A certified rigger is a worker who has undergone the proper training to become certified to move loads. The specific certification level depends on the individual’s training, knowledge, experience, skill base, and ability to handle functions that pertain to the proper selection, use, and inspection of rigging equipment.

A rigger is a skilled worker who specializes in the lifting, landing, and assembly of heavy or large objects. The task often requires the help of a block and tackle and pulley, crane, derrick, chain hoists, or capstan winch. Riggers are needed for a variety of building and construction projects, so it is a role that is in high demand.

Riggers work in various roles, including construction and shipbuilding. Vacancies in the construction field for riggers have increased by 9.46 percent across the U.S., and there is an average growth of 1.58 percent in the field per year, which means that there is a need for trained rigging professionals. According to recruiter.com, the average salary of a rigger is $43,500 per year. Those who work in professional, scientific, and technical services are paid somewhat more, averaging $62,680 per year for their services.

Rigger Certificate Training

To become certified so you can seek employment as a rigger, you will need to go to an established school where you can receive professional training. Associated Training Services (ATS) includes heavy equipment operation, trucking, mobile crane operation, and rigger/signalperson certification. ATS has an OSHA-compliant rigger training program that provides students with the optimal level of expert instruction, and practical and written testing.

With the ATS rigger training program, you will become qualified to be certified with the new OSHA crane mandate while having the skills that you need to perform rigging tasks. You will have the knowledge, the skills, and the capabilities to handle the job safely and help protect other workers from being injured while you are performing your job duties. To learn more about ATS Training programs, please call (800) 383-7364 today.

As of September 2009, there were 63,012 jobs in the oil and gas well drilling industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment in the Gulf Coast is most concentrated in several Louisiana parishes and Texas counties. In these areas, rigging job or jobs account for a bigger portion of employment in these localities than the whole nation. Almost one-fourth of those employed in this field in the U.S. are in Harris County, Texas, which is in the Houston area. That totals about 14,881 jobs and equals about .9% of private sector employment in that specific county. Lafayette Parish in Louisiana had about 3.2% of the nation’s employment in the oil rigging industry.

In 2009, Baker Hughes reported that it had 1,281 active rigs, with 55 of them being offshore. The specific position of rigger in the oil and gas industry is held by 21,000 workers. Riggers have a mean hourly wage of $24.17, which totals about $50,270 per year. Riggers tend to make anywhere from $13.91 per hour to as much as $36.22 per hour. There are several industry subdivisions in the oil and gas industry that require riggers. Here is a breakdown:

Ship and boat building employs 2,270 riggers, support activities for mining employs 1,900 riggers, and the federal executive branch (OES designation) employs 1,590. Other industries with high concentrations of employment in the role of rigger include inland water transportation, ship and boat building, other support activities for transportation, and building equipment, and contractors.

Location Effects Salary

If you are employed as a rigger, your location can affect your salary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 45 of the 50 states have riggers employed in some form or fashion. Washington State has 900 people employed in rigger positions with an average annual wage of $55,470 while Minnesota has only 230 riggers with an annual average salary of $55,860. In New York, the average rigger salary is $75,910 while in Michigan, the average salary for a rigger is $65,490 per year.

What is a Rigger? What is a Rigging job?

A rigger is a person who specializes in the moving and lifting of extremely heavy or large objects. Often, they do the moving or lifting with the help of a crane, chain hoist, or derrick. To become a rigger, an individual must undergo extensive training both in and out of the classroom. ATS offers OSHA-compliant rigger and signalperson training and certification. The program includes written and practical training and testing. To learn more about the program, call ATS at (800) 383-7364.

Signalperson

Safety is crucial on any site, and this is especially true where there are cranes in operation. When we think of cranes, it is the crane operator that is the job that comes to mind, but there are several other positions that are crucial to safe crane operation, and one of those is the crane signalperson. The crane signalperson is not new, it has been part of construction since industrial cranes became common, and were sometimes called spotters, but what is it they do?

It is the crane signalperson’s job to ensure the safe operation of a crane, working in tandem with the crane operator, to move large loads safely around a site. There are two aspects of the job, the first is the physical inspection of the load and equipment, and the second is guiding the operator during a lift. Beginning with the load itself, the crane signal person should be able to spot issues with the load itself, such as incorrect weight distribution, the load hook is correctly positioned, the rigging chain is set correctly without twists, and so on, and that load weight, position relating to the boom and other factors are all correct.

They also play an important part in the lift itself, firstly, before the load is moved, assessing the hoisting path, including whether it means being too close to any hazards or traveling over the heads of site workers causing a safety issue that must be highlighted and measures are taken to avoid. Once the lift is in progress, the crane signal person directs the crane operator, using a series of special hand signals or a hands-free radio system. In this way, the operator is always kept aware of the precise position of the load, its movement including direction and speed, when to stop, if there are any dangers, and so on. It is a partnership that allows cranes to operate safely.

CCO Signalperson Certification

Accomplishing that needs a good understanding of the cranes themselves, and in many ways, a crane signalperson needs to have as good an understanding of crane operation as the operator themselves, and of course, that means training. Becoming an NCCCO certified crane signalperson is a requirement for employment, and the approved courses that get you certified provide the skills and understanding of both crane operation and the safety aspects of moving large loads on site that are needed to perform the tasks required properly. To be a qualified crane signalperson, there are a few requirements. Passing both the written and practical examinations are essential, without proof of those qualifications you cannot be employed as a crane signal person, you must also be over eighteen years of age and drug-free.

Those qualifications and the skills needed to get them can be learned through a variety of training approaches, however, the best training includes both classroom training and a chance to put those newly learned skills into practice on-site, not only giving the technical understanding needed but the confidence gained from real-world experience to get out there and launch a lucrative career as a crane signalperson.

In any construction site, no matter what crane is being used, from the smallest loader crane to the largest tower crane, there is a certain amount of danger once a load is off the ground. Safety is a crucial aspect of any crane operation, and riggers are central to that safety, with the crane operator making up a team that oversees every aspect of the crane operation on site.

The rigging team is responsible for all aspects of a lift, from the rigging of the load to ensure it has the required support and stability by organizing the cables and so on. This is where the rigging reference comes from, a throwback to the times of sailboats, but the rigger’s duties do not stop there, they also take part in the monitoring of the process throughout the lift. The other aspect of rigging that is incredibly important for safety is the signalperson. The signalperson relays the load condition, observations of the team, and other details to the crane operator themselves throughout the process.

Each of these positions is essential for site safety, the load riggers assess the weight, balance, and size of the load, setting up the pulleys and cable system to ensure a safe lift, so safety actually begins well before the lifting process is even started. During the lift, the signalperson will help control the lift and is an essential rigger position. With modern construction requiring ever larger and heavier loads to be moved, the rigger team is crucial to keeping the site safe during the lift, aiding and advising the crane operator throughout the process. Safe crane operation really is a team effort, and riggers are crucial to that team’s success.

Of course, for that team to work effectively and efficiently to maintain safety, training is essential, but the right training is even more important. There is specific OSHA qualification for riggers and signalpersons, and those qualifications can open doors to a new and rewarding career as a rigger or signalperson.

Here at ATS, we believe safety on site is one of the most important aspects of the construction industry today, and we are proud to offer OSHA-compliant courses for both riggers and signalpersons that go beyond the basic requirements.

Our qualification program for either rigger or signalperson meets OSHA requirements, and features both written and practical instruction and testing over 8 to 12 hours, resulting in each student receiving a qualification compliance card issued by Associated Training Services upon successful completion.

Moving on, our Certification Program for riggers and signalperson exceeds the OSHA qualification standard, and again, includes both written and practical training and testing over a 4-day period. Successful completion brings with it NCCCO Rigging Level One and NCCCO Signal Person Certifications, providing a valuable skillset that employers are actively seeking.

One of the most important jobs on the construction work site is that of a rigger. The rigger is responsible for the safety of personnel working on the site, especially mobile crane operations. But they are subject to regulation and the regulatory authority for riggers is OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The Heavy Equipment School Rigging/Signalperson training program will prepare you to be a world-class rigger and pass all certification tests and safety requirements of OSHA. We have the best program in the industry.

So what makes it such a good training program? All of the below:

• It meets and exceeds the OSHA qualification standards for rigger and signalperson training
• You’ll receive written and practical training and testing on those standards
• The qualification program offers 8 to 12 hours of instruction, depending on the number of students in class
• The certification program offers a 4-day intensive of 32 to 36 hours, again depending on the number of students in the program
• All graduating students will receive a qualification compliance card upon successful completion of the Rigger/Signalperson Qualification Program
• Students graduating from the Rigger/Signalperson Certification Program will be certified by the National Commission for Certification of Crane Operators

Associated Training Services (ATS) offers several ways to take this training. You can come to us and be trained in our world-class facilities, or, if your company is certifying several riggers and signalpersons at once, then we’ll arrange to come to your work site and administer the training.

OSHA standards are tough, but they are necessary for a safe work site. ATS is committed to training riggers and signalpersons in the latest qualification and certification standards for crane operations.

Riggers are important people on the heavy equipment job site. If you are working heavy construction, a good rigger can save your life.

Recently, I spoke to a gentleman who told me a story about an accident he had on scaffolding. It wasn’t high off the ground, but he did step onto a plank that wasn’t secured properly and immediately was thrown into the scaffolding uprights. He hurt himself a little bit. No broken bones or serious injury, but it did bruise him fairly well.

His mistake: He didn’t inspect the scaffolding a fellow worker put together for him. If he had, he’d have seen his fellow worker’s error.

Rigger’s Save Lives

I don’t know if these workers were certified. They weren’t involved in the heavy equipment industry. They were painting a house. But on a heavy equipment job site, the rigger is the person who puts all the equipment together and inspects it for safety. They are usually an expert in tying knots, rigging hitches, and performing other tasks in lifting and securing heavy objects. That’s why they are so important.

Associated Training Services (ATS) offers a rigging certification course to train your riggers in all aspects of keeping your work team safe.

OSHA regulations require riggers to be certified. By enrolling in this course, you’ll learn how to be a good rigger and get your certification, which means you’ll be legal and qualified. There aren’t many schools that offer a rigging course. ATS is one of them.

This week’s job listings are many and varied:

HERMANTOWN, MN — hiring dump truck drivers

MIDDLETON, WI — hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers

SAN ANTONIO, TX — hiring mobile crane operators

BYRON, MN  — hiring  heavy equipment operators

GREEN BAY, WI — hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers

EDISON, NJ — hiring riggers

VIOLA, WI — hiring  heavy equipment operators

SEYMOUR, IN  — hiring  heavy equipment operators

LACROSSE, WI — hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers

HOUSTON, TX — hiring mobile crane operators

CLARKSVILLE, TN — hiring mobile crane operators

ST MICHAEL, MN — hiring mobile crane operators

BAYTOWN, TX — hiring mobile crane operators and advanced riggers

JANESVILLE, WI — hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers

FORT WORTH, TX — hiring  heavy equipment operators

The ATS Employment Assistance department and job site have many more leads for those qualified through having the right training.

For instance, those job openings for “riggers” are not going to be available to someone who has decided it looks like fun to wear a hard hat — because the rigger is a very important person on a job site. Riggers need to be certified, and federal regulations require certification like that offered through the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). ATS is one of the few places in the US that provides that kind of professional qualification.

If you want to be a rigger, you’ll have to learn two things: The language and the tools. Heavy Equipment School will teach you all about hooks, shackles, hitches and more.

What Kind of Hooks Do You Need To Learn?

First, you need to know that not all hooks are created equal. There’s a different kind of hook for different tasks, and HES will show you which ones you need to know about and how to deploy them. Here’s a sample list of hooks we’ll teach you how to use:

• Two-Legged connection hook
• Eye hook
• Swivel hook
• Hook block
• Overhaul ball

We’ll also teach you something about buckles and bridles. Next up, shackles (and we don’t mean the medieval kind).

What Kind of Shackles Should You Know About?

Just as their are different kinds of hooks, there are different configurations of shackles.

• Two-legged connection shackle
• Screw pin shackle
• Safety shackle

And if that isn’t enough, we’ll teach you all about hoists and slings.

A Bevy of Hitches We’ll Teach You How To Use

Hitches serve a useful purpose, as well. Here are a handful of hitches you’ll learn how to use in Heavy Equipment School’s Rigger Certification Course.

• Two-legged choker
• Choker hitch
• Basket hitch

Some of these hitches can be deployed numerous ways. And, of course, we’ll teach you how make a hoist too.

If you’re bent on being a rigger, let us teach you all about the tools and techniques to be a successful one.

Right now, all signalpersons and riggers must meet Federal OSHA standards by being qualified. The best way to accomplish this is by getting NCCCO certification through the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators — the NCCCO. Their Rigger-1 and Signalperson certification standards are so high, this certification is recognized in the crane and lifting industries as being much more than the minimum level of expertise required to meet OSHA standards.

That’s pretty attractive when you are an employer looking for the best work crew available. Your vital signalpersons and riggers keep everybody else safe on the job site, so you want people who know what they are doing. The Rigging/Signalperson Training at ATS is one of the few places you can get the NCCCO certification while you are a student.

ATS Offers NCCCO Certification

1. OSHA Recognized, so the regulations are satisfied
2. Industry Recognized, so the skill is respected
3. Portable – goes with a person, so you can relocate without penalty
4. Opens additional job opportunities, so you have more career options
5. Short term – one week, so you can get on with your training
6. Additional credential, so it looks good on your resume and might get you the job

All these reasons are good ideas for getting your NCCCO certification and  rigging/signalperson certification. And there’s another good reason: spending that extra week to get it means you’ll know what is happening around you on the work site. You’ll understand what’s happening and be prepared to respond the right way.

Heavy Equipment Operators need to be flexible and responsive. The more versatile you are, the more valuable you are on the job. It’s a good idea to have all the certifications you can get, so your future options are wide open.

When you see a huge crane safely performing a tricky job, one of the people responsible for that job’s success is the rigger. Here’s a short list of what the rigger does:

• has been OSHA certified or qualified according to the job needed
• figures out the weight and center of gravity of the load
• chooses the proper sling and makes sure it is in good shape
• checks fittings, clips and other hardware for adequacy
• keeps track of the distance from any possible overhead hazards, like power lines
• understands the weather conditions and when to call the job off for unsafe conditions
• acts as outside eyes and ears for the crane operator

Riggers and signalpersons are essential people on the job site. Their training and qualifications need to be top-notch, and their responsibility to do their job needs to be taken very seriously. Each thing on this short list of what a rigger does is an important thing, one that can make the difference between a good day at work or a trip to the emergency room, or worse. Even if nobody gets hurt, a slipped load means complications for getting the job done by deadline.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School is one of the best places in the world to get OSHA-compliant rigger/signalperson training. We have over 45 years of experience in training heavy equipment and mobile crane operators and work hard to provide comprehensive safety training for this job, as well. You’ll get expert instruction from the best rigger and signal training instructors in the industry as you prepare for your written and practical certification tests.