Considering a Crane Driver Training Course?
Do you have excellent communication skills? Do you have the ability to keep cool under pressure, have a passion for mechanics, pay attention to detail, and most importantly – arent afraid of heights? Then a career as a crane driver might be for you!
Learning how to operate and drive a crane is one of the most rewarding and in-demand professions in the construction industry. It is also the most challenging.
Recruiters typically look for applicants with the following skills when it comes to hiring crane drivers:
- Mechanical skills
- Alertness
- Attention to detail
- Excellent verbal communication
- Physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity, and grace
- Patience and the ability to keep calm in high-pressure situations
- Being able to work well within a team
As for all careers in the construction field, safety is always a top priority. Crane drivers are trained to operate safely and take extra measures to protect themselves and others from injury.
What Does a Crane Driver Do?
Crane drivers operate cranes which are advanced construction machinery to lift, move or position machinery, heavy equipment, and other large objects from one place to another.
As a crane driver you are responsible for all aspects of crane operation, including safety. Duties can vary depending on the employer and the specific industry, but crane drivers usually perform the following tasks:
- Thorough crane inspections before use
- Calculating crane capacity
- Assembly of tower cranes on site
- Performing routine maintenance on cranes and making minor repairs as required
- Operating cranes for lifting, transferring, or positioning equipment and objects
- Keeping records of materials and their movements on business logs
Career Opportunities
Some crane drivers work with all three types of cranes (boom trucks, tower cranes, and mobile cranes), while others choose to specialize in specific cranes:
- Heavy boom truck – set up, maintain, and operate hydraulic booms capable of moving heavy loads of 18 tons or more
- Medium boom truck – set up, maintain, and operate hydraulic booms that are capable of moving heavy loads weighing between 4.5 and 18 tons.
- Wellhead boom truck – set up, maintain, and operate hydraulic booms
- Tower crane – maintain and operate traveling, fixed or climbing-type cranes with a vertical tower and a jib.
- Mobile crane – maintain and operate booms that are mounted on mechanically or hydraulically driven cranes, and are capable of lifting heavy loads of 13 tons or more.
- Conventional mobile crane – perform the same duties as with a mobile crane, but limited to mechanically driven cranes
- Hydraulic mobile crane – perform the same duties as with a mobile crane, but limited to hydraulically driven cranes
If you’re serious about doing a crane driver training course, check out courses near you in the Nightcourses.co.uk national course finder.
