The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has been recognized as a CCO Certification Platinum Employer, the highest distinction awarded by CCO Certification. This recognition highlights LADWP\u2019s long-standing commitment to workforce safety, rigorous training, and the strategic use of CCO Certification, the Gold Standard for certification across the industry. For LADWP\u2019s leadership and training teams, the award is validation of decades of work focused on consistency, accountability, and continuous improvement. According to Oscar Salas, Water Service Manager at LADWP, \u201cThe award means quite a bit, because there’s a lot of work that’s been going into it.\u201d<\/p>\n
LADWP has required CCO Certification for more than 20 years, dating back to the early 2000s when certification became mandatory in California. Since then, CCO Certification has become embedded in the department\u2019s safety strategy, not as a one-time requirement, but as a foundation for how work is performed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it’s a lot of consistency,\u201d explained Scott Carpenter, LADWP\u2019s Power Shovel Operator. \u201cBecause when one person out in the field gets trained now, and then a year from now, someone else gets trained and certified, they have the same knowledge. It’s not a smattering of information.\u201d<\/p>\n
This shared baseline allows crews to operate with confidence and clarity, reducing miscommunication and risk on complex job sites.<\/p>\n
The impact of LADWP\u2019s commitment to ensuring their employees are CCO certified is reflected in its safety record. According to leadership, the department has seen virtually no significant crane accidents since implementing its CCO Certification program. \u201cOur accident record speaks for itself,\u201d Carpenter said. \u201cI have never heard of any significant crane accidents, and knock on wood, we\u2019ll keep it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prior to CCO Certification requirements, experience levels varied widely among operators, and qualifications were not always verified. That has changed dramatically. \u201cIt’s not just anybody getting on,\u201d Salas explained. \u201cIt’s a full-fledged operator who knows what he’s doing, he’s been trained with the equipment, he’s familiar with what he has to do\u2026 I think it’s made a big difference in the way we operate.\u201d<\/p>\n
As one of the largest public utilities in the country, LADWP recognizes that sustaining a safety culture requires structure, repetition, and investment. Safety training begins on day one, with all new employees completing at least a week of safety-focused onboarding.<\/p>\n
Beyond onboarding, LADWP reinforces safety through continuous education. The department maintains a dedicated safety section that conducts monthly training throughout the year, covering everything from fire extinguishers to respirator testing.<\/p>\n
\u201cCoupled with what we do as far as CCO Certification is concerned, we also provide ongoing education to keep everybody fresh,\u201d Carpenter noted.<\/p>\n
That commitment extends beyond equipment operators. LADWP places a strong emphasis on jobsite roles that directly influence safe lifting operations, like signalpersons. In addition to extensive training, LADWP requires CCO Signalperson Certification before a signalperson can work alongside crane operators. This ensures standardized communication and expectations between operators and ground crews.<\/p>\n
LADWP\u2019s commitment to safety extends beyond meeting training requirements. It\u2019s built around preventing incidents before they happen. By requiring CCO Certification and pairing it with ongoing education, the department creates a consistent, verified baseline of operator knowledge and jobsite communication. Together, these efforts reduce the likelihood of accidents and injuries.<\/p>\n
That proactive mindset is reinforced through regular safety touchpoints throughout the year, keeping crews sharp on best practices and ensuring safe habits don\u2019t fade over time. With everyone trained to the same Gold Standard, teams are better equipped to identify hazards early, communicate clearly, and make safer decisions under real jobsite conditions.<\/p>\n
The combination of certification, repetition, and continuous training is a key reason LADWP has maintained its strong safety record.<\/p>\n
LADWP currently has hundreds of employees certified across crane operator, signal person, and rigger programs, with numbers growing each year. That scale of participation is one of the reasons LADWP has earned their designation of CCO Certification Platinum Employer. \u201cWe hired a lot of people over the last few years, and all of them need to be trained and certified,\u201d Carpenter explained. \u201cWe just try to stay on top of it so it doesn’t get ahead of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
For employees, the CCO Certification Platinum recognition sends a powerful message. \u201cIt shows that the department is willing to put that time and money into the employees here,\u201d Salas said. \u201cThat tells our team that they care enough to get us trained the right way.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked what advice they would give to organizations considering CCO Certification, LADWP leadership emphasized both practicality and long-term value. \u201cThe investment in the employees far outweighs the risk of accidents and injuries out there in the field,\u201d Salas stated. \u201cThat investment in the employees definitely helps, not only in the bank account, but also reduces the stress level knowing I\u2019ve got a qualified person out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Consistency, shared knowledge, and standardized training were recurring themes. \u201cIf everybody has that training, and they have that common knowledge there, things go a lot smoother,\u201d Salas added.<\/p>\n
LADWP\u2019s CCO Certification Platinum Employer recognition reflects a deeply rooted safety culture built on preparation, accountability, and care for its workforce. By prioritizing nationally accredited CCO Certification and continuous training, LADWP is helping set the standard for safety in the utility sector and beyond.<\/p>\n
Through action, not words, the department demonstrates what it truly means to invest in people and protect those who keep critical infrastructure running every day.<\/p>\n
Congratulations to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power on being recognized as a CCO Certification Platinum Employer. Thank you for raising the bar for safety and being a difference maker in the industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has been recognized as a CCO Certification Platinum Employer, the highest distinction awarded by CCO Certification. This recognition highlights LADWP\u2019s long-standing commitment to workforce safety, rigorous training, and the strategic use of CCO Certification, the Gold Standard for certification across the industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10416,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[142],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-employer-recognition"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n