The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association is appealing today to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to confirm the U.S. crane, rigging, and specialized transportation industry and its workers as Essential Critical Infrastructure.

In the March 19, 2020 “Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response,” the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) developed an initial list of “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” to help State and local officials as they work to protect their communities, while ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security.

This list identifies workers who conduct a range of operations and services that are essential to continued critical infrastructure viability, including staffing operations centers, maintaining and repairing critical infrastructure, operating call centers, working construction, and performing management functions, among others. The industries they support represent, but are not necessarily limited to, medical and healthcare, telecommunications, information technology systems, defense, food and agriculture, transportation and logistics, energy, water and wastewater, law enforcement, and public works.

The crane, rigging and specialized transportation industry plays key supporting roles to nearly all industries deemed critical infrastructure, including healthcare and manufacturing. SC&RA and its member companies are working closely with government officials at all levels during this COVID-19 pandemic so that equipment and material are delivered, and infrastructure remains viable for commerce and economic stability.

State and local officials should use their own judgment in using their authorities and issuing implementation directives and guidance. Similarly, critical infrastructure industry partners will use their own judgment, informed by this list, to ensure continued operations of critical infrastructure services and functions. All decisions should appropriately balance public safety while ensuring the continued delivery of critical infrastructure services and functions.