My name is Steven Robichaux.  I have been associated with the crane industry since the age of 10.  I completed my high school education at H.L. Bourgeois High School and also attended college at Mississippi College and Nichols State University. 

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 My father started two crane companies in 1973, Crane Specialist, Inc. and General Oilfield Consultants Corporation.  I began working part-time and eventually became a full-time employee.  Crane Specialists, Inc., provided crane service, parts sales, and crane rentals to the Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas gulf coast area mainly offshore platform-mounted cranes.  General Oilfield Consultants Corporation specialized in crane inspections, crane operator training, and expert witness testimony. 

 

I initially started as a mechanic helper, later becoming a fully trained technician, crane operator, rigger and crane inspector.  Due to the poor oilfield economy in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, I was out of the industry for approximately 5 years but still performed crane services part-time to earn extra income and to maintain contact with the changing trends of the crane market.  Once the market was favorable for my return, I gained employment with Applied Hydraulics, Inc. whom is one of the largest marine crane manufacturers in the world.  One month after beginning my employment as a shop technician rebuilding components and cranes, I was immediately promoted a to a full-service technician who was one of only two technicians out of 18 whom had experience in conventional and hydraulic cranes.  As I gained invaluable training and experience in the marine platform crane market, I was offered employment with the largest Manitowoc crane dealer in the world (H&E Equipment Services-Crane Division, who acquired Coastal Equipment Co. in 1999).  Prior to the acquisition, Coastal Equipment Co. was an authorized Manitowoc dealer for 31 years and also a dealer for Marine Travelift gantry cranes.  I have experience working on, inspecting, or operating cranes in capacities from 5 tons to 1,000 tons and in various styles of boom and component design.  I have also worked on and operated manlifts, forklifts, excavators and boom trucks and trained operators for same.

 

I have extensive experience working on and operating offshore platform-mounted cranes and the regulations and procedures directly related to such.  (API RP 2D, USCG & etc.)  I also have extensive experience working on and operating land-based cranes/material handlers and the regulations and procedures directly related to this field as well.  (OSHA, ANSI, ASME & etc.).  I am currently an active member with the API RP 2D-2 Task Group Committee with regard to offshore platform cranes.  I also have extensive experience working on and operating forklifts and telehandlers and the regulations applying to same.