There are times when sending employees to a crane operator training school is simply not an option. There are any number of reasons for this including distance and work requirements. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools have a specialized crane operator division that provides training under these circumstances.

We can organize training for your employees either at one of our training schools, at your workplace, or out on a work site. The training we provide can be in accordance with national guidelines or adapted to suit your specific circumstances. You would be surprised at how easy it can be to accommodate both, which gives your employees the added bonus of being able to receive certification as crane operators. We are approved by the NCCCO as a test site for both the NCCCO written and NCCCO practical exams for fixed and swing cab crane operators.

Specialized crane operator training is particularly useful if you have specific machinery that your operators need to be trained on, or specialized tasks that your employees need training to complete. We have a dedicated team of trainers who can sit down and discuss your needs and then translate them to a specifically written training program. They are able to travel to remote locations to deliver both the training and necessary assessments.

If you are a business owner that requires specialized heavy equipment training, including specialized crane operator training, then give us a call at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools. We can sit down and discuss with you the training options available and the best way to deliver that training with the smallest possible impact on your business.

Crane operator training at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools covers both fixed cab and swing cab mobile hydraulic cranes. Crane operator training is conducted over three levels with each level building on the previous. Training is designed to prepare graduates for both the written and practical exams for certification through the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).

As you can imagine, training for certification is fairly intense. However, the information is presented in an easy to understand format, which makes learning both enjoyable and uncomplicated. Training involves both classroom based activities and hands on in the operator seat training. Some of the material covered in training includes:

Level 1:
Basic Principles of Cranes
Crane Safety
Operating A Crane

Level 2:
Machine Power Flow
Preventive Maintenance
Computer Aids/Operator Aids

Level 3:
Advanced Operational Techniques
Emergency Procedure
Transporting Requirements

You can get a full module list with short description by visiting our crane operator training pages.

Crane operators are amongst the highest paid heavy equipment operators in the country and there is always a demand for operators. By enrolling in our crane operator training course you will also be entitled to access our job placement program. This program assists graduates in finding suitable employment once they have completed their training. You may also be entitled to financial assistance – this will depend on your circumstances at the time of enrolling.

Our crane operator training program is recognized nationally as is the certification process at the conclusion of your training. National recognition is important because it means your qualification as a crane operator will be recognized in all states. If a career as a crane operator sounds right for you – contact us for the dates of our next training program.

Many people use a lending facility to pay for their crane operator training. This has worked very well over the years. In fact, crane operators are one of the highest paid heavy equipment operators so repaying the loan has not been a problem. Low interest rates have made borrowing a little easier on the pocket although lenders have become a little tougher when it comes to lending criteria. This could all change.

The latest figures are showing that we are well and truly out of a recession and that the economy is starting to grow. A growing economy inevitably leads to one thing – increased interest rates. This is particularly the case if inflation also starts to grow. I am sure there are many out there that remember the high interest rates of the 80’s following a severe recession.

What does this mean for those looking to become crane operators? If you are going to fund your crane operator training using a credit source, do it now before rates start to climb. Past experience has shown the Federal Reserve starts slowly then moves quickly. Before you know it official interest rates will be up around the six or seven percent mark. This can equate to double that in lending markets, triple when it comes to loans with high risk.

Crane operators are still amongst the highest paid when it comes to heavy equipment operations. If you are considering a career as a crane operator then now is the time to act. Demand for operators will increase over the next 12 months, however, waiting six or nine months could see you paying considerably more for your crane operator training at a time when demand may have already peaked. Can you really afford to wait?

If there is one problem with our modern society it is that we are never satisfied. We are constantly looking to update, upgrade, modernize and/or invent new things in the belief it will make life easier. Sometimes it is true. Crane operator training is one area that has to try to keep up with all new technology. Sometimes it can be difficult with new devices and new ways of doing things coming out with the release of every new model.

Of course, manufacturers do it on purpose. If they didn’t bring out new equipment with more modern technology then no one would bother updating – at least not until the old equipment was beyond repair. What does this mean for students studying to become crane operators? Heavy equipment operations, and cranes are included here, is a job that is a constant learning cycle. Whether it is a new technique, a new soil type, or a brand new technology – these all require a new phase of learning, often by the seat of your pants in the cab.

Take laser and GPS technology. There are courses you can take to learn this technology. However, most operators were simply given a ten minute run through and left to their own devices (when the technology was first introduced). Imagine what it was like when magnetic cranes were first introduced – it really was seat-of-the-pants learning back then.

Fortunately, we have top quality training providers that try to maintain equipment that has all the latest technologies on board. Simply being familiar with the technology is a good start to your career. Crane operator training is not a training program you attend once and it’s finished. Once you’re on the job you will continue learning – at least until you decide to retire.

Mobile crane operator training is quite indepth and covers a range of topics. These topics include various safety aspects along with various operating requirements. Electrical grounding has actually got two definitions when it comes to mobile crane operations.

The first is, as the name suggests, a technique to ground the crane in case of electrical contact. One of the hazards of operating any type of crane, but mobile cranes in particular, is the risk of coming into contact with overhead power cables. This contact can have a life threatening impact on the operator and those around them.

By utilizing an electrical grounding system the harm from any contact can be minimized. When a crane comes into contact with overhead power cables, electricity flows from the cable into the crane. This passes through the operator as well as anyone who happens to be touching attached to the crane in any way, either through direct contact with the crane itself or through any wiring such as a communication system. Grounding directs the current to the ground bypassing the operator.

The second form off electrical grounding is a system that grounds the crane in the real sense. It is a stabilizing system that ensure the crane is balanced on uneven ground. Mobile cranes have a series of ‘feet’ that are lowered to the ground in much the same way we use car jacks to raise a cars wheel off the ground.

An electrical grounding system lowers these feet sufficiently to ensure the crane is sitting firmly and is well balanced – and important safety aspect when it comes to lifting heavy weights. The next time you see a mobile crane in use, have a look to see whether or not the crane has been balanced using an electrical grounding system. As I mentioned at the start, mobile crane operator training covers a lot of topics – electrical grounding is just one of them.

Can you read sign language? I hope you can learn, or at least learn the sign language that is taught when you attend crane operator training. There are times when a crane operator will need to work in an environment in which they are blind to some aspect of the job. They may be blind to the lift point or blind to the drop point.

To complete the job successfully, the crane operator will need to rely on the eyes of others. They will provide the operator with signals to indicate when to raise the load, lower load, swing the load to a new position and many other movements. We call these hand signals. Many years ago we had workers riding the loads using whistles to indicate the next move. Many sites now use two way radios instead.

You will still need to learn the basic hand signals in use. These signals are fairly easy to learn and use. What is important is that only one person communicates with the crane operator at any one time. This means nominating someone to guide the operator. They too will obviously need to know the hand signals. Examples of hand signals include:

Hoist or Raise: Raise the forearm vertically and extend the right arm straight out with forefinger pointing up – move hand in small circles.

Lower: Forefinger pointing down and extend right arm downward then move hand in small horizontal circle.

Stop: Extend right arm down with wrist bent, palm down and open.

They are just three examples and depending on the situation, may need to be used differently. What is important is that the crane operator and the person being the ‘eyes’ have an agreed signaling system in place. This ensures safety and helps to prevent accidents. Crane operator training covers the most frequently used hand signals.

Career opportunities for new crane operator training graduates are looking good for at least the next five years with strong growth expected across all construction areas. Crane operators are particularly fortunate when you consider how diverse the opportunities are. Whilst construction absorbs a large proportion of new graduates, manufacturing also offers opportunities in the form of overhead crane operators whilst general lifting also offers opportunities in the form of mobile crane operations.

Employment can be sporadic through the winter months in some areas as construction grinds to a halt due to weather. Opportunities do open during these periods in southern states where weather may have a smaller impact on construction.

There are opportunities to be had in areas that many forget to include in their job seeking strategies. Ports rely a lot on the use of cranes. These are specialist cranes for which specialist training may be required. That training is generally built on the foundations of basic training, skills and experience that a crane operator will have developed operating standard cranes.

Rail companies, shipping companies and trucking companies often make use of crane operators. Cranes can be found mounted on rail wagons, barges and in some freight centers. These are all areas where you could find employment opportunities.

Given the diversity of work places that use crane operators and the strong growth in construction, career opportunities for new crane operator training graduates is strong. By undertaking a recognized crane operator training program and satisfying the certification criteria, you will be well placed to take advantage of the many opportunities that are currently available.

There is a lot more to being a crane operator than most people realize and crane operator training can be rather involved. When we see a crane at work, all we see is a load going up and an empty hook coming down – sometimes it can be the reverse – an empty hook going up and a full load coming down. To get the crane into a position where it can safely perform that task is often the more complicated part of a crane operator’s job.

A crane operator’s job can be broken down into four components. Equipment maintenance; equipment setup and dismantle; job and risk assessment; and lifting. Looking at each of these individually:

Crane maintenance: This is the more mundane part of the job. Regular walk around inspections ensuring that nothing is showing signs of wear and tear is one component. Another regular part of the job is ensuring that all fluid levels are right and that all movable parts receive regular lubricants.

Crane setup and dismantle: This is one of the most vital parts of a crane operator’s job. In fact, the crane operators own ‘life could depend on how well he sets up the equipment. Cranes work on a theory of balance and counter balance. If the crane is not set rigidly in place and well balanced, the weight of the load could for the crane to tip over. Crane operators may also need to assemble some components. Tower crane operators will always need to assemble and disassemble various parts of their own machine.

Job and risk assessment: This is an ongoing activity that should be percolating around an operator’s mind at all times. Prior to the job starting, the operator should assess the loads that need lifting, the weight of the load, and any environmental factors such as wind. Risk assessment goes hand in hand with job assessent – every part of the lift is assessed for any possible dangers.

The lift: After all that, the lift will come as an anticlimax – at least, if you have done every thing right up to this point. If everything else is right – the lift should be completed with minimal fuss.

Crane operators are well paid and have a very serious role to play on construction sites. Is this the career for you? Find out more about crane operator training . You never know, you could be on your way to a new career today.

Do you know the difference between a mobile crane, a tower crane and an overhead crane? Do you know what the training requirements are for each? Careers are often built on dreams yet the reality is often quite different to what we dream about. There are many little boys that grow up wanting to be the operator of a crane that sits on top of a skyscraper – it’s possible, if you know what the requirements are.

Mobile Crane:

Mobile cranes are the cranes you commonly see driving around. As the name suggests, they are quite mobile and generally registered and insured to drive on public highways. The skills required to operate a mobile crane will obviously include driver training. Apart from driving the mobile crane, you will also need training that fulfills the requirements of the NCCCO. In some states you will need certification to prove you have the skills and knowledge required to operate a mobile crane.

Tower crane:

Tower cranes are the cranes you commonly see on building construction sites. They come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Operating the more complex self erecting cranes will come with experience. Training to become a tower crane operator is similar to that of a mobile crane operator. Emphasis, however, is placed on features relevant to the tower crane. You are still required to sit an assessment for certification through the NCCCO.

Overhead crane:

Overhead cranes are cranes that typically run on tracks overhead – hence the name. Operation could be from a specialized cab to remote controls. The training required to be an overhead crane operator is different again to that of a mobile or tower crane operator. Assessment and certification is also a requirement in many states.

There is a common thread that runs through each of these cranes and it starts with your crane operator training. You can start life as a mobile crane operator and over time gain experience and further training that allows you to branch out into either tower crane operations or overhead crane operations. If your dream is to become a crane operator then start your career with one of the best mobile crane operator training organizations in the country.

Becoming a crane operator is not as difficult as most people would imagine. The general impression is that crane operator training takes many months to complete and that it is a very difficult area to get a foothold in once training has been completed. This is not at all true, particularly when it comes to mobile crane operators.

You can complete a crane operator training program in as little as three weeks. This will depend on the training provider you select and the design of the training program. If you stop and think about it for a moment, operating a crane is not really all that difficult. The number of moves possible by a crane is actually fairly limited so there are not a million and one buttons, levers and pedals to remember.

The area of training that is probably most difficult are the safety aspect. This is where crane operator training is highly important. As I mentioned, the actual operation of a crane is very straightforward. Knowing the safety limits of your crane is not so straightforward since circumstances are always changing. Even wind has a major bearing on the safety of a crane.

So how do you become a crane operator? Your first step is to find a crane operator training provider who is accredited to deliver nationally recognized training. They should also be in a position to assess you and provide crane operator certification at the completion of your training. Whilst not compulsory in all states, it is in many of them. Being certified is also a selling point to becoming employed within the industry.

As far as getting your foot in the door once your training has been completed? A good training provider will also have a job placement program in place to help you gain that first job. In fact, when you look at all the facts, becoming a crane operator is not that difficult and doesn’t take months of study. If this is a career for you – what are you waiting for?