Hoist and Winch Operators

About the job

Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.

What you'll do

• Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.
• Attach, fasten, and disconnect cables or lines to loads, materials, and equipment, using hand tools.
• Climb ladders to position and set up vehicle-mounted derricks.
• Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.
• Oil winch drums so that cables will wind smoothly.
• Operate compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips.
• Repair, maintain, and adjust equipment, using hand tools.
• Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.
• Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials.
• Tend auxiliary equipment, such as jacks, slings, cables, or stop blocks, to facilitate moving items or materials for further processing.

Things you need to know

• Mechanical – Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Customer and Personal Service – Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• English Language – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Public Safety and Security – Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Transportation – Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Abilities you'll need to have

• Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Operation Monitoring – Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Time Management – Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
• Operation and Control – Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.