Riggers are some of the most important people on the heavy equipment or construction site. Their job is to ensure safety and to maneuver equipment using ropes, chains, and hoists from one location or position to another. A rigger may be called to pull a bulldozer out of a ditch or a crane out of a body of water after falling off a dock.

Riggers must pass a training class and receive certification. They must pass a test to meet OSHA standards and demonstrate they understand common safety standards.

Another responsibility of riggers on the heavy equipment job site is to perform maintenance on equipment. If a grader or loader stalls while performing tasks on the spot and the crew cannot fix the problem at their skill level, a rigger may be called to repair the equipment on the spot rather than tow the heavy equipment back to the maintenance shop. If the rigger cannot fix the problem on the spot, then towing may be used as a last resort.

The rigging professional on the job site must understand how weight shifts on specific types of terrains and under certain weather conditions. He must be familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of the various types of heavy equipment.

Riggers must also be experts in the use of ropes, chains, hoists, slings, hooks, swivels, shackles, block and tackle, and other lifting and heavy equipment moving machines. She must understand which types of leverage provides the best support for any type of situation. A rigger is a valuable member of any heavy equipment team.

Learn how you can become a rigger today.

How do you know if a rigger is qualified to perform a certain task? Just because a rigger has been to training school, does that make him qualified? What if a rigger has 20 years experience on the work site – can he then perform any type of rigging job?

According to OSHA, a rigger is qualified to perform a job if he

• possess(es) a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or (has) extensive knowledge, training, and experience, and
• successfully demonstrate(s) the ability to solve problems related to rigging loads.

A rigger must be able to properly rig the load for a particular job. He or she need not be qualified to do every type of rigging job. Each load that requires rigging has unique properties that can range from the simple to the complex. However, previous experiences does not automatically qualify the rigger to rig unstable, unusually heavy, or eccentric loads that may require a tandem lift, multiple lifts, or use of custom rigging equipment. In essence, employers must make sure that the person can do the rigging work needed for the exact types of loads and lifts for a particular job with the equipment and rigging that will be used for that job.

In other words, it is up to the employer to ensure that riggers on the work site are qualified to handle a particular task. Many times, rigger training can qualify a person for specific rigger jobs, but in many cases, skills can only be learned by apprenticeship.

The ATS rigger training will give your riggers basic knowledge from which to build their careers. You can take it from there.

On construction sites and other industrial work locations where large heavy machines are used, someone has to set that equipment up so that operators can use it. The operators generally don’t set up their own equipment. There are specialists who do that for them prior to the work assignment. These specialists are called riggers.

Riggers also come along behind the operators and dismantle the equipment when the work is done.

This is a very demanding job and is fraught with many safety hazards. We are talking about a lot of moving parts, and many of those parts are themselves quite heavy. Riggers could find themselves using heavy equipment, such as cranes and loaders, to move heavy machinery components into place so that the rigging team can assemble them properly. On large industrial sites, the set up and assembly portion of the project could take days to complete.

Riggers, like any heavy equipment operator, must be trained to proficiently carry out the tasks of their jobs. This training is subject to OSHA standards.

If you are interested in becoming a heavy equipment rigger, consider taking the ATS Rigging and Signalperson training course.

ATS will qualify you to become a heavy equipment rigger and certify you by OSHA standards to carry out the heavy tasks associated with setting up and tearing down a work site. Not only do riggers assemble and disassemble heavy equipment on site, but they are also often called upon to move equipment from one location to another. It’s an important job with highly specialized skills.

One of the more important jobs on a construction site is that of the rigger. A rigger does a lot of work that reduces the risk of injury to others working on that construction site. Riggers also work closely with crane operators to ensure the safe movement of materials by that crane. Because safety has become an important issue in all workplaces, steps were taken to ensure that all riggers meet a minimum standard of training and knowledge. To comply with these regulations, riggers are now required to complete a training program, or at least demonstrate their skills and knowledge and to be issued with a compliance card that verifies their skills and knowledge.

That is the very minimum requirement. Some employers look for a wider range of skills and knowledge, preferring to employ those who have become certified riggers. Certification is a longer, more in depth training program and is often the minimum requirement for those in positions of authority.

The ATS OSHA rigger training programs are designed to meet these minimum standards. You can either go through the certification program or opt for the shorter compliance card program, depending on your requirements. For employers, group training has many cost benefits, especially if undertaken in the workplace. Downtime is reduced, and all employees receive the same training – and that includes any modifications that may be required to suit your workplace.

If your employees do not meet the minimum requirements under OSHA regulations, then you can be fined. If someone is hurt or killed in a workplace incident and your workers don’t meet these regulations, then the cost could be much higher than a simple fine.

Work places are not the same, especially in industries like construction and mining. These industries often have special situations that call for specific skills, skills that are not always readily available in the general workforce. To cater to the needs of these workplaces, employers are often forced to recruit employees who are well suited to the situation, and to then train them in the specific skills required.

Associated Training Services (ATS) has a long history of working with employers to deliver training that meets these specific needs. Our training can be designed specifically for your work environment and the equipment or work required. We deliver training in areas such as:

• NCCCO Crane Operator Training, Testing and Certification
• OSHA Compliant Rigging & Signal Person Training, Testing and Qualification
• NCCER Heavy Equipment Training, Testing and Qualification
• Class-A CDL Commercial Driver Training, Testing and Licensing

Our instructors are certified and they work from the latest in training methods, up-to-date curricula, and where necessary, to national accreditation standards. Training can be delivered on-site, or in our training facilities. Designing a training program to meet specific requirements can be challenging, however, our instructors are experienced and work closely with employers to ensure that training meets their needs, the regulatory requirements, and any specific requirements such as insurance.

If you require specialized training for your workplace, contact us to discuss your needs. Our long history of success (over 40 years) is based on customer satisfaction and industry relationships we have built. By working closely with industry, national accreditation organizations, and regulatory authorities, and we are able to deliver no matter how specialized your requirements.

The construction industry has gone through considerable change over the last five years. A lot of changes have been forced through legislation that now mandates employers in respect to safety training, compliance, and the certification of many occupations. Crane operators were amongst the first to feel the effect of these changes, and in recent years riggers and signal persons have felt its effects.

To be employed on a construction site as a rigger, you now need some form of recognition of your skills and safety knowledge. This is generally achieved through training and certification. Many heavy equipment operators have been in the construction industry for years and have managed to seek certification (or qualification) based on that experience and the currency of their knowledge. Those who are now looking to take up positions as riggers (or signal persons) need the appropriate training and assessment in order to formally receive certification.

Training and certification is not a long process (three to four days depending on experience and knowledge) and can be completed as part of a group training exercise onsite, or as part of a class at a training school. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training Schools has been certified to deliver both the training and certification of riggers and signal persons. Certification is a nationally recognized award, which means successful individuals can work in any state without further training or assessment.

If you require OSHA-compliant rigger certification, then you (or your employer) should contact us for details on our training programs. If OSHA inspectors determine that employees have not met the minimum requirements to work as riggers, then that employer could be liable to large fines. The construction industry is constantly changing and the emphasis now is only making these workplaces safer for all. Rigger and signal person training is one of those areas that was targeted for change – are you OSHA compliant?

In heavy equipment, there is a huge need for people to hoist, lift, push, and pull heavy objects. There is special equipment for these large tasks and riggers are the people who operate that equipment. In order to secure advanced employment in the heavy equipment field as a rigger, you’ll need to be trained on this equipment.

ATS has a special training course just for riggers.

When you enroll in the ATS rigger course you’ll be trained according to the standards established by OSHA. There are two programs that will qualify you for work as a rigger on a heavy equipment operations team.

• Rigger Qualification Program – This training program includes written and practical training and testing. It includes 8 to 12 hours of training, and once you complete training ATS will issue you a rigger qualification compliance card.
• Rigger Certification Program – The ATS Rigger Certification Program consists of 32 to 36 hours of training and it also includes a written and practical training and testing portion during the course. ATS is not authorized to certify riggers so you’ll get your final certification certificate from the National Commission for Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).

Both of these courses will train you and qualify you to work as a rigger and as a signalperson on a heavy equipment operations team. Once you receive your qualifications you can start work immediately upon finding an employer. You are just a few short hours of being a qualified or certified heavy equipment rigger.

To the untrained eye, a construction site often looks quite a bit like controlled chaos. Dump trucks driving all over the construction site and cranes moving loads from one location to another. It truly seems as though every worker has his own agenda to complete his own task. In reality, there is a lot more going on than this, especially in regards to the cranes and their proper operation. For each crane, there is a highly trained Rigger and a Signalperson involved in every movement they are making to ensure safety and proper execution.

At first glance, the crane operator seems to be the person with the most responsibility on a work site, and in fact, they are accountable for the safety of the entire work site. But, the Rigger is just as responsible for the safety of the crane operations. This includes the proper rigging of loads prior to them being lifted. To perform this properly, weight charts must be read and the proper rigging equipment used. This is an essential piece of the site’s overall safety as some of these loads can be extremely heavy and dangerous to coworkers.

Once the load is appropriately secured, it is then the Signalperson’s duty to safely guide the crane operator to perform the proper movement of the load from the rigging location to its final resting spot. Much like the director of an orchestra, the Signal person has to keep the flow of work moving to ensure the job is completed, but even more importantly, he must make certain that all crane activities are performed safely. This is performed using hand signals that must become second nature to the Signal person and the crane operator.

The Rigger and Signalperson have a great deal of responsibility to ensure the crew on the work site is safe, while at the same time, ensuring the job is correctly completed. Due to this responsibility and the importance of this position, it is mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that Rigger and Signalperson training must be performed, and a worker must be qualified or certified prior to performing this duty.

Over the years the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) have established guidelines and minimum requirements for workers engaged in different industries. In the construction industry, there are a range of occupations that have been looked at in order to increase safety and, in so doing, decrease the number of accidents. Riggers have not been immune from this close examination, and from November 8, 2010, riggers had to be ‘qualified’ to undertake specific tasks.

To meet OSHAs criteria for a “qualified person”, riggers must meet certain conditions. These include:

….possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve/resolve problems relating to rigging.

The easiest way to demonstrate these abilities is by obtaining an NCCCO certification. This is generally obtained following training and assessment by a suitably qualified assessor. Experienced riggers can obtain certification by undertaking the assessment alone. However, rules and regulations are constantly changing so updating skills through training never hurts.

Employers must engage qualified riggers for work that includes the assembly and/or dis-assembly of cranes, hooking, unhooking, or guiding a load, or in the initial connection of a load to a component or structure and are within the fall zone. Associated Training Services has been accredited through NCCCO to deliver training and assessment to meet the standard required for certification as a rigger. By undertaking rigger training and assessment through ATS, employees will receive their rigger certification, a qualification that is portable and recognized across the country. If you are a rigger who requires certification, contact ATS for more information on our next training and assessment program.

When it comes to heavy equipment operations, our law makers have generally left the industry alone. At least until the last decade when legislators started to take a little interest in the field. The only reason they have taken any interest is because of the number of accidents resulting in serious injury and death.

Legislators have slowly increased the rules surrounding heavy equipment operators, crane operators and construction sites in general. It is now mandatory for employers to ensure that their employees have some for of safety training before commencing work in any of those areas. Crane operators now require certification; riggers require proof of their training; and general workers must be able to point to some form of safety training.

Safety training can be delivered by suitably qualified trainers on-site, by a training organization either on-site or at their campus, or as part of a broader training program. It is now common for training programs such as a heavy equipment training program to include safety in its syllabus.

What legislators are hoping to achieve is a reduction in the number of accidents that occur in workplaces. The emphasis now is on employers employing personnel that are adequately trained in safety – in fact it’s the employers who face prosecution if they fail to satisfy this requirement.

When seeking training in areas such as heavy equipment operations, crane operations or any other aspect of construction, it is important now to ensure the training you receive does have safety components that meet these minimum standards. Failing to have this training will now result in one outcome – no one will employ you! At least, not until you undertake that training.

At ATS, we include comprehensive safety training in all our heavy equipment training programs. Our safety training component generally exceeds the minimum requirements as set out by legislation and this helps to make our graduates well sought after by industry.