About This Career

Operates or tends hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.

This career is part of the Architecture and Construction cluster Construction pathway.

A person in this career:

• Moves levers, pedals, and throttles to stop, start, and regulate speeds of hoist or winch drums in response to hand, bell, buzzer, telephone, loud-speaker, or whistle signals, or by observing dial indicators or cable marks.
• Starts engines of hoists or winches and uses levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums.
• Observes equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths.
• Operates compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips.
• Moves or repositions hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.
• Selects loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.
• Signals and assist other workers loading or unloading materials.
• Attaches, fastens, and disconnects cables or lines to loads, materials, and equipment, using hand tools.
• Applies hand or foot brakes and moves levers to lock hoists or winches.
• Oils winch drums so that cables will wind smoothly.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves bending or twisting your body more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Requires getting into awkward positions
• Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Exposed to conditions such as high voltage electricity, combustibles, explosives, and chemicals more than once a month
• Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
• Whole body vibrations, such as when operating a jackhammer
• Work at heights above 8 feet more than once a month on structures such as ladders, poles, scaffolding, and catwalks

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Picking out a particular sound in the presence of other sounds
• Maintaining a body position that prevents falling when in an unstable position
• Judging how far away an object is, or which of several objects is closer or farther away
• Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Detecting sounds and hearing the differences between sounds of different pitch and loudness
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel