From high rigging to safety culture change
Bruce Johnson didn’t start in a classroom. He started in the late ’70s as a high rigger, walking steel where a mistake could be fatal. Later, he moved into the crane rental world and ultimately led safety, environmental, and DOT programs for a major rental company with one of the largest crawler fleets in North America. His mandate: build real, relevant training and make it stick.
At the time, safety culture was far more talk than practice. Bruce helped change that. He designed in-house programs, rolled out companywide rigging and signalperson training, and went through the full CCO Certification pathway himself, eventually becoming authorized to administer practical exams. The results were business-level: his teams drove their Experience Modification Rate (EMR)—the workers’ comp risk score that directly affects premiums and prequalification—from 3.0 to well below 1.0, backed by stronger OSHA logs, documented training, and better field performance. For Bruce, training wasn’t a checkbox; it was the engine for better numbers, fewer incidents, and ultimately, better business.
Today at Crane Tech, Bruce teaches what he lived. He leads mobile crane operator training and overhead crane training and also teaches aerial lift (MEWP) and forklift operators, crane inspection, signalperson, and rigging Levels 1 & 2. His approach is plainspoken and practical. He uses both the “book” terms and the field terms because crews need to pass written exams and recognize language in standards (OSHA/ASME B30), but they also need to communicate clearly on the job with mechanics, supervisors, and contractors who use everyday slang. Matching both vocabularies cuts confusion, speeds handoffs, and prevents errors when the pressure is on.
He simulates real workflows with whatever equipment a site can safely provide and insists on mastery of fundamentals before advancing: pre-use checks, smooth load control, drift management, communication, and clean documentation. If a student needs more practice, Bruce stays after with targeted coaching until the skill is there.
Ask him about “lightbulb” moments and he’ll talk about small skills that cascade into big wins. Teaching rigging crews to tie five basic knots, for example, flips a switch. Suddenly taglines are everywhere, hands stay off loads, and near-misses drop. That’s behavioral change, not just a passed test.
Bruce also brings a leader’s lens. He’s frank that safety programs succeed only with top-down buy-in. When production and safety are framed as opposites, he sees a management gap, not a field problem. His advice to supervisors: set clear expectations, document evaluations (1926.1427(f) for operators), and reinforce ASME B30/OSHA requirements with the why behind each step. Do that, and performance follows: fewer first aid and reportable incidents, faster, cleaner prequalification with clients, and equipment that lasts longer because it’s inspected and used correctly.
What do students remember? The stories told of real-world decisions, near-misses that didn’t have to happen, and the practical rules that prevent them. What do clients notice? A trainer who can translate standards into field habits their crews will use on the very next shift.
Outside the yard, Bruce is a sci-fi fan with a deep interest in history (ancient Rome and Japan) and a budding content-creator’s studio at home. That curiosity shows up in class: he meets seasoned pros with respect, invites questions, and makes the material feel relevant – because it is.
Want to train with experts like Bruce? Call 800-297-0400 or get a quote at www.cranetech.com/quote.