Whether you’re a school leaver or looking for a career change, choosing to become a crane operator is a fun and rewarding career path. But, how can you become one? Take a look at our latest blog post and learn more about becoming a crane operator or crane driver.

 

What is a crane operator?

A crane operator, or crane driver, is an individual who operates lifting machinery on construction, quarrying or mining sites, at ports and in warehouses.

 

How can I become a crane driver?

There are several ways and routes you can follow to become a crane operator or crane driver. This includes taking a college course, doing an apprenticeship or working your ways towards this role.

College course

If you are looking to go through education, you can take a college course in Plant Operations; this level 2 certification is usually carried out in conjunction with on the job training. 

Apprenticeship

If you are looking for an apprenticeship you can get into this job role through applying to a lifting technician intermediate apprenticeship.

Work

Another way in which you can become a crane operator is through starting work as a construction site labourer. When you have built up more experience of using heavy machinery such as excavators, then you can move onto crane operation.

 

What skills do I need to become a crane operator?

These are some of the main skills that a crane operator needs in order to be successful in the role.

• Good physical skills such as movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
• Pay attention to details and be thorough
• Patient with the ability to stay calm under stressful situations
• Able to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
• Able to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• Understanding and sensitivity
• Ability to safely operate and control equipment
• Basic computer skills to carry out tasks on a computer or hand-held device

 

What are the daily tasks and responsibilities?

Some of the day-to-day tasks include setting up cranes and carrying out safety checks; loading and unloading lorries; shifting loads around the site; monitoring sensors that measure load weights, crane stability and wind speed; and carrying out minor repairs to the machinery.

In addition to these tasks, it is important to also report any problems to the crane supervisor and keep thorough records of the materials that you’ve moved.

Typically, crane operators work on a construction site; this means that the working environment can be noisy and at height. Furthermore, you’ll also need to wear protective clothing.

 

Contact NMT Crane Hire

If you’re interested in hiring cranes or lifting equipment, we pride ourselves on building customer relationships and providing an excellent service. Here at NMT Crane Hire, we have over 40 years of experience within this industry so we are able to provide knowledgeable advice on equipment and crane safety. You can get in touch with our team by calling 0800 026 6985 or you can fill in our contact form and we’ll get back to you shortly.