As much as we love cranes, we know this: that operating one isn’t a laughing matter. Once you get behind the wheel of a heavy lift crane, you’re now responsible for a serious machine. And that isn’t something you learn how to handle overnight. If you’re interested in taking the time out to train yourself, make sure you pick up these four things along the way. You’ll thank us later.
- ABCs. Every time you operate a heavy crane, you’ll encounter charts and manuals of all shapes and sizes. Capacity charts, load charts, safety manuals, maintenance manuals, just to name a few. So, in order to know these, be sure to brush up on your reading comprehension and writing skills. Your 2nd grade teacher was right: this stuff is essential.
- Training Day. Now that you have your ABCs in order, it’s time to return to the classroom. The American Petroleum Institute requires operators to have both classroom and on-field training under their belt, particularly for the cranes they’re looking to operate. Once you have this done, you’ll be able to conduct the pre-use or monthly inspections for your crane. Sounds good to us.
- Get Certified. Numerous states require heavy lift crane operators to have a license if they’re working offshore. For this, contact The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) to get yourself set up with the license process. You’ll be official.
- See No Evil, Hear No Evil. As we first said, operating a heavy lift crane is no joke. You’ll be in charge of something that is massive and, if in the wrong hands, dangerous. That said, most companies require their operators to have a solid sense of hearing and vision. Tests will help determine your Snellen fraction in each eye, your depth perception and color differentiation. By doing so, you’ll have a firm grip of what’s in front of you as well as what’s far away. That’s probably for the better, right?
With these things in hand, you’ll be on your way to operating a heavy lift crane operator today. Just remember: safety first.