Yell County Crane Training on the Arkansas River and Petit Jean Valley

River work at Dardanelle

Lake Dardanelle formed behind a lock and power dam completed on the Arkansas River between Dardanelle and Russellville in the mid-1960s, part of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. Lock, dam and navigation maintenance, bank stabilization and riverside industrial sites use cranes on barges and on shore. Marine lifts bring their own issues, including deck movement, barge stability and long reaches over water.

Across the bridge, Arkansas Nuclear One, Entergy Arkansas's two-unit plant on a peninsula of the reservoir in Pope County, is the state's only nuclear power station; its units entered service in 1974 and 1980, and its 447-foot cooling tower is visible from much of the valley. Outages and plant projects there, along with Russellville's wider industrial base, keep contractors busy, and many crane operators and riggers who live in Dardanelle work those jobs.

Poultry and farm lifting around Danville

The Danville area is poultry country. In February 2024 Wayne Sanderson Farms announced a $43 million feed mill at its Danville processing plant, with completion targeted for April 2025; the company's local complex manager called farming and poultry the economic drivers of the area. Feed mills, processing plants and hatcheries need regular equipment changes, and growers put up long houses and feed bins that use boom trucks and small cranes. Most of the work is done during short downtimes, so planning the lift and rigging it right the first time saves money.

Courses worth a look

• Mobile crane operator for river, plant and outage work
• Rigger level 2 for planned lifts in plants and on the river
• Articulating crane operator for feed bin and poultry house material handling
• Signal person for barge and plant lifts where the operator can't see the hook

Rules, weather and exams

There's no Arkansas crane license and no State Plan. Federal OSHA, through the Little Rock Area Office, enforces 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC on private construction sites: accredited operator certification and employer evaluation, plus qualified riggers and signal persons. Work on federal facilities can carry extra contract requirements. Our requirements guide breaks down the federal rule.

Wind funnels down the Arkansas River valley, spring storms can be severe, and the river can run high after heavy rains upstream. Summer heat is intense on open decks and plant roofs.

Our prep course is online, self-paced and available on any device. Written exams can be taken through Online Proctored Testing, test centers or events; the practical is hands-on at an accredited site arranged through the certifying body. Little Rock is about an hour and a half east, and Fort Smith about the same distance west.