Why “Common Sense” is Dangerous in Safety: Rick Sikora on Rigging, Competency & Culture
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Why invest in training for an incident that has not occurred? Rick Sikora, CEO of Cranemasters, says the value is in moving beyond “checking a box” and toward building real competency that can be observed, coached, and improved without blame.
In this episode of The Safety Spotlight, Rick joins us to share how his trade experience led him to launch a crane and rigging training organization trusted across the industry. He breaks down why “everybody knows that” thinking is a quiet threat, why equipment documentation should be treated as mandatory reading, and why he pushes his own team to challenge everything, including internal scores and audit results.
Rick also outlines where effective training is headed: less reliance on occasional recertification and more emphasis on ongoing guidance, short learning touchpoints, and mentorship that sticks. Whether your work involves lifting operations or you are building a stronger safety culture overall, his perspective on ownership and complacency is worth hearing.
In this episode, we cover:
- The Myth of “Everybody Knows”: How assumptions and informal handoffs create skill gaps across generations of workers.
- Equipment Manuals as Safety Tools: Why manufacturer specs and load charts are often ignored, and why that can be costly.
- Competency Without Blame: How to assess skill using clear standards and evidence, not opinion or instinct.
- Keeping Veterans Engaged: Practical ways to prevent “I have done this a thousand times” thinking, including Rick’s checklist approach.
- The 25% Participation Rule: Why strong training involves learners speaking and demonstrating, not just listening.
About Our Guest: Rick Sikora is the CEO of Cranemasters, specializing in overhead crane and rigging training. With a background in welding, millwright work, and hands-on trades, he started Cranemasters nearly two decades ago to close gaps in equipment education. Today, his team trains thousands of workers each year with a focus on manufacturer requirements and applied coaching.
Learn more about Cranemasters:Cranemasters.ca
Access the Rigging Resource Centre:Rigging Resource Centre
Rick’s LinkedIn: LINK
