will:

(iv) Make management and appropriate personnel aware promptly of any safety concerns relating to the work that I am performing or with which I am involved;

(v) Not violate any safety-related regulations, warnings, or instructions set forth by OSHA, recognized safety standards, prevailing jurisdictions, or equipment manufacturers; and,

(vi) Not mislead, misrepresent or knowingly deceive others concerning my experience or the capabilities of myself or the equipment I am operating or with which I am working.

(vii) Not use my certification or evidence of certification in a misleading manner, or make claims regarding certification that go beyond the scope for which certification has been granted to me;

(viii) Not use my CCO certification in such a manner as to discredit CCO, and not make any statement regarding my certification which CCO considers misleading or unauthorized;

(ix) Discontinue the use of all claims to certification that contain any reference to CCO or CCO certification upon suspension or withdrawal of my certification, and I understand that I must return any cards or certificates issued by CCO immediately if required to do so; and,

(x) Not misrepresent or misuse any acronyms or logos, or any registered trademark or other intellectual property of CCO, including content subject to copyright or confidentiality.

In addition, in my dealings with CCO, I will:

(xi) Provide accurate and complete information and abide by CCO’s policies and procedures, including this Code of Ethics, as they may be updated from time to time;

(xii) Not act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, or to provide another with an advantage, in connection with any dealings with CCO;

(xiii) Conduct my affairs with CCO, any Proctor or testing personnel, and other candidates, in a professional and respectful manner, according to accepted codes of business conduct; and,

(xiv) Cooperate fully and completely with any administrative inquiries or investigations by CCO.

CCO candidates and certificants who violate the Code of Ethics, whether in their capacity as a candidate, certificant, or credentialed testing personnel, will be subject to action by the Ethics and Discipline Committee, or a similar panel, which may result in suspension or revocation of certification or other appropriate sanctions.

1. It is the policy of NCCCO Services LLC dba CCO Certification (CCO) that certified personnel shall not perform duties related to their certification while under the influence of any substance that impairs or may reasonably be expected to impair their ability to work safely in the workplace.
2. This policy applies to substances including alcohol, illegal drugs, look-alike drugs, designer drugs, controlled substances, or any other substance that impairs or may reasonably be expected to impair a certificant’s ability to work safely, including prescribed or over-the-counter substances.
3. CCO-certified personnel shall comply with all substance abuse provisions of applicable federal, state, and local regulations; pertinent worksite rules and policies; and applicable industry standards, including the substance abuse provisions of ASME B30.
4. For purposes of this policy, a refusal to submit to a required substance abuse test shall be treated in the same manner as a positive test.
5. It is a condition of eligibility that those who have applied to be certified and those who are certified by CCO agree to comply with this Substance Abuse Policy.
6. Non-compliance with this policy may subject a candidate or certificant to disciplinary action, up to and including denial of eligibility, suspension, or revocation of certification status.

CCO’s Ethics & Discipline Committee is responsible for establishing and implementing standards of conduct for candidates and certificants, such as ethical standards, as well as policies and procedures for disciplinary action in such cases.

Disciplinary Policy

All participants in CCO’s certification programs, including CCO-certified personnel, are held to very high standards of conduct and are expected to conduct themselves in an ethical manner.

In recognizing its responsibility to maintain the integrity of CCO’s certification programs, CCO understands that action may be needed against a candidate or certificant upon receipt and investigation of allegations of violation(s) of the Code of Ethics or Substance Abuse Policy or similar policies, if they are found to be substantiated.

Grounds for sanctions, including revocation of certification status, shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Non-compliance with the Code of Ethics
• Falsification of any information on any documents submitted to CCO or its agents
• Culpability in an accident during certification period
• Non-compliance with CCO’s Substance Abuse Policy

For purposes of applying CCO’s Code of Ethics and related policies and procedures, prospective certificants (i.e., those who have applied or registered for certification), and those holding themselves out as certificants, shall be treated in the same way as certificants.

Review CCO’s Code of Ethics.

Review CCO’s Substance Abuse Policy.

Purpose, Responsibilities and Objectives of the Ethics & Discipline Committee

The purpose of the Ethics & Discipline Committee is to ensure that issues regarding the practice and conduct of CCO-certified personnel (certificants) are fairly and reasonably investigated and determined, and to protect the public and integrity of the program against unprofessional and/or unethical conduct by certificants or candidates.

The primary objective of the Ethics & Discipline Committee is to enforce the Code of Ethics and Substance Abuse policies. The Ethics & Discipline Committee shall receive and review complaints of ethical or substance abuse violations and determine appropriate action, including sanctions and/or dismissal of complaint.

Composition and Meetings of the Ethics & Discipline Committee

The Ethics & Discipline Committee shall comprise a minimum of six members to serve as members of the Committee, who shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. Of the six members, a minimum of three shall be Commissioners or have previously served as a Commissioner.

The Committee shall also be empowered to draw on any additional expertise available from members of CCO’s exam management committees or other sources, as it deems necessary, to formulate an educated decision.

Procedures for the Investigation and Referral of Cases to the Committee

In general, CCO’s Ethics & Discipline Committee considers matters as presented and/or recommended by CCO Staff. In particular, matters are referred to the Ethics & Discipline Committee by the Program Integrity Team (PIT), after investigation, generally by means of a completed written report to accompany the referral.

CCO’s policies and procedures have been designed to fairly and consistently address complaints of alleged violations of the Code of Ethics or Substance Abuse Policy, or similar complaints, to ensure that complaints are fairly and reasonably investigated and considered, and to allow for the referral of valid and actionable cases to the Ethics & Discipline Committee after investigation.

Review CCO’s Standard Procedures for Program Integrity Matters.

Hearings by the Ethics and Discipline Committee

Upon referral, the Ethics and Discipline Committee shall schedule meetings to hear cases, by general reference to the following procedures, which shall be subject to modification or change from time to time.

• A certificant or candidate shall be invited to the Ethics & Discipline Committee meeting at which their case will be considered at least 14 calendar days prior to the meeting.
• The certificant or candidate who is the subject of the case may elect to attend the Committee meeting via telephone conference.
• The certificant or candidate, in advance of the meeting, can provide a written statement for the Committee’s consideration. Any statement submitted shall be limited to two (2) pages. Exhibits may also be provided by the certificant or candidate for the Committee’s consideration. Any exhibits submitted shall be limited to ten (10) pages.
• One or more attorneys for the certificant or candidate may be present during the meeting; however, the attorney(s) will not be permitted to participate in the Committee meeting.
• Neither factual witnesses nor expert witnesses will be permitted to participate in the Committee meeting. If a candidate or certificant wishes to present statements from such witnesses, he or she may submit up to three (3) such statements, in writing, at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. Any statement submitted shall be limited to two (2) pages in length.
• No other parties will be permitted to participate in the Committee meeting.

An individual’s failure to respond to the complaint, lack of cooperation in the investigation, or non-participation in the Committee meeting shall be considered by the Ethics and Discipline Committee in reaching a determination concerning a case.

Disposition of Cases

If the Ethics and Discipline Committee concludes that some type of action is warranted, it may take one or more of the following actions, or other appropriate action, in the discretion of the Committee:

• Notify the complainant and certificant or candidate, in writing, that, based on the investigation, no action is warranted against the certificant and dismiss the case;
• Require that the certificant or candidate cease and desist the alleged conduct;
• Reprimand the certificant or candidate in writing;
• Place the certificant or candidate on probation and monitor the certificant’s conduct;
• Refer the matter to a national, regional, state, or local professional association;
• Suspend the certificant’s certified status for an appropriate period of time, including indefinitely;
• Revoke the certificant’s certified status;
• Prevent a candidate from seeking certification for a period of time, including indefinitely;
• Take any other action that is warranted under the circumstances.

Notification of Disposition of Case

NCCCO’s Program Integrity staff shall notify the candidate or certificant of the Committee’s findings and determination within 30 days from the date of the decision.

Any action taken by the Committee against the candidate or certificant shall become part of the record in the individual’s file, which record may be considered during any future consideration regarding the individual’s certification status.

Program Integrity Staff shall report the name(s) of the sanctioned certificants or candidates, and the violation(s) as determined by the Ethics & Discipline Committee. Such information may be posted on the NCCCO website, or other reasonable locations, consistent with NCCCO’s Information Release Policy.

Upon request, Program Integrity Staff may provide a report to any interested person or public agency deemed necessary to protect the public, consistent with NCCCO’s Information Release Policy.

Review NCCCO’s Information Release Policy.

Appeals

NCCCO has established policies and procedures by which sanctioned individuals may appeal decisions of the Ethics & Discipline Committee to the Board of Directors.

Sanctioned individuals who wish to appeal a decision by the Committee, including revocation, must do so in writing. In general, the appeal must be mailed by traceable courier or certified mail, return receipt requested, stating the grounds for the appeal.

 Review NCCCO’s complete Appeals Policy and Procedures.

Close of Ethics and Discipline Committee Case

Once a final decision has been made, the matter shall be closed and the relevant files shall be retained for a reasonable period of time by NCCCO Program Integrity Staff.

Members of the Ethics & Discipline Committee, the Board of Directors, and others in contact with materials related to the investigation, shall destroy or return all information received during the investigation to NCCCO Program Integrity Staff.

1. Rationale for Complaint Procedures
   1. Individuals certified through NCCCO Services LLC dba CCO Certification (CCO) are expected to conduct themselves in an ethical manner. In recognizing its responsibility to maintain the integrity of the certification program, CCO accepts that action may be needed against a candidate or certificant upon receipt and investigation of allegations of violation(s) of the Code of Ethics, Substance Abuse Policy, Program Participant Agreement, or other polices and procedures that are found to be substantiated.
   2. Similarly, other program participants assisting CCO in administering certification examinations, such as testing personnel and test sites, are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner. In recognizing their responsibility in facilitating CCO certification examinations, CCO accepts that action may need to be taken against a program participant upon receipt and investigation of allegations of violation(s) of CCO policies and procedures that are found to be substantiated.
   3. This procedure describes the steps to be taken to submit a program integrity complaint to CCO. By publishing this procedure, the CCO does not expect, invite, solicit or encourage complaints. The use of these procedures is for the purposes of protecting the reputation of the profession and the integrity of the program, and assuring a fair investigation of complaints.
2. Complaint
   1. Complaints should be submitted as early as possible. In certain cases, untimely complaints may be closed with no action, at the discretion of the Program Integrity Team (PIT).
   2. Complaints and supporting evidence must show a violation of a CCO policy or procedure.
   3. At a minimum, the complaint must specify the name of the respondent, the alleged inappropriate behavior, and, if available, any corroborating evidence.
   4. In general, complainants should provide their name, phone number, and email address with the complaint.
   5. Complainants can submit their complaints to CCO through the following means:          US Mail:
      CCO
      ATTN: Program Integrity Team
      5250 S. Commerce Drive, Suite 100
      Murray, UT 84107            Email: programintegrity@nccco.orgTelephone: 833-30-NCCCO
3. Communications
   1. Complainants will receive a complaint acknowledgement from PIT, unless the complainant did not provide their identity or contact information.
   2. If further information is required before an investigation can be opened, or is needed to assist in

Standard Procedures for Program Integrity Matters

CCO’s Program Integrity Team is responsible for ensuring that matters involving program integrity and ethics & discipline are addressed and managed in a timely, efficient, and systematic fashion.

In general, CCO’s Program Integrity Team (PIT) procedures shall be applied so as to treat all parties fairly and equitably, and to ensure that all applicable matters are handled in a constructive, impartial and timely manner.

The following provides a summary of the standard procedures applicable to all Program Integrity matters.

Procedures for New Matters

1. New Matters

(1) Potential violations/complaints brought to the attention of CCO Staff are forwarded to the PIT for review.

(2) To maximize the PIT’s ability to gather relevant evidence, complaints should be submitted as early as possible. In certain cases, complaints made after 90 days from the date of the incident may be closed with no action, at the discretion of the PIT.

2. Complainants

(1) If a matter involving program integrity or ethics & discipline is brought to the attention of the PIT from outside of CCO, an acknowledge of the complaint will be sent.

(2) To the extent possible, CCO will also provide the complainant with notice of the conclusion and general outcome of the process by which the complaint was handled. As reasonably necessary or appropriate, CCO may also provide such notices to other interested parties.

3. Preliminary Evaluation

(1) New Matters will be discussed at the next scheduled PIT meeting or, in any event, within 30 days of being added as a New Matter.

(2) In appropriate situations, a matter may be closed upon initial review without further action.

(3) If a matter is determined by the PIT to require further action, then a new Case is formally “opened.”

Procedures for the Investigation and Disposition of Cases

1. Investigation of Cases

(1) The PIT shall be responsible for investigating each Case and for gathering and verifying any and all necessary information to validate each complaint.

(2) When the PIT opens an investigation, in general, the subject will be sent a letter notifying them of the investigation within 10 days of the PIT meeting at which the case is opened.

(3) An investigation report is prepared by the PIT staff, and reports may be discussed at subsequent PIT meetings for any further review that may be necessary. These reports may be utilized to determine further recommendations and/or action. Except where additional time is necessary, reports are generally completed within 60 days of a New Matter being added.

(4) In each Case involving a Practical Examiner, Test Site Coordinator, or Auditor, the PIT shall determine whether or not the program participant’s actions were “willful.”

1. A willful violation is defined as “an act done voluntarily with either an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of CCO policies or relevant industry safety or other standards.”
2. In the event of a willful violation, in addition to any other sanctions, an individual suspended or sanctioned in any one capacity is automatically suspended or sanctioned in every other capacity in the program; provided, however, that the individual’s certification(s) may or may not be suspended or sanctioned, at the discretion of the Ethics & Discipline Committee.
3. In cases involving Practical Examiners, where an examiner’s actions are found to be willful, they will be required to request permission from the appropriate Committee for re-entry into the Practical Examiner Program after expiration of any revocation period. The examiner will be required to appear, either in person or by telephone, at the Committee meeting at which the foregoing request is heard.

2. Referral of Matters/Cases

(1) As necessary or appropriate, and consistent with CCO’s Decisions/Appeals Process matrix, the PIT may refer matters and/or cases to another appropriate entity for further investigation and/or handling, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Ethics & Discipline Committee
• Practical Exam Audit Committee (PEAC)
• Practical Exam Management Committee(PEMC)
• Test Site Incident Report (TSIR) team
• CCO Legal Department
• CCO Testing Services Department
• CCO Certification Team
• CCO Marketing Department

(2) A matter or case may be referred to another entity in whole or in part, for exclusive or concurrent action, and before or after investigation and review by the PIT, depending on the on the nature of the subject matter and the entity to which the matter or case is referred.

3. Disposition of Cases

(1) In the case of matters not otherwise referred, decisions regarding the disposition of a Case are made and approved by the PIT. As may be warranted under the circumstances, any members of the PIT previously and personally involved in the underlying subject matter of the Case should generally recuse themselves from the final decision regarding disposition.

(2) At the close of the PIT’s investigation, if a program participant or other person is recommended for disciplinary action, under the authority granted to CCO Staff, the PIT will send an appropriate letter reflecting the action taken and advising the participant or person of the action taken and any applicable rights of appeal. This letter is generally sent within 10 days of the PIT meeting at which the action was taken.

(3) If a program participant is revoked, the participant’s record(s) will be updated accordingly. In addition, the participant will be removed from the Verify CCO Online (VCO) database.

(4) Except in extenuating circumstances where additional time is necessary, investigations are to be completed, decisions shall be reached by the PIT, matters referred to another appropriate entity, and/or the participant or person shall be advised of any action taken and any applicable rights of appeal within 90 days of a New Matter being added. Cases involving suspensions are generally expedited for resolution.

Confidentiality

Application of the PIT procedures is subject to considerations of confidentiality, circumstances permitting.

Additional Program Integrity procedures:

• Administrative Holds during Investigations

• Suspensions Pending Investigation
• Certain Matters Involving Practical Examiners
• Incidents Involving Safety Issues
• Matters Involving Complaints against Training Providers

Sanctioned individuals may appeal adverse decisions in disciplinary cases by following CCOu2019s established policies and procedures concerning appeals.

If you have been the subject of an adverse administrative decision that is subject to appeal, such as a request for a recertification deadline extension, revalidation of an invalidated examination, approval of testing accommodations, or other issues, please refer to CCOu2019s Administrative Appeals Policy.

Notification of Rights of Appeal

In cases involving disciplinary sanctions by the Program Integrity Team (PIT), such as testing personnel cases, within ten (10) days of the PIT meeting at which the action was taken, CCO Program Integrity Staff will send a letter to the participant, reflecting the action taken and advising them of any applicable rights of appeal.

In cases involving sanctions by the Ethics & Discipline Committee, such as certificant cases, within thirty (30) days of the decision being made, CCO Program Integrity Staff will send a letter to the candidate or certificant, reflecting the action taken and advising them of any applicable rights of appeal.

The responsible bodies for initial decisions and appeals of particular program participants are set forth in CCOu2019s Decisions/Appeals Process.

Deadlines for Appeals

Sanctioned persons shall have thirty (30) days from the date of notification in which to request an appeal of the adverse decision. In such an event, CCOu2019s Program Integrity Staff shall notify the appropriate Appeals Panel that an appeal has been filed.

Information Included in the Appeal

Any appeal of an adverse decision must be made in writing and must be either emailed or mailed by traceable courier or certified mail, return receipt requested, as instructed in the notification letter.

The appellant shall state the specific grounds why the appeal should be considered.

Stays of Sanctions Pending Appeal Hearing

The appellantu2019s written appeal may include a request for a stay of sanctions pending the appeal hearing; provided, however, that sanctions against individuals as a certificant or candidate cannot be stayed pending appeal.

The appellantu2019s request for a stay pending appeal will be reviewed and decided within five (5) business days of the request. The General Counsel will consider the following factors when reviewing a request for a stay during the appeal period:

1. If the program participant was suspended pending investigation before being formally sanctioned;
2. If there was an injury resulting in serious bodily harm or fatality;
3. If there was a willful violation of any state or federal safety regulation;
4. If there was a willful violation of CCO policies and procedures; and
5. If there is a material risk of harm to the program or third parties if the program participantu2019s sanction does not take effect.

The General Counselu2019s decision regarding a stay pending appeal is final.

Notice of Appeal Hearing

In the event that the appellant timely and properly appeals the adverse decision, the appropriate appellate body serves as an Appeals Panel and will notify the appellant of the date and location of the appeal hearing.

The foregoing notification shall be provided at least 14 calendar days prior to the appeal hearing.

Procedures for Appeal Hearings

The appeal will be heard and conducted virtually.

The appellant is required to attend the hearing by audio or video conference.

The appellant has the right to bring an attorney to the hearing, but in no event may counsel present argument or provide testimony in lieu of, or on behalf of, the appellant.

The appellant, in advance of the hearing, can provide a written statement for the Appeals Panelu2019s consideration. Any statement submitted shall be limited to two (2) pages. Exhibits may also be provided by the appellant for the Appeals Panelu2019s consideration. Any exhibits submitted shall be limited to ten (10) pages.

The hearing shall be closed to third parties. Neither factual witnesses nor expert witnesses will be permitted to participate in the hearing. If an appellant wishes to present statements from such witnesses, he or she may submit up to three (3) such statements, in writing, at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. Any statement submitted shall be limited to two (2) pages in length.

The Appeals Panel shall consider the available evidence presented and which formed the basis of the decision being appealed, and such other evidence as it may, in its discretion, deem appropriate.

Without limitation, an individualu2019s failure to pursue an appeal or to participate in the appeal hearing may be considered by the Appeals Panel in reaching a determination.

Standard of Review on Appeal

The Appeals Panel may only overrule or modify underlying adverse determinations in the event of the following:

• The policies at issue were incorrectly applied;
• The findings of fact were clearly erroneous, arbitrary or capricious; and/or disproportionate to the facts surrounding the violation;
• The disciplinary sanctions imposed were grossly disproportionate to the facts surrounding the violation.

The decision of the appropriate Appeals Panel shall be final and not subject to further appeal.

Notification of Disposition on Appeal

In cases involving appeals of disciplinary sanctions, within thirty (30) days from the appeal hearing, CCO shall notify the appellant in writing of the decision by the Appeals Panel.

CCO may report the name(s) of any sanctioned certificant and the violation(s) of the Code of Ethics. Such information may be posted on the CCO website, and in any other appropriate locations as reasonably determined by CCO, consistent with CCOu2019s Information Release Policy.

Upon request, CCO may provide a report to any interested person or public agency deemed necessary to protect the public, consistent with CCOu2019s Information Release Policy.

For more information, please review CCOu2019s Information Release Policy.

Close of Appeal

Once a final decision has been made concerning an appeal, the matter shall be closed and the relevant files shall be retained for a reasonable period of time by CCO Program Integrity Team.

Members of the Appeals Panel, and others in contact with materials related to the investigation, will destroy or return all information received during the investigation to CCO Program Integrity Team.

The CCO Logo, any mark incorporating the CCO Logo, the “NCCCO” acronym, the “CCO” acronym, and certain additional trademarks registered or claimed by CCO (collectively, the “CCO Marks”) are the exclusive property of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, Inc. (“CCO”).

CCO encourages the authorized use of the CCO Marks so long as the use makes true, fair, and factual statements and abides by applicable law and this policy. CCO does not charge for the authorized and licensed use of the CCO Marks. However, the CCO Marks may not be used without prior written permission. CCO requires proper acknowledgement and strict compliance with this policy. Any unauthorized use will be grounds for legal action.

Certain uses of the CCO Marks may be approved generally through a separate written agreement with CCO. This includes companies who have signed the Training Provider Agreement and/or the Employer Recognition Program Agreement. Please refer to your individual agreement, as well as this policy, for more details.

For each intended use of the CCO Marks that is not expressly approved in this policy, through a separate written agreement or otherwise, each company, organization, or individual shall be required to submit an CCO Trademark Usage Application and Agreement requesting approval for the intended use.

Except as expressly set forth in this policy, you must receive written permission from CCO for each different/updated use that is not expressly approved and authorized hereunder or in response to a particular Application. For example, a company that wishes to use a CCO Mark on a brochure and a banner must submit two (2) separate applications for each such use.

Each approval and/or authorization to use the CCO Marks is to be deemed a limited, non-transferable, revocable license to use the expressly authorized mark(s) for the approved purpose and manner, subject to the limitations and restrictions set forth in this policy. Any such license does not transfer any right, title, or interest in the CCO Marks.

Click here to review the CCO Trademark Usage Policy.

To request approval to use a CCO Mark for an intended use, please submit a CCO Trademark Usage Application and Agreement.

Sample logo files for the required proposal are available here.

If you have any questions or need clarification regarding this policy, please contact us at 703-560-2391 or by email at [email protected].

1. Definitions

1. “CCO” means and refers to NCCCO Services, LLC dba CCO Certification, acting through its staff and authorized agents and representatives.
2. “Releasable Information” means and refers to the following information: name, certification status, examination dates, invalidation status, certification dates, certification number(s), and designations. In the case of credentialed testing personnel, “Releasable Information” also means and refers to the following information: name, credentialed status, credentialed dates, credential number, and categories in which the testing personnel is authorized to administer exams.
3. “Third Party” means and refers to an employer, prospective employer, regulatory agency, or any other person or entity that makes an inquiry to CCO.

2. Policies

1. It shall be the policy of CCO to provide Releasable Information pertaining to individuals who have successfully passed one or more CCO examinations.  It shall also be the policy of CCO to provide Releasable Information pertaining to such individuals on its website using such protocols as may be established. In addition, it shall be the policy of CCO to provide information, as appropriate, concerning individuals who have been sanctioned, suspended or revoked from participation in CCO’s programs, using such protocols as may be established.
2. Releasable Information may be released to a Third Party who makes a written request, including by electronic correspondence. Generally, Releasable Information will be released within one business day from actual receipt of a written request.
3. If a Third Party requests information concerning an individual who has not taken or successfully passed an CCO examination, CCO may release a statement confirming that, as of a given date, the individual does not appear on CCO’s list of successful candidates in one or more categories of certification.
4. If an applicant or certificant is under formal sanction, suspension, or revocation by CCO, then CCO may release a statement to that effect to any persons and by any reasonable means, including by means of a list published on the CCO website. In addition, if an individual applicant or certificant is under formal investigation, sanction, suspension, or revocation by CCO, then CCO may release a statement concerning the status of the applicant or certificant to any Third Party and to any jurisdiction that requires or accepts CCO certification as a basis for satisfying requirements to work in the jurisdiction. Any such statement to a Third Party or jurisdiction may identify the applicant or certificant, the certifications affected, the actions taken, and the effective dates of any such actions.
5. If a credentialed testing personnel, listed Training Provider, or other authorized participant in CCO’s programs (“Authorized Participant”) is under formal sanction, suspension, or revocation by CCO, then CCO may release a statement to that effect to any persons and by any reasonable means, including by means of a list published on the CCO website. In addition, if an Authorized Participant is under formal investigation, sanction, suspension, or revocation by CCO, then CCO may release a statement concerning the status of the Authorized Participant to any persons and by any reasonable means, including by means of a list published on the CCO website. Any such statement may identify the Authorized Participant, the credentials or capacities affected, the actions taken, and the effective dates of any such actions.
6. If a Third Party seeks information other than the foregoing information, generally, absent a subpoena or similar legal process, such information will not be released. However, in the course of business, as circumstances reasonably warrant, CCO reserves the discretion to release information other than the foregoing information.
7. Certain situations may require or warrant the immediate verbal confirmation of an individual’s certification status or other Releasable Information in response to a written or verbal request. Under such circumstances, CCO may provide such immediate verbal confirmation, at its discretion. When such a verbal confirmation is provided, it shall be CCO’s policy to follow up with a written confirmation.
8. It shall be the policy of NCCCO to discuss score-related and test-specific matters only with a candidate or a candidate’s authorized legal representative.
9. CCO will release Releasable Information about an individual upon receipt of a written request (including electronic correspondence) from that individual. CCO may release information other than Releasable Information about an individual, at its discretion, upon receipt of a signed, notarized, written request from that individual. 
10. In addition, CCO will release information other than Releasable Information about an individual, including ADA medical records, when required by a legal authority of competent jurisdiction under a duly-issued subpoena, subject to any objection, or as otherwise required by law.

1. CCO Certification, LLC (“CCO Certification”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, Inc. (“NCCCO”), a not-for-profit organization.

2. CCO Certification is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and CCO Certification staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, CCO Certification staff members, guests, and all others are expected to abide by this Virtual Meeting Code of Conduct. This Policy applies to all CCO Certification related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than CCO Certification but held in conjunction with CCO Certification events, on public or private platforms.

3. CCO Certification has a zero-tolerance policy for unacceptable behavior (as defined below) or any form of discrimination or harassment at our meetings, including but not limited to, any sexual harassment by participants or CCO Certification staff. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, CCO Certification asks that you inform our Coordinator, Administrative Complaints, at [email protected] so that we can take the appropriate action.

4. Unacceptable Behavior is defined as:

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
• Inappropriate comments, chat messages or abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, CCO Certification staff member, or other meeting guest.
• Examples of inappropriate comments, chat messages or abuse include, but are not limited to, comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, CCO Certification staff member, or other meeting guest.
• Improper disruption of presentations during sessions or at other events organized by CCO Certification throughout the virtual meeting. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any CCO Certification virtual event staff.
• Presentations, postings, and messages that contain improper promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services. CCO Certification reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially to ban the sources of those solicitations.

5. Participants may receive confidential information during an CCO Certification virtual meeting, including, but not limited to, information about administrative decisions and actions, details concerning disciplinary matters, information relating to examination content and related testing materials, and other related information. Participants may not disclose or use any confidential information, either verbally or in writing, without prior written consent from personnel with authority to do so.

6. In addition, without prior written consent from CCO Certification, participants should not make or distribute any audio or visual recordings, screen shots, or photographs of activity that takes place in the virtual space during CCO Certification meetings.

7. NCCCO and CCO Certification do not condone anti-competitive conduct in connection with any activities. Accordingly, during our meetings, please avoid any discussion of prices, pricing policies, boycotts, market allocations, or any other topic that might be perceived or viewed as anti-competitive or exclusionary.

8. CCO Certification reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary or appropriate in response to any violations of the foregoing code of conduct, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning. CCO Certification reserves the right to prohibit persons from attending any future meeting, virtually or in person.

updated: 10/27/25

CCO is dedicated to a culture of non-discrimination. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (ADA), it is the policy of CCO to accept and process applications for testing accommodations and, when appropriate, to provide testing accommodations to qualifying candidates who demonstrate a need for accommodation due to disability, as defined by the ADA.

To apply for CCO accommodations:

1. Download and complete the CCO Application for Testing Accommodations (the “Application”).
2. Gather your supporting documentation (e.g., records of prior testing accommodations, qualified professional reports, etc.) as detailed in Part 2 of the Application.
3. Send your completed Application and supporting documentation to CCO via email or mail at least four (4) weeks prior to your testing date.

CCO
ATTN: Testing Accommodations
5250 S. Commerce Dr., Suite 100
Murray, UT 84107
[email protected]

All Applications must be accompanied by supporting documentation as outlined in Part 2 of the Application. Supporting documentation is important to validate that an applicant is covered under the ADA as a disabled individual and to determine the functional limitations, resulting from disability, related to taking CCO examinations. Incomplete documentation may delay or even prevent the processing of your accommodations request. As set forth in the Application, the supporting documentation requirement may be reduced if you have been previously approved for testing accommodations from CCO within the last five (5) years.

Approved written testing accommodations will only be provided through Test Center Testing (TCT). This is the exclusive modality through which CCO provides accommodations for written examinations.

Please note that, in order to protect sensitive and confidential medical information, CCO will communicate ONLY with the applicant regarding accommodation requests, unless provided written consent from the applicant to communicate with a third party.

If you have any questions or need clarification regarding this policy, please contact CCO by phone at 703-560-2391 or by email at [email protected].

updated 2023-10-02

CCO is dedicated to a culture of religious freedom. As such, in its discretion, and upon approval, CCO provides reasonable accommodations for religious objections to certain elements of the program.

To apply for religious accommodations:

1. Download and complete the CCO Application for Religious Accommodations (the “Application”).
2. If applicable, review the Procedure for Non-Photo ID/Certification Card.
3. Gather your supporting documentation (e.g., records of prior religious accommodations, fingerprints, government forms, etc.) as detailed in Part 2 of the Application.
4. Send your completed Application and supporting documentation to CCO via email or mail at least four weeks prior to your testing date.
   

   CCO
   ATTN: Testing Accommodations
   5250 S. Commerce Dr., Suite 100
   Murray, UT 84107
   [email protected]

All Applications must be accompanied by supporting documentation as outlined in Part 2 of the Application. Incomplete documentation may delay or even prevent the processing of your accommodations request. As set forth in the Application, the supporting documentation requirement may be reduced if you have been previously approved for religious accommodations from CCO within the last five years.

Please be aware that some types of approved religious accommodations may not apply to every testing modality. For example, if you are approved for a non-photo ID/certification card accommodation, you will not be able to receive the approved accommodation for Online Proctored Testing (OPT) or Event Online Testing (EOT).

If you have any questions or need clarification regarding this policy, please contact CCO by email at [email protected].

In the first instance, whenever appropriate, individuals are encouraged to discuss their concerns with CCO staff to resolve the matter directly. In cases where a reasonable resolution cannot be reached, individuals may wish to lodge a formal administrative complaint under this policy.

What is an Administrative Complaint?

Administrative complaints may include, without limitation, CCO staff failing to adhere to published policies or procedures, not responding to inquiries in a timely manner, unprofessional conduct by an CCO employee, or other issues.

However, not all complaints are administrative. For further clarification, please review the descriptions below before registering your administrative complaint.

• Program Integrity. To lodge a complaint regarding an CCO Program Participant (Certificant, Practical Examiner, etc.), a violation of the CCO Code of Ethics, or a similar program integrity matter, please click here.
• General Feedback. For general feedback, suggestions, or comments other than complaints, please click here. For questions or information regarding CCO certification programs, including certification requirements, please click here.
• Administrative Appeals. If you have been the subject of an adverse administrative decision that is subject to appeal (typically involving your certification), and you received a written notice that you have a right of appeal under CCO’s Decisions/Appeals Process matrix, you may have a right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Committee or other appropriate body. For information about pursuing an administrative appeal, please click here.
• Administrative Complaints. For complaints of an administrative nature involving dissatisfaction with CCO services or the conduct of an CCO employee, as defined above, please proceed with the procedures below.

Lodging an Administrative Complaint

If an issue cannot be resolved informally and you wish to file a formal administrative complaint, it should be done within two weeks of the incident or occurrence. Formal administrative complaints must be submitted in writing (via email or postal mail), using the CCO Administrative Complaints Form, to the following address:

CCO
Administrative Complaints Coordinator
990 W. Bellwood Ln., Suite 100
Murray, UT 84123
[email protected]

Administrative complaints must include the following information:

• Complainant’s name, address, phone number, and email address
• Nature and details of the complaint
• Sufficient information to allow for an investigation and response

Procedures for Handling Administrative Complaints

It is the policy of CCO to respond to complaints in an equitable, objective, and unbiased manner, and to process them in a constructive, impartial, and timely manner.

Upon receiving a complaint, CCO determines whether the complaint relates to certification activities for which it is responsible. Whenever possible, CCO will acknowledge receipt of the complaint and will keep the complainant reasonably informed regarding progress of the complaint. To the extent possible, personal information related to complaints is kept confidential.

CCO’s Program Integrity Staff is responsible for managing, gathering, and verifying all necessary information to validate an administrative complaint. As appropriate, an administrative complaint may be escalated or referred to an appropriate body within CCO, including the Program Integrity Team or an CCO committee. In other cases, a complaint may be referred to CCO staff, including the Director of Customer Service, which may extend the time required to respond to a complaint.

Whenever possible, CCO will provide formal notice of the outcome of the complaint to the complainant at the end of the complaints-handling process, generally within 30 days. The decision to be communicated to the complainant will be made by, or reviewed and approved by, personnel not previously involved in the subject of the complaint.

Appeals Involving Administrative Complaints

Any determination or disposition of an administrative complaint under these procedures is appealable to the Administrative Appeals Committee pursuant to the terms of CCO’s Appeals Policy.

As an accredited certification body, CCO does not offer training to candidates or certificants.

Nevertheless, CCO considers training to be vital to the certification process. Indeed, one of its principal aims has been to stimulate the recognition of the need for professional instruction in the knowledge and skills that define load handling equipment operator competency.

CCO recommends that any candidate or instructor desiring to prepare for CCO certification exams utilize the study materials listed in the appropriate Candidate Handbook and carefully review the Knowledge Areas (Written Exam Outlines) listed there. CCO strongly urges employers or candidates seeking training to submit the appropriate CCO Knowledge Areas to any training firm they are considering to be sure that the curriculum matches the knowledge tested on the CCO exams.

Training Companies

While CCO is unable to recommend or endorse any particular training company, a listing of training companies that have indicated they offer preparatory training for the CCO certification exams is maintained on the CCO website. Such companies are permitted to use the CCO logo and/or acronym with permission in accordance with CCO’s stated policy (see Trademark Usage Policy). No endorsement of the programs offered is implied. Furthermore, this database does not necessarily include all training companies offering preparatory training, and CCO cannot and does not make any warranty or guarantee regarding the qualifications or fitness of any training provider.

Training companies are permitted to host written CCO exam administrations; however, no training may be conducted at any CCO test site within one hour of a scheduled written examination.

In selecting a training provider, employers, organizations, and candidates should exercise the same caution they do when soliciting products and services from any vendor. CCO has prepared some additional guidance on sourcing training.

Firms providing training who wish to be considered for inclusion in this database should complete a Listing Agreement and submit it to CCO.

Although CCO does not typically get involved in disputes between candidates and training providers, CCO does have procedures in place to facilitate the resolution of disputes involving an alleged failure to provide services or make payments for services.

Click here to use the interactive database of training companies that have indicated they offer preparatory training for CCO certification exams.

The following policy sets forth the financial terms and conditions relating to any transaction(s) with CCO Certification.

1. Agreement to Terms and Conditions. By applying or registering to take an examination, pursing certification, purchasing a product or service, agreeing to serve in any authorized role associated with CCO’s personnel certification programs, and/or otherwise consenting to these Financial Terms and Conditions, you agree to accept full responsibility to pay any and all invoices, fees, associated costs and other monies assessed, due and owing as a result.

2. Billing and Payments. You agree to pay all fees or charges to your account in accordance with the fees, charges, and billing terms in effect at the time a fee or charge is due and payable. We reserve the right to change services, products, and pricing at any time. We also reserve the right to refuse any order placed with us. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household, or per order. These restrictions may include orders placed by or under the same customer account, the same credit card, and/or orders that use the same billing and/or shipping address. In the event that we make a change to or cancel an order, we may attempt to notify you by contacting the e-mail and/or billing address/phone number provided at the time the order was made.

3. Accuracy of Information. You understand that you are responsible for reviewing your invoices and similar billing communications for accuracy, and further understand that failure to review an invoice or bill does not constitute a valid reason for not paying monies due on time.

4. Billing Errors. You understand that administrative, clerical, or technical billing errors do not absolve you of your financial responsibility to pay the correct amount of any fees and other associated costs or monies assessed.

5. Disputes. You agree that, if you fail to dispute a bill, invoice, or charge in writing within thirty (30) days of receipt, the said bill, invoice, or charge provided by CCO may, at CCO’s election, serve as the basis of a claim and is hereby agreed to be correctly stated and properly due and owing.

6. Refund Policy. Refunds are granted only in strict accordance with CCO’s refund/cancellation policies for the type of service or product provided. There are no refunds available on resource materials. Replacement of items damaged during shipping will be upon receipt of damaged item. Please note that returns/cancellations generally do not include shipping costs and may be subject to a cancellation fee.

7. Purchases of Testing Tokens. Candidates who complete an application are eligible to purchase testing tokens, which can be used to schedule and initiate CCO certification examinations. The token is the service or good purchase through such transactions, and payments cannot be refunded once the application and payment are submitted to CCO. Tokens expire six months from the date of purchase. If an exam is not taken at the appointed time or within the required time period, or if a token is consumed or not used before the expiration date, any and all fees paid will be forfeited and will not be refunded. The date of expiration of a testing token does not modify the applicable certification window, the length of an individual’s certification period, or the expiration date of an individual’s CCO credential.

8. Holds on Scores and Certifications, Suspensions. If you fail to pay monies due and owing by the due date, or if payments made to CCO on your behalf are suspended, a hold may be placed on your account(s). In addition, among other things, CCO may hold scores and certifications; invalidate exam results; prevent you from registering for additional exams or otherwise participating in the program; withhold further services or products; and/or suspend or revoke any authorizations, approvals, or issued credentials until your financial obligations (including any and all fees assessed) have been fully satisfied. If charges are cancelled or reversed on a payment made to CCO, a credit card denied fee may be assessed for each cancelled or reversed charge.

9. Late Fees and Collection Fees. If you fail to pay an invoice or bill or monies due and owing to CCO by the due date, CCO will assess interest at the rate of 18% per annum; provided, however, that if that rate exceeds the maximum lawful rate under applicable law, then the rate of interest shall be limited to the maximum lawful rate. Furthermore, to the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to pay a late fee in an amount not to exceed $50 or 5% of the payment, whichever is greater, on any payment that is made more than ten (10) days after the scheduled due date. In addition, if you fail to pay an invoice or bill or monies due and owing to CCO by the scheduled due date, and you fail to make acceptable payment arrangements to bring your account current, CCO may refer your delinquent account for collection, in which event you will be responsible for paying a collection fee equal to 25% or the maximum lawful collection fee under applicable law, whichever is greater, together with all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, as necessary or appropriate for the collection of your delinquent account. In addition, your delinquent account may be reported to one or more of the national credit bureaus.

10. Program Integrity Referrals. You agree that CCO may refer certain matters, at its discretion, to the CCO Program Integrity Team (PIT) and/or Ethics & Discipline Committee, including matters involving suspected incidents of fraudulent or unauthorized financial transactions relating to CCO testing, false statements regarding financial transactions relating to CCO testing, or other violations of CCO policies or the CCO Code of Ethics. You acknowledge that any such referral may result in sanctions up to and including revocation of certification status.

11. Disclaimer of Warranties. You agree that goods and services provided by CCO are provided on an “as is” basis, without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, without limitation, warranties that the services or products are free of defects, merchantable, fit for a particular purpose, will accomplish the intended results, or will not interfere with privately-owned rights of others. This disclaimer of warranties constitutes an essential part of any goods and services provided, and no transactions are authorized except under this disclaimer.

12. Limitation of Liability. Neither CCO nor its directors, officers, employees, or authorized agents shall be liable for any lost profits, special, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages attributed to any goods or services provided by CCO, or to any other transactions or dealings with CCO. In no event shall CCO be liable to you for any lost profits, special, consequential, incidental or punitive damages, even if informed of the possibility of such damages. You hereby expressly waive any right to the foregoing damages in connection with this agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. The foregoing limitations shall be interpreted and have effect to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, rule, or regulation.

13. Indemnification. You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless CCO, its directors, officers, employees and authorized agents, from and against any and all obligations, demands, claims, and liabilities (collectively, “Claims”) claimed or asserted by any person in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including in particular any Claims that any person was in any way injured as a result of or following from your certification obtained through CCO, except for Claims and/or losses directly caused by our gross negligence or willful misconduct.

14. Governing Law. You understand and agree that this agreement shall be governed by and interpreted and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Utah (without regard to any conflict of laws provisions). Subject to the dispute resolution provision below, you consent to the jurisdiction of any state or federal court located in Utah, and to such in personam jurisdiction, waiving any claim or defense that such forum is not convenient or proper.

15. Dispute Resolution. You agree to attempt to resolve any dispute, claim or controversy arising under, out of, or in connection with this agreement, or your participation in CCO’s personnel certification programs or any other transaction(s) with CCO (a “Dispute”), amicably.

16. Entire Agreement. This agreement supersedes all prior understandings, representations, negotiations, and correspondence between you and CCO, and you agree that it constitutes the entire agreement, with respect to any financial terms and conditions relating to your participation in CCO’s personnel certification programs or other transaction(s) with CCO. This agreement shall not be modified or affected by any course of dealing or course of performance.

17. Amendments. You agree that CCO may amend the foregoing Financial Terms and Conditions at any time by reasonable notice, including without limitation by posting revised terms on its website, which amended terms and conditions shall be binding upon you.

06-00.1081 – 01.02

• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Copyrights, Trademarks, and Restrictions
• Communications
• Links to Other Websites
• Applicable Law
• Disputes
• Comments, Reviews, and Emails
• License and Site Access
• User Account
• Changes
• Contact Us

Please read these terms and conditions (“Terms,” “terms and conditions”) carefully before using the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators website, nccco.org, or myNCCCO mobile app, or either of them, or any other website or mobile app controlled or operated by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators or its subsidiaries or affiliates (together, “Services,” “website/app”), operated by the National Commission of the Certification of Crane Operators (“us,” “we,” “our”).

Your access to and use of the Services is conditioned on your acceptance of and compliance with these Terms. These Terms apply to all visitors, users and others who access or use the Services.

By accessing or using the Services you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you disagree with any part of the Terms, then you may not access the Services.

Conditions of Use

We will provide services to you, which are subject to the conditions stated below in this document. Every time you visit this website/app, use its services or make a purchase, you accept the following conditions. This is why we urge you to read them carefully.

Privacy Policy

Before you continue using our website/app we advise you to read our privacy policy regarding our user data collection. It will help you better understand our practices.

Copyrights, Trademarks, & Restrictions

The material included herein, including site design, text, graphics and the selection and arrangement thereof, is copyrighted by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. All page headers, custom graphics and custom icons are service marks and trademarks of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators. All other trademarks, product names and company names or logos cited herein are the property of their respective owners.

The website/app and all materials on the website/app, including, but not limited to, images, illustrations, posts, audio clips and video clips (the “Materials”) are the property of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators and its subsidiaries or affiliates and licensors and are protected from unauthorized copying and dissemination by copyrights that are owned or licensed by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators and by copyright law, trademark law, international conventions and other intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, perform, create derivative works from, republish, upload, post, transmit or distribute in any way whatsoever any Materials from the website/app (or any other website/app owned or operated by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators or its subsidiaries or affiliates) without the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators’ prior written permission. However, users may download or copy downloadable material from this site, where permitted, for personal, non-commercial use only, provided that you maintain and display all copyright, trademark and other notices contained therein. Printing Materials for any other reason, or transferring Materials for use on any other website, or the modification, distribution or republication of Materials without the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators’ prior written permission, is strictly prohibited. Any modification of Materials, or any portion thereof, or use of Materials for any other purpose, constitutes an infringement of copyright, trademark or other proprietary rights of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators or third parties.

Communications

The entire communication with us is electronic. Every time you send us an email or visit our website/app, you are going to be communicating with us. You hereby consent to receive communications from us. If you subscribe to CCOnline or other news on our website/app, you are going to receive regular emails from us. We will continue to communicate with you by posting news and notices on our website/app and by sending you emails. You also agree that all notices, disclosures, agreements and other communications we provide to you electronically meet the legal requirements that such communications be in writing.

Links to Other Websites

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not owned or controlled by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators.

The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. You further acknowledge and agree that the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with use of or reliance on any such content, goods, or services available on or through any such websites or services.

Applicable Law

By visiting the website/app, you agree that the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without regard to principles of conflict laws, will govern these terms and conditions, or any dispute of any sort that might come between you and the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, or its business partners and associates.

Disputes

Any dispute related in any way to your visit to this website/app or to products you purchase from us shall be adjudicated by the state or federal courts in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of such courts.

Comments, Reviews, and Emails

Visitors may post content if those features are enabled, but only as long as it is not obscene, illegal, defamatory, threatening, infringing of intellectual property rights, invasive of privacy or injurious in any other way to third parties. Any such content has to be free of software viruses, political campaign material, and commercial solicitation.

We reserve all rights (but not the obligation) to remove and/or edit any and all such content. When you post any content, you grant the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators non-exclusive, royalty-free and irrevocable right to use, reproduce, publish, and modify such content throughout the world in any media.

License and Site Access

Subject to these terms and conditions, we grant you a limited license to access and make personal use of the website/app. You are not allowed to download or modify it. This may be done only with prior written permission from us.

User Account

If you are an owner of an account and/or login credentials on this website/app, you are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your private user details (username and password). You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account or password.

We reserve all rights to terminate accounts and login or similar access credentials, to edit or remove any and all content, and to cancel orders or similar requests in our sole discretion.

Changes

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify or replace these Terms at any time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Terms on this page.

If a change in these Terms is material, we will provide notice by email and/or a prominent notice on our Terms, prior to the change becoming effective, and we will update the “effective date” at the top of these Terms and Conditions. What constitutes a material change will be determined at our sole discretion. Unless otherwise noted, changes to these Terms and Conditions shall be effective when they are posted to this page.

You are advised to review these Terms and Conditions periodically for any changes.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us.

1. Scope of this Privacy Statement
2. Protection of Children’s Privacy
3. Collection of User Information
4. Supplemental Information
5. Use of Personal Information
6. Sharing of Personal Information
7. Interest-Based Advertising
8. “Do Not Track” Disclosure
9. Links to Other Websites
10. User ID and Password
11. Control of Personal Information and Opt-Out Option
12. Data Retention and Deletion
13. Transfer and Processing of Data
14. Security of Data We Collect
15. Your Rights Regarding Your Personal Data
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
17. Consent

Contact Information

1. Scope of this Privacy Statement

NCCCO Services, LLC dba CCO Certification (“CCO Certification”, “CCO”, or “we”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting it through compliance with this Privacy Policy (the “Policy”).

While CCO strives to protect the privacy and confidentiality of data and information for all persons using its online products, services, and websites (“CCO Users”), CCO must collect and retain certain personal information from CCO Users to conduct its business. CCO must also provide some of the personal data collected to business partners to complete various business activities.

This Privacy Policy informs users of the CCO Website, nccco.org, and other CCO controlled or operated websites (“Websites”), other related mobile applications (“Apps”), CCO’s social media sites, and any other digital services and platforms officially operated or used by CCO or its subsidiaries or affiliates (“Services”), about how CCO gathers and uses (i) personal information submitted to CCO, (ii) non-personal data collected through a variety of technologies, and (iii) aggregated information collected from the Websites, Apps and Services. This Privacy Policy applies to the Website, Services, Apps, and other CCO owned websites, domains, services, applications, and products.

Please read this Policy carefully to understand how CCO will use your information. This Policy applies to all CCO Users. By accessing or using the Services, Websites, or Apps, you agree to this Policy. If you disagree with any part of the Policy, then you may not access the Services, Websites, or Apps. CCO may modify or replace this Policy at any time. Your continued use of the Services, Websites, or Apps after CCO makes changes will be deemed to be an acceptance of those changes. You are advised to review this Policy periodically for any changes.

2. Protection of Children’s Privacy

CCO does not knowingly collect any personal information from children. If you are under 18, you are not permitted to use the Websites, Services, or Apps. Consistent with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) and the General Data Protection Regulation, the Websites, Services, and Apps are not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18 (COPPA’s minimum protections are for minors 13 years of age or under).

If you are a parent with concerns about children’s privacy issues in conjunction with the use of this Websites, Services, or Apps, please contact CCO. CCO encourages parents to discuss this Privacy Policy and the dangers of providing personal information online.

3. Collection of User Information

CCO collects and uses your information to manage and enhance your use and experience of the Websites, Apps, and Services. CCO may collect information from you that could personally identify you (“Personally Identifiable Information” or “PII”).

Personally Identifiable Information: CCO may collect Personally Identifiable Information (PII) when you:

• Provide such information through our Websites, Apps, and Services;
• Apply or register for CCO events or services;
• Purchase products or services; or
• Otherwise interact with CCO.

The types of PII collected may include:

• Your name
• Gender
• Address, including country
• Phone number
• Birth date
• Billing and delivery information
• Email address
• Education / work experience
• Information about your employment or business
• Credit card or other financial account information

Non-Personal Information: As you interact with our Websites, Apps, and Services, we may also collect information about your browsing history or certain other information that is not Personally Identifiable Information. We collect this data (collectively, the “Non-Personal Data”) through our use of a variety of technologies, including but not limited to:

• Cookies
• Tags
• Web beacons
• Internet Protocol (IP) address
• Other tools

“Cookies” are small files that we transfer to your computer’s hard drive or your Web browser memory to enable our systems to recognize your browser and to provide convenience and other features to you, such as recognizing you as a frequent user of the Websites, Apps, or Services. If you would like to avoid cookies, your web browser may have an option that enables you to disable or not accept cookies. It should be noted, however, that should you disable or not accept cookies, portions of the Websites, Services, or Apps may not properly function.

“Tags” and web beacons refer to code scripts that are primarily used to track visitors’ activities on our Websites, Apps, and Services by web analytics software.

“Web beacons” are tiny graphics with a unique identifier, similar in function to cookies, and may be used to track the online movements of users, when an email has been opened, and to provide other information.

CCO may add other means for collecting data, periodically.

The types of Non-Personal Data collected on our Services may include:

• CCO Password
• IP addresses, browser type and your operating system
• Pages visited on the Websites referring and exit pages, and the dates and times of the visits
• Browsing history profile
• Any additional information relating to you and your use of the Websites, Apps or CCO Services that you provide to use directly through the Websites, Apps or Services
• Location data and other information about devices used to access and interact with the Websites, Services, or Apps
• Information that you make publicly available or publicly post using tools made available on the Websites, Services, or via the Apps

4. Supplemental Information

Your information may also be supplemented with additional information from other sources, including publicly available sources.

5. Use of Personal Information

We will treat the information we collect through this Policy as confidential. CCO may use your personal information in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to:

• To fulfill the services and products you request from us.
• To publish your information and credential(s) status on Verify CCO Online (VCO), similar lists, and other types of registrations lists for CCO programs and events.
• To operate and improve the Websites, Apps and Services available to you through CCO, including developing new features and products.
• To communicate with you, respond to your requests, and manage our relationship.
• To personalize the products and services provided to you.
• To measure performance of the products and Services.
• To allow you to participate in contests and surveys. CCO may co-sponsor promotions with other companies, in which case any information collected is likely to be shared with other participating sponsors.
• To send you marketing notices including promotions of our products and services. You can opt-out of communications from CCO at any time (see control of personal information below).
• For internal purposes, which may require the transfer of such information to other CCO affiliates for administrative purposes, for technical maintenance purposes, the marketing and promotion of products and services that might be of interest to you.

6. Sharing of Personal Information

CCO may share Personally Identifiable Information pursuant to the terms of this Policy. We rely on certain grounds to share your personal information, including the following:

• Performance – If you choose to make a purchase through the Websites, Services, or Apps, we may need to collect and use your personal information to perform our agreement with you. In some circumstances, we may use third party contractors to perform services on our behalf.
• Consent – We may use or disclose some of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.
• Accreditation – We may disclose your personal information (such as credential status information) with third parties in accordance with accreditation standards and requirements. Users may not opt out of sharing this information.
• Legal requirements – We may disclose your personal information when we reasonably believe that it is required by law, a duly authorized court order, or legal process, and to protect and defend the rights and interests of CCO, its affiliates, suppliers, or users.
• Legitimate interests – We may use your personal information for our legitimate interests to improve our products and services. Consistent with our legitimate interests and any choices that we offer or consents that may be required under applicable laws, we may use technical information as described in this Privacy Policy and use personal information for our marketing purposes.

7. Interest-Based Advertising

When you use our Websites, Services, or Apps, third parties may collect data about your mobile device in order to serve ads on other apps or websites that are tailored to your interest. This practice is known as ‘interest-based advertising.’ Examples of data that may be collected includes: IP addresses, identifiers associated with your mobile device (also called ‘Advertising Identifiers’), or any ads that you click while using our app.

8. “Do Not Track” Disclosure

Some web browsers may transmit “do not track” (“DNT”) signals to mobile applications with which the user communicates. We currently do not change our tracking practices in response to DNT settings in your web browser. Our third-party partners, such as web analytics companies and third party ad networks, may collect information about you and your online activities over time and across our Services These third parties may not change their tracking practices in response to DNT settings in your web browser and we do not obligate these parties to honor DNT settings. We utilize Google Analytics for our web analytics and you can opt out of your usage data being included in our Google Analytics reports by visiting https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

9. Links to Other Websites

Our Websites, Services, or Apps may contain links to other websites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites, and we encourage you to review the policies of each site you use. We cannot control the actions of such third parties or be held responsible for their use of any information that you provide directly to them.

10. User Id and Password

Certain areas of the Websites, Services, or Apps may require the use of a user ID, email address, or password as an additional security measure that helps protect your information. To help you protect your privacy, CCO Services have tools to help you log in and log out.

11. Control of Personal information and Opt-Out Option

CCO values the accuracy of the information you provide. All users can confirm, change, or update personal information you have provided to us by contacting CCO.

You can opt-out of email or data sharing by contacting CCO and making the request to do so.

12. Data Retention and Deletion

We will only retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and processed, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, accounting, or reporting requirements.

When assessing these retention periods, we carefully examine our need to collect personal information at all and if we establish a relevant need, we only retain it for the shortest reasonable period to realize the purpose of collection unless law requires a longer retention period.

While holding personal records, CCO will exercise reasonable care to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to personal data. When records are destroyed, CCO will exercise reasonable care to protect others from acquiring records.

13. Transfer and Processing of Data

For users within the United States, we process data in data centers located in the United States. We have adopted reasonable physical, technical, and organizational safeguards against accidental, unauthorized, or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, disclosure, access, use, or processing of user data in our possession. We comply with state and federal laws governing the protection of personal information.

14. Security of the Information We Collect

We take commercially reasonable precautions in an effort to protect your information against security breaches. However, this is not a guarantee that your information may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed. By using the Websites, Apps and Services, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to assume these risks.

15. Your Rights Regarding Your Personal Data

If you are a resident of the State of California, or a jurisdiction that has adopted similar laws regarding your personal data, if applicable, you may have a number of rights, including the rights:

• To know whether your personal information is being collected
• To access and correct (if needed) your personal data
• To delete and limit the use of your personal data
• To opt out of the use and sharing of your information
• Not to be discriminated against for exercising any of your applicable legal rights

In furtherance of the foregoing, this Privacy Policy provides you with certain information and disclosures. To exercise any of your rights under applicable law, you may contact CCO. If CCO denies your privacy request, you will be notified of the means by which to appeal the decision.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

CCO may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes to this Policy are effective when they are posted on this page. When updates are made, the Privacy Policy version date (located at the top of this Policy) will also be updated to reflect that a revision occurred. We encourage you to periodically reread this Policy to see if there have been any changes that may affect you. This Policy is not intended for and does not create any contractual or other legal rights in or on behalf of any party.

17. Consent

BY VISITING CCO’S WEBSITES, SERVICES, OR APPS, YOU ARE ACCEPTING THE POLICES THAT ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS POLICY AND ARE CONSENTING TO THE COLLECTION AND USE OF INFORMATION BY CCO. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THIS POLICY, OR TO ANY CHANGES WE MAY SUBSEQUENTLY MAKE, IMMEDIATELY STOP ACCESSING OUR SITES.

Contact Information

We welcome your input on our privacy statement. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding our privacy statement, please contact CCO.

For the purpose of test security, candidates who sit for CCO written examination(s) acknowledge that they understand the following:

• The examination is the exclusive property of CCO.
• The examination and the questions contained therein are protected by federal copyright law.
• No part of the examination(s) may be copied or reproduced in part or whole by any means whatsoever, including memorization.
• Theft or attempted theft of an examination is punishable as a felony.
• While at the examination site, candidates are considered professionals and shall be treated as such. In turn, candidates must conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. While at the site, they shall not use language or take actions that are vulgar, obscene, libelous, or that would denigrate the staff or other candidates.
• No form of communication among the candidates is permitted once they enter the examination area.
• No smoking, vaping, eating, or drinking is allowed at the examination site.
• No guests, visitors, or family members are allowed in the testing room or reception areas.
• Candidate participation in any irregularity during the examination, such as giving or obtaining unauthorized information or aid, as evidenced by an observation or subsequent statistical analysis, may be sufficient cause to terminate participation, invalidate the results of the examination, or other appropriate remedy.
• A candidate’s signature on the answer sheet, roster, sign in sheet, or on-screen agreement for the administration of the examination confirms that the candidate has read an understood the above statements.

1. An individual may not serve as Proctor or Assistant Proctor for a specific candidate who is a Family Member, defined as a spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandchild, in-laws, stepparent, stepchild, guardian and ward, or member of one’s household.
2. Any disqualification under this rule applies only to an individual and shall not be imputed to any other person working for or on behalf of the same employer or organization.

For answers to common questions about this policy, go to the
Conflicts of Interest FAQ page.

Candidates/Certificants

This statement applies to and shall be agreed to as a condition of participation by all individuals seeking to obtain or currently possessing certification or any similar personnel credential through the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (CCO).

As a condition of testing and certification, you agree that you have had the opportunity to read the CCO Candidate Handbook and agree to be bound by all CCO policies and procedures—including CCO’s Code of Ethics and Substance Abuse Policy—as they may be amended from time to time, including without limitation all changes posted at nccco.org or CCO’s then-primary domain. In addition, you expressly consent to CCO’s release of any information consistent with CCO’s Information Release Policy, and you expressly consent to CCO’s Privacy Policy as set forth on the CCO website, as well as CCO’s Financial Terms and Conditions and the Trademark Usage Policy, as they may be amended from time to time, including without limitation all changes posted at nccco.org or CCO’s then-primary domain.

You understand that any computer or laptop used for remote testing (e.g., OPT testing) must meet the minimum software, hardware, and performance requirements necessary for testing as defined and published by CCO. Further, you understand and agree that CCO is not responsible for any technical issues arising from failure to meet those minimum software, hardware, or performance requirements, and that retesting will be at your own expense.

You understand that CCO’s examinations and examination materials are protected by federal copyright law. You expressly agree not to copy, reproduce, record, distribute, or otherwise retain any examination content or any live exam administration process. Attempted theft of any examination content, by any means, may be punishable as a felony, as well as any other action(s) deemed necessary or appropriate by CCO.

You understand that if at any point during your certification or credential period you fail to meet any of the requirements outlined above, or if matters arise that can affect your capability to continue to fulfill certification or credential requirements, you must report it to CCO immediately.

You understand and agree that CCO reserves the right to invalidate examinations based on testing irregularities, regardless of fault. This may include invalidation based on forensic analysis alone, and because this analysis is a continuous process, it is possible that an issued certification may be revoked based on forensic analysis. If your exam is invalidated, you understand that any retesting will be at your own expense.

You understand and agree that, based on testing irregularities or forensic analysis of testing results, and regardless of fault, CCO reserves the right to prohibit certain locations or electronic devices from being used for CCO testing, without prior notice.

You understand and agree that, when examinations are accessed, CCO monitors for the presence of recording/screen capture or remote access applications, as well as similar software or hardware, that may impact the integrity of an examination. In the event such software or hardware is detected, CCO may cancel or invalidate your examination. If your exam is canceled or invalidated, you understand that any retesting will be at your own expense.

You also understand and agree that testing, certification, and related data provided to CCO may be accessed and used internally for any legitimate business purpose, including service administration, test validation, investigations, and improvement of services. You further agree to the disclosure of your examination status, including any invalidation of results, to credentialed testing personnel involved in the administration of your examination.

In addition, you agree to cooperate with any CCO investigations and that any legal proceeding arising out of or in any way relating to your CCO certification(s) and credentials or this agreement shall be filed and litigated exclusively in any federal court or state court located in the State of Utah, and you further agree to irrevocably submit to, and waive any objections to, such exclusive jurisdiction and venue.

You agree to the foregoing terms and conditions and understand that you must accept this agreement as a condition of taking any examination(s). Failure to properly agree to these conditions prior to your examination(s) may invalidate the results of your examination(s). You understand that if you do not abide by this agreement and these rules, (1) you may be dismissed from the examination and your exam results may be invalidated (without a refund), (2) you may be precluded from further testing, and (3) CCO may take other action(s) as necessary or appropriate.

Please note that CCO retains information, including photos and other identifying information required to be provided from candidates and certificants, for as long as necessary to perform any services as part of our business relationship with you, as long as necessary for CCO to perform any contract with you or your institution, or as long as needed to comply with CCO’s legal obligations. Once CCO no longer requires information, CCO securely destroys it. CCO uses commercially reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized or unlawful access or processing and against accidental loss, theft, disclosure, copying, modification, destruction, or damage. Nonetheless, CCO cannot guarantee that transmissions of your information will always be secure or that unauthorized third parties will never be able to defeat the security measures taken by CCO or its vendors or service providers. (The privacy policy and terms of service for CCO’s primary testing vendor are hereby incorporated by reference.)

You play an important role in keeping your information secure. You should not share your username, password, or other security information for your account with anyone. If you have reason to believe that your interaction with CCO is no longer secure (e.g., if you feel that the security of any account you might have with CCO has been compromised), please contact CCO immediately. Any transmission of personal information is at your own risk. CCO is not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures contained on the Services.

1. Testing Personnel (including TSCs, TACs, and Proctors)

This statement applies to and shall be agreed to as a condition of participation by all proctors and other persons materially assisting in CCO test administrations or CCO testing activities. All such testing personnel are charged with upholding the policies and procedures of CCO.

As a condition of serving as testing personnel, you expressly consent to CCO’s release of any information consistent with CCO’s Information Release Policy, and you expressly consent to CCO’s Privacy Policy as set forth on the CCO website, as well as CCO’s Financial Terms and Conditions and the Trademark Usage Policy, as they may be amended from time to time, including without limitation all changes posted at nccco.org or CCO’s then-primary domain.

As a consequence of CCO’s due regard for the sensitive confidentiality and the personal privacy of each participant involved in the examination process; the restricted business and trade secrets and substantial investments of CCO; the prevention of test compromise, loss, or unauthorized exposure of questions, processes, and procedures; and, the validation and integrity of the testing and credentialing systems; CCO requires that certain rules of conduct and terms and conditions be agreed to by all testing personnel, and, for good and valuable consideration, that they be made mandatory to preserve and protect the personal, business, property, and other implicated rights, as well as the public trust.

As a condition, and in consideration of being provided the opportunity to serve or work with CCO, and to participate in any examination related activities, and in recognition of the importance of the integrity of CCO’s certification and credentialing programs, you agree to uphold all policies and procedures of CCO, including the specific terms and conditions set forth below.

1. Confidentiality/Copyrights

1. You will not disclose, or cause to be disclosed, verbally or in writing, directly or indirectly, to anyone outside of CCO, its officers, directors, employees, committees, or task forces, any confidential information related to any certification program, including, but not limited to, the contents of past or present applications for certification, examination content and related test materials, test procedures, test question banks, grading systems, scoring results, CCO decisions and actions related to such applications (including disciplinary actions), and other related information (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Confidential Information”), except where expressly authorized by CCO in the normal and usual conduct and administration of written examinations, practical tests, and reporting procedures. You will not disclose such Confidential Information, either verbally or in writing.

2.   You understand that, unless otherwise directed by CCO, the obligation to maintain the confidentiality of Confidential Information shall apply at all times and under all circumstances, including the period after the conclusion of your term, contact, service, employment, engagement and/or agreement with CCO.

3.   You will keep any and all Confidential Information in your possession in a safe and secure place, such as a locked hardcopy file drawer or a password‐protected electronic file, and will take all reasonable steps to protect against inadvertent disclosure or theft of the information.

4.   You understand that recording CCO exams, by video or other means, is not permitted.

5.   You will inform CCO promptly in the event that the confidentiality of Confidential Information is compromised due to events such as the loss or theft of materials or unauthorized access.

6.   Upon expiration of your term, contact, service, employment, engagement and/or agreement with CCO, you will promptly destroy or return to CCO, by courier or registered mail, any and all Confidential Information you have received or acquired during the course of your term, contact service, employment, engagement and/or agreement with CCO. You will not retain any records, including electronic files, containing Confidential Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you are required by law to retain any documents containing Confidential Information, you may do so, but only for the term of any such requirement and only to the extent required by law, and subject to the terms of this Agreement; provided that, in such event, you will provide CCO with reasonable written notice and agree to promptly destroy or return the materials at issue upon expiration of the legal requirement necessitating such retention.

7.   You agree that the copyright to any and all materials you prepare for CCO shall be considered works‐for‐hire under the federal Copyright Act and shall be owned by CCO. To the extent any materials you prepare are not to be considered works‐for‐hire, you hereby assign to CCO all right, title, and interest in any information or material authored, developed, conceived, modified, or otherwise created by yourself relating to any CCO certification program, examinations, applications, exam administrations, or policy documents, including but not limited to test items, photographs, exam administration materials, and any other copyrighted information, in connection with your acting or purporting to act in any capacity as authorized CCO testing personnel.

8.   You agree that CCO shall be entitled to take any and all reasonable action to protect its Confidential Information or any content protected under the federal Copyright Act.

2. Impartiality/Conflict of Interest

9. You understand and acknowledge that it is necessary for CCO and its testing personnel to be and to be perceived to be impartial in order to give confidence in CCO’s activities and testing outcomes.

10. Accordingly, you understand and agree that, in relation to the performance of your role as testing personnel, you must maintain impartiality and retain objectivity at all times.

11. You further agree not to allow commercial, financial or other pressures to compromise your impartiality. In addition, you agree not to be influenced by other interests or other parties in any way that would impact the impartial performance of your role as testing personnel.

12. You understand and acknowledge that threats to impartiality may arise in a wide range of ways, including, without limitation: subjectivity threats, familiarity threats, intimidation threats, financial threats, and similar threats to impartiality.

13. You agree promptly to disclose any threats to your impartiality on an ongoing basis.

14. You agree not to engage in any actions that may constitute an actual, apparent, or potential conflict of interest with your functions, duties, or responsibilities as you assist or participate in CCO test administrations or CCO testing activities, and will promptly disclose to CCO any such conflict of interest and any business, financial, or organizational interest and affiliations which are or could be construed to be such an actual, apparent, or potential conflict of interest

3. General Provisions

15. You agree to adhere to the policies and procedures established by CCO with respect to its Confidential Information and intellectual property, including any policies set forth in the most current edition(s) of applicable CCO manuals and handbooks. You will promptly inform CCO of any violation of CCO policies of which you may become aware at any time.

16. You acknowledge that CCO retains full responsibility for and control over all of its certification and other credentialing examinations, including the right to assess, monitor, review, and/or investigate activities relating to certification exams in accordance with its procedures relating to program integrity and ethics and discipline.

17. In many instances, you will interact with CCO through login credentials and a portal account. In order to keep your information secure, you should not share your username, password, or other security information for your account with anyone.

18. You agree to use any Confidential Information and other sensitive material provided to you as testing personnel, if any, for the exclusive purpose of implementing and/or administering the CCO program and examination activities. Except where disclosure is expressly authorized by CCO, and to such extent, you will strictly safeguard and protect all testing materials from any disclosure.

19. You will not reference in a false, misleading, or deceptive manner your participation in, or any other information concerning, any CCO certification/credentialing programs or specific evaluations or assessments.

20. You agree to conduct your affairs with CCO, any testing personnel, clients, and candidates in a professional manner, according to accepted codes of business conduct.

21. You will not use your credential in such a manner as to discredit or disparage CCO, and will not make any statement regarding your testing personnel credential which CCO considers misleading or unauthorized.

22. You agree that CCO shall be entitled to take any and all action necessary to protect the privacy and confidentiality of all participants in CCO’s testing activities and programs.

23. You agree that, to ensure a high level of test security, you may be subject to monitoring by CCO at all times during an exam administration, and that both audio and video of you and your surroundings may be recorded.

24. You expressly consent to such webcam recordings, audio/video monitoring, or other security measures by CCO as may take place during an exam administration.

25. You acknowledge that, by participating in the administration of CCO examinations, as testing personnel or otherwise, you are not acting as an independent contractor or an employee of CCO or any of its affiliates.

26. You accept and expressly agree to comply with the terms and conditions of the CCO Trademark Usage Policy (available at nccco.org or CCO’s then primary domain), as it may be amended from time to time, and agree that said policy will govern any and all use(s) of the CCO Marks.

27. You understand that any material breach of the provisions of this agreement is likely to cause irreparable harm to applicants personally, and/or unduly damage and compromise CCO’s testing system. You further understand that any violation of this agreement will constitute a breach that may cause CCO substantial harm, and that all available remedies, including injunctive relief, should and will be available to CCO. You agree that any breach of this agreement shall be sufficient and adequate grounds for immediate termination of your testing personnel role(s), criminal prosecution, civil suit, injunction, and/or expulsion from CCO or its programs, as warranted or appropriate.

28. A breach of the provisions of this agreement shall be defined to include any public or private acts taken or done by anyone without prior authorization by CCO, in contravention of the provisions of this agreement, outside the normal and usual course of CCO operations.

29. You agree that any questions or other matter arising under this agreement, whether of validity, interpretation, performance or otherwise, will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Utah, without regard to choice of law rules.

30. You further agree that all actions and proceedings arising out of or relating directly or indirectly to this agreement will be filed and litigated exclusively in any federal court or state court located in the State of Utah. You expressly consent to the jurisdiction of these courts.

06.1071 – 01.02

CCO is committed to impartiality in carrying out its certification activities, managing any conflicts of interest, and ensuring the objectivity of its certification activities. Certification activities shall be structured and managed so as to safeguard impartiality. 

revised 2025-05-08

CCO is committed to a policy of courteous, fair, and efficient interactions with all program participants.

Nevertheless, from time to time, individuals may receive an adverse administrative decision from CCO. CCO recognizes the importance of treating all program participants equally and fairly, and providing each individual with appropriate due process.

Accordingly, in written notices with adverse administrative decisions, individuals will be notified of their right to lodge an administrative appeal. In cases where a program participant wishes to appeal an adverse administration decision from CCO, individuals may submit an administrative appeal under this policy.

What is an Administrative Appeal?

Administrative appeals may include, without limitation, requests for a recertification deadline extension or revalidation of an invalidated examination, appeals from denial of a request for testing accommodations, or other appeals from adverse administrative decisions.

However, not all requests are grounds for administrative appeals. For further clarification, please review the descriptions below before submitting an administrative appeal.

• Program Integrity Complaints. To lodge a complaint regarding a CCO Program Participant (Candidate, Certificant, Testing Personnel, Test Site, etc.), or a similar program integrity or ethics and discipline matter, please click here.
• Disciplinary Appeals. If your status as a program participant (including personal certifications or testing personnel credentials) has been sanctioned by the Ethics & Discipline Committee (E&D) or the Program Integrity Team (PIT), after an investigation and decision, please click here for information on lodging a disciplinary appeal.
• Administrative Complaints. For complaints of an administrative nature involving dissatisfaction with CCO services or the conduct of a CCO employee, in particular, please click here. These may involve situations where there has been no adverse decision and/or no notification of any right to lodge an administrative appeal.
• Financial Requests. If you would like to request a refund, a waiver of exam fees, or any other financial request, please contact our Customer Service team at 703-560-2391, [email protected], or on CCO’s Contact Us webpage.
• General Feedback. If you have general feedback or suggestions for CCO, including feedback concerning exam content or testing experience issues, please contact our Customer Service team at 703-560-2391, [email protected], or on CCO’s Contact Us webpage.
• Administrative Appeals. Finally, if you have been the subject of an adverse administrative decision that is subject to appeal and you have received a written notice that you have a right to appeal the decision/action under CCO’s Decisions/Appeals Process matrix, or if you have an administrative petition that is within the authority of the Administrative Appeals Committee, then please proceed with the procedures below.

Submitting an Administrative Appeal

If you have received an adverse administrative decision that is subject to appeal and you wish to pursue an administrative appeal, you must submit a written statement requesting an appeal.

Please note that some adverse administrative decisions, such as the invalidation of examination results, require that an appeal be submitted within thirty (30) days of receiving the letter. Written notices that you have a right to appeal will also include an appeal deadline.

An appeal must include a written statement for the Committee’s consideration. Any statement shall be limited to two (2) pages. Exhibits may also be provided by the appellant for the Committee’s consideration. Any exhibits submitted shall be limited to ten (10) pages.

To request an administrative appeal, please submit a CCO Administrative Appeals Form.

Notice of Appeal Hearing

In the event that you timely and properly appeal an adverse administrative decision, CCO will notify you of the date and location of the appeal hearing with the Administrative Appeals Committee.

The foregoing notification will be provided at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the appeal hearing.

Administrative Appeals Committee

CCO’s Administrative Appeals Committee is responsible for considering appeals of adverse administrative decisions.

In order to afford appropriate due process for all program participants, the Administrative Appeals Committee is comprised of a minimum of six (6) industry professionals who serve as members of the Committee. Members of the Committee are volunteers, not CCO staff.

Procedures for Handling Administrative Appeals

Appeals are generally scheduled for review at the next scheduled meeting of the Administrative Appeals Committee. Typically, the Committee holds a hearing every other month. Appeal hearings are conducted virtually.

During an Administrative Appeals hearing, the appellant has the right to have an attorney present, but in no event may counsel present argument or provide testimony in lieu of, or on behalf of, the appellant.

Otherwise, hearings are closed to third parties. Neither factual witnesses nor expert witnesses will be permitted to participate in a hearing.

The Committee will consider the available evidence presented and such other evidence as it may, in its discretion, deem appropriate.

Standard of Review on Appeal

The Administrative Appeals Committee only overrules or modifies underlying adverse administrative decisions in the event of the following:

• The policies at issue were incorrectly applied;
• The finding of facts were clearly erroneous, arbitrary or capricious, and/or grossly inconsistent with the facts surrounding the adverse administrative decision;
• The adverse administrative decisions imposed were grossly disproportionate to the facts; or,
• The facts warrant a variance from CCO policies and procedures.

The decisions of the Administrative Appeals Committee are final and are not subject to further appeal.

Notification of Disposition of Appeal

Within thirty (30) days of the appeal hearing, the Legal Department shall notify the appellant in writing of the decision by the Administrative Appeals Committee.

Close of Appeal

Once a final decision has been made concerning an appeal, the matter is closed. Relevant files are retained for a reasonable period of time by the CCO Legal Department.

Members of the Administrative Appeals Committee are asked to destroy or return all information received during an appeal to the CCO Legal Department.

revised 10/17/25

By taking my examination(s), I acknowledge, understand, and agree that:

(1)        I must comply with all instructions provided by test administration staff, as well as any other program rules I agreed to in connection with my application or registration for this test and the terms of this Candidate Attestation.

(2)        This examination is protected by federal copyright law. No part of the examination may be copied or reproduced by any means whatsoever. Copying, sharing, or posting such information is illegal and violates the CCO Code of Ethics.

(3)        Willful theft or attempted theft of any examination content, by any means, is punishable as a felony.

(4)        I must not and agree not to share or discuss the questions or answers seen in my exam(s) with any other individuals, including, but not limited to, other candidates, training providers, or employers.

(5)        I understand that I may not have any unauthorized reference materials or personal items during testing. Only my government issued photo ID, prescription eyeglasses (not smart glasses), and prescription hearing aids are permitted in the testing room today. Absolutely no other reference material or personal items are permitted, including, without limitation, training materials, printed information, scratch paper, hats or other head coverings, sunglasses, watches, keys, earbuds, headphones or earmuffs, mobile phones, calculators, drinks, food, snacks, chewing tobacco or vapes.

(6)        I further understand that any dry erase board used in connection with my examination(s) must be up to a maximum size of 8.5” x 11”, and that the board must be clear when the first exam question appears on each individual examination and completely erased at the conclusion of each individual examination when prompted to do so.

(7)        I acknowledge that, if I am found to be in possession of unauthorized reference materials, personal items, or information on my dry erase board, my exam will be subject to invalidation and I may be subject to other sanctions.

(8)        I understand that I may not engage in conversation with third parties and may not receive or provide any unauthorized information or aid during my examination(s). I further understand that unauthorized persons are not permitted in the secure testing environment during my examination(s).

(9)        I understand that the proctor(s) may not answer any questions regarding examination content. If I have any questions or concerns regarding examination content, I will use the ‘Exam Feedback’ button at the top left corner of my screen.

(10)      I understand that, to ensure a high level of test security, I must remain subject to monitoring at all times, and that both audio and video of me and my surroundings can and will be recorded in connection with such monitoring.

(11)      I expressly consent to webcam room scans, recordings, audio/video monitoring, and other security measures that take place during my examination(s).

(12)      I understand that I may not, under any circumstances, close, move, or cover any camera recording my examination(s). I further understand that I must remain in full view of exam cameras during my examination(s).

(13)      I understand that I may not leave my test station for any reason from the beginning until the completion of each exam. Authorized bathroom breaks will be provided between exams if I am taking multiple examinations. If I leave my station during an exam for any reason, my exam will be subject to invalidation and I may be subject to other sanctions.

(14)     I acknowledge that any testing accommodation diverging from CCO’s standard testing protocols, including the foregoing requirements, can only be approved and provided pursuant to CCO’s established procedures for testing accommodations, which include a requirement that a completed application and supporting documentation be submitted at least four (4) weeks prior to my testing date.

(15)      I acknowledge that I am taking my examination(s) in a secure environment, and I represent that I have not circumvented and will not attempt to circumvent any security measures for my examination(s). I further represent that I have not tampered with the testing environment in any way that would threaten the security of the examination(s).

(16)      I understand that CCO strictly prohibits the use of any recording, screen capture, and remote access applications, devices, and technologies that may impact the integrity of my examination(s), including through the use of remote access software, external cameras, cables, cards, switches, monitors, and any similar software or hardware.

(17)      I understand that any violation of the foregoing rules and conditions may be sufficient cause to invalidate the results of my examination(s). I also understand that my participation in any irregularity or improper conduct during my examination(s) may subject me to investigation and potential sanctions under CCO’s program integrity process.

(18)      I agree to the foregoing terms as an express condition of taking any examination(s).

I understand that if I do not abide by this agreement and these rules, or if I am suspected of cheating or tampering with the computer, (1) I may be dismissed from the examination and my exam results may be invalidated (without a refund), (2) I may be precluded from further testing or subject to other program sanctions, and (3) CCO may take other action(s), including legal action, as necessary or appropriate. I further certify that I am the person indicated to take the examination(s) and the person taking such examination(s).

Agree – You may proceed to exam

Refuse – Your session will end immediately

[POP UP BOX]

Do you really want to end this examination session by declining the Candidate Attestation? If you decline this agreement, you will not be permitted to take the examination.

Click “End Exam” to cancel your examination without agreeing to the Candidate Attestation, or click “Cancel” to review and accept the agreement.

06-1085 – 02.00