The federal government is updating crane regulations and at some stage over the next 12 months new standards will come into force. This will require all crane operators to have the proper training, either through a training school or on the job. Either way, they will have to meet minimum standards and pass written tests to prove their knowledge.

This places more importance on the need for effective training that covers all the minimum standards that are being set. Under the new standards, crane operators will need to be certified. To achieve this, the new regulations will require crane operators to pass both written and practical tests in all 50 states and complete more training where necessary.

Certification will achieved through either an accredited third-party testing organization, through an audited employer testing program or by state/local licensing authorities.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools deliver accredited training for all heavy equipment including cranes. This training will be prepare you for the accreditation process. If your interested in becoming a crane operator then now is the best time to get started.

Operating a crane is a piece of cake these days compared to a couple of hundred years ago. The modern crane looks nothing like those earlier devices. Today’s cranes can comfortably sit in the field of heavy equipment, back then there was nothing heavy about the crane at all.

The medieval crane must have been something to see. There were several different ways to operate them, the main one being using human power, running inside a giant wheel. Of course, as time progressed, horses were brought in to do some of the work load. Daily accidents and deaths were a standard part of a working day.

Today’s cranes are far more complicated and yet, at the same time, less complex. They are certainly a lot safer, yet they can lift far more than their earlier counterparts. The cranes of that era, particularly the simpler ones were often a lot easier to transport; but then, all you had was a large piece of reinforced timber. You could always find a fulcrum somewhere near the job site.

When you look at some of the ancient castles, you have to be amazed at how they managed to erect them using such primitive cranes – yet they did and those building still stand today.

Fortunately we don’t have to rely on those old cranes. Our mechanical cranes do the job in a fraction of time using far less manpower. The manpower that is used needs, however, far more training. That is where ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools comes in. We prepare our students for work in the heavy equipment field so they than can get the job done quickly and safely. Join the crane operators of today with effective heavy equipment training.

Cranes are not just cranes, yet when it comes to their operations, cranes are just cranes. Cranes are classed as heavy equipment but of all the heavy equipment, cranes have the highest number of equipment types.

There are around a dozen different types of cranes in use around the country now and they range in size from small sit on the back of a truck type to the huge heavy construction type. The different types of cranes include:

• Railroad Crane – this sits on a rail carriage flat bet
• Mobile Crane – often wheeled although there are some tracked
• Telescopic Crane – a type of crane whose boom consists of a number of tubes fitted one inside the other
• Tower Crane – tower cranes often give the best combination of height and lifting capacity and are used in the construction of tall buildings
• Truck Mounted Crane – a crane mounted on truck flat bed
• Rough Terrain Crane – crane with four rubber tires that is designed for off-road and “rough terrain” applications
• Crawler Crane – a crane mounted on a set of tracks that provide the stability and mobility of the crane
• Loader Crane – hydraulically-powered articulated arm fitted to a trailer
• Gantry Crane – a large installation used in container ports and rail freight terminal
• Overhead Crane – suspended crane often found in factories
• Stacker Crane – crane with a forklift type mechanism used in automated warehouses
• Floating Crane – mounted on barges and used mainly in bridge building and port construction
• Aerial Crane – aerial cranes usually extend from helicopters to lift large loads

If you are looking for a career as a crane operator then I think you will agree there are plenty of options available. Your first option is to find the right training and at ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools we help you there.

Operating a crane requires a lot of training and skill since one wrong move can injure or even kill hundreds of people working on the construction site.

These days, many employers are insisting on crane operators that are trained and are capable of handling difficult situations. Employers who have restricted their employment policies to employing trained personnel have noticed a reduction in the number of work place incidents involving cranes.

Training is not focused on safety, although it is a key component. Students trained in how to use the equipment the right way, how to handle risky materials, how to recognize and handle handle risky situations, and how to react in a tight situation.

Considering the number of work place mishaps in earlier years, there has always been a need to train employees on how to operate a crane. Rather than undertake hit and miss on the job training, formal training to a set training schedule ensures that all topics are covered properly and not skipped over. On the job training often omits many important areas, often because the current job did not involve that area.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools are accredited to deliver crane training to an approved standard. If you are looking for a career as a crane operator, check out what we have to offer.

A mobile crane operators job can be hectic generally starting each day at the yard where you pick up your work schedule for the day.

Once you have your work schedule, you will need to give the mobile crane a quick but thorough maintenance and safety check. Obviously, you need to get it done before you get out on the job – it’s no good finding a problem on the job and having to return to the yard.

Jobs for mobile crane operators are generally short, often completed in half a day, or a full day at the most. Once you arrive at the job you will need to quickly assess the situation, the ground you will be operating on and what is to be lifted. You will probably have to set blocks to balance and brace the crane.

If required, you will need to assemble some of the crane’s rigging. Once completed, and the crane has been set up to perform the task, you are set to go. Using either radio and/or hand signals, you can start to actually do the job. This requires good hand/eye/feet coordination as they are all used to manipulate the crane.

Once the job has been completed, you will need to reverse many of the above steps. There will also be paper work to complete. Possibly a job sheet or work order and a log book. Then it’s either off to the next job, or back to the yard.

It may not sound exciting, but a mobile crane operators jobs are varied and interesting and can often test your skills. Thorough training is required to operate a mobile crane proficiently to get the job done. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can help you acquire those skills and start a career as a mobile crane operator.

As the construction industry continues to expand the need for suitably qualified crane operators grows. Although the construction is sensitive to changes in economic conditions, the number of job openings is expected to rise due to the aging work force.

The pay rates for crane operators varied depending on the type of work required. Those working on high rise buildings earning considerably more than those operating the smaller cranes. Pay rates in 2006 were between $15 and $25 per hour with a median of around $19.

Growth in employment is expected to be around 3% per year, however when you take into account the flow of workers in and out of the industry, it is expected that around 5% of will need to be trained on an annual basis.

Crane operators are in high demand across the country with pay rates well above national averages. Employers are preferring to hire new employees that are already trained in crane operations and are ready to be productive from day one.

If a rewarding and lucrative career as a crane operator sounds good to you, then perhaps you should investigate training to gain the skills required to find employment. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools have an impressive record in the training and employment of all heavy equipment operators include crane operators.

Heavy equipment on building sites is not confined to those that move earth. One of the most important, and most challenging jobs, is that of a crane operator. The crane itself is often fairly straightforward to use, however there are so many variables to consider it can make life quite interesting – especially if you 20 floors up and trying to lift materials from the ground.

There are obvious factors to consider when operating a crane. Weight is the most important. If it is too heavy, the crane is most likely going to tip. However, what is too heavy? A weight lifted today may be too much tomorrow. When your on top of a building, the variable that can affect the operation of your heavy equipment is weather – particularly wind.

Wind creates many difficulties for a crane operator. The first effect felt is that of swing. As the wind connects with the materials being lifted, you can get a swinging effect. This can put immense pressure on the crane itself and has been known to cause a crane to topple. In windy conditions, the load may need to be reduced by half to handle the situation.

The second effect is one of spin. This can put strain on the crane’s wire rope. Fortunately, modern fittings now take of most of the problems caused by spin. However, if the load has insufficient clearance, or there is swing accompanied with the spin, the load can make contact with the building sides causing a lot damage.

Sound scarey? It should if your not trained properly. However, with the correct training you will learn how to deal with sorts of situations. You will learn what is safe, and what isn’t. When you should stop altogether until weather conditions improve. Crane operators is a career that can be very challenging, yet very rewarding.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools have a training course dedicated to cranes. If your looking for a career as a crane operator, why not request our free brochure on crane operator training.

Being a mobile crane operator is an interesting and varied career. You just never know what sort of tasks you are going to be asked to perform.

Most building sites use a mobile crane at some stage of the construction process. Whether it is simply unloading vehicles or careful placement of girders, pylons or complete building pieces, the mobile crane is there to do the job.

It’s not only construction that uses mobile cranes. Some manufacturing industries use them to load trucks and rail carts. They are used to place power poles, they may even be called upon to right vehicles, particularly trucks, after accidents.

Training consists of three levels with each level building on the previous. The first level concentrates on the basic principles of cranes, rigging, safety and operation. These are the foundation skills without which you would find it difficult to understand the following levels.

The second level delves into communication including official hand signals, maintenance, wire rope theories and the use of computer aids. You also gain an understanding of the movement of cranes particularly how they move from one area to another.

The third and final level deals with boom attachments, advanced operational techniques, planning lifts and emergency procedures. This final level provides many of the finer skills to operating a mobile crane.

Whilst it may all look theoretical in nature, everything is designed to turn you into a highly skilled mobile crane operator ready to commence a long and interesting career. If a career in this field interests you then perhaps you should check out the full mobile crane operator training program at ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.

Overhead cranes are used in many industrial, manufacturing and assembly environments. These cranes are devices that raise and lower a load and move it along a horizontal plane. Most overhead crane systems are controlled by an operator either remotely or through a fixed housing control.

There are a variety of different types of overhead crane including gantry, semi-gantry, cantilever gantry, storage bridge and wall cranes.

Gantry cranes are very similar to overhead cranes with the exception of the bridge for the trolleys. Two or more legs support it as the crane runs on fixed rails or another runway.

Cantilever gantry cranes are either gantry or semi-gantry cranes on which the bridge girders or trusses extend beyond the crane runway on one or both sides.

Storage bridge cranes are a type of gantry crane in which the bridge girders or trusses are rigidly or non-rigidly supported on one or more legs and may have one or more fixed or hinged cantilever ends. These long-span overhead cranes are typically used for bulk storage applications.

Wall cranes are a traveling type of crane which has a jib, with or without a trolley. These overhead cranes are supported from a side wall or lined columns of a building to which the runway is attached.

Overhead cranes are used in a variety of industries. The automotive industry utilizes overhead cranes extensively in their production facilities. Overhead cranes are also commonly used in the construction of very tall structures. Relocating cargo containers and other heavy non-assembly materials, such as blocks of concrete, is another common use for overhead cranes.

the principles of operating an overhead crane are similar to that of a conventional crane. Like any vehicle, it is the controls that differ. Learning to operate a conventional crane may open the door to a career as an overhead crane operator. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide basic crane operation training to help get you started.

Mobile cranes come in all shapes and sizes, from small cranes suited to small construction sites to huge cranes that require huge flatbed truck trailers to move about. These cranes have a boom that is mounted to a platform, the crane then relies on pulleys or levers to raise and lower the boom.

The mobile crane’s platform can be a traditional truck style with standard wheels, railway type wheels to run on train tracks, or caterpillar tracks like a bulldozer. The base of the crane is bolted to a concrete foundation which supports the weight of the crane and the weight of the loads it moves.

The mast or tower is the vertical portion of the crane. It is connected to the base at the bottom. At the top of the tower is the slewing unit. The slewing unit is a term for the gears and motor which allow the crane to rotate.

Self-erecting cranes arrive on job sites where the operator uses the power from the crawler or truck to slowly extend the crane. Instead of being anchored in a concrete base, the self erecting crane is supported by four outriggers that fold out from the crane’s body and rest on the ground.

For training on how to operate heavy equipment like trains, contact ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.