Lesson 1Ground and foundation checks: crane base, pad conditions, temporary roadways, surface bearing capacity and ground water/drainage issuesIn this lesson, you will learn to inspect crane foundations, pads, and access roads, check bearing capacity against anticipated loads, spot soft areas, voids, or erosion, and assess drainage or groundwater issues that might affect stability during operations.
Reviewing geotechnical and bearing dataInspecting crane base, anchors, and padsAssessing temporary roadways and access routesIdentifying soft ground, voids, and erosionEvaluating drainage and groundwater effectsRecording and reporting ground deficienciesLesson 2Communication equipment checks: radio testing, battery management, spare handhelds, signage and backup hand signal protocolsYou will discover how to test communication equipment like radios, batteries, chargers, spare units, and signage, plus set up reliable backup hand signal procedures to ensure control if main systems fail during lifts.
Inspecting radios, headsets, and chargersTesting radio range and audio clarityManaging batteries and spare handheld unitsVerifying posted crane and site signageStandardizing hand and arm signal setsPlanning communication failure contingenciesLesson 3Weather assessment procedures: wind monitoring, gust forecasting, visibility checks, rain/icing effects and when to suspend lifting operationsLearn to monitor wind speed and direction, analyse gust forecasts, check visibility, rain, snow, and icing conditions, and follow manufacturer and regulatory guidelines to decide when to halt crane operations for safety.
Using anemometers and wind indicatorsReviewing weather forecasts and gust trendsAssessing visibility, fog, and night lightingEvaluating rain, snow, and icing impactsApplying wind and weather operating limitsProcedures to suspend and resume liftingLesson 4Wire ropes, hoist ropes and hooks: inspection criteria, wear limits, lubrication and end-of-life signsGain knowledge on inspecting wire ropes, hoist ropes, and hooks for broken wires, corrosion, kinks, deformation, throat opening, latch operation, lubrication, and signs indicating they need to be taken out of service.
Identifying broken wires and strand damageChecking rope diameter and elongationDetecting corrosion, kinks, and birdcagingInspecting hooks for cracks and deformationVerifying hook latch presence and functionLubrication practices and discard criteriaLesson 5Tower crane structural checks: mast, slewing ring, jib, counterweights, corrosion and deformation indicatorsCover visual and functional inspections of tower crane components like mast sections, ties, slewing ring, jib, counterjib, and counterweights for cracks, loose bolts, corrosion, deformation, and odd noises or movements.
Inspecting mast sections and connectionsChecking ties, anchors, and bracing systemsExamining slewing ring and bolt tightnessInspecting jib, counterjib, and pendantsVerifying counterweight condition and seatingIdentifying corrosion, cracks, and distortionLesson 6Work area assessment: locating overhead power lines, adjoining buildings, public street risks, pedestrian routes and exclusion zonesLearn to survey the work zone for overhead power lines, nearby buildings, traffic paths, and public areas, then set up exclusion zones, barriers, and spotters to manage people and vehicles around lifts.
Locating and marking overhead power linesAssessing clearances to buildings and roofsEvaluating risks to streets and sidewalksPlanning load paths and swing envelopesSetting up barriers and exclusion zonesCoordinating with site security and trafficLesson 7Load chart interpretation: ratings by radius, configuration limits, dynamic factors and derating for attachmentsUnderstand how to interpret tower crane load charts for capacities by radius and setup, factoring in jib length, counterweights, dynamic loads, derating for attachments, and planning safe lifts accordingly.
Understanding chart layout and terminologyCapacity changes with radius and heightEffects of jib length and configurationAccounting for wind and dynamic factorsDerating for hooks, blocks, and slingsValidating planned lifts against chartsLesson 8Crew competency and role verification: verifying riggers, signalers and operator certifications and pre-shift briefing checklistVerify qualifications of operators, riggers, and signal persons, check certifications, record fitness for duty, and hold structured pre-shift briefings to align the team on tasks, hazards, and communication.
Verifying operator licenses and endorsementsChecking rigger and signal person qualificationsConfirming medical fitness and fatigue statusReviewing site‑specific training requirementsConducting structured pre‑shift briefingsDocumenting crew verification recordsLesson 9Safety devices and limit switches: function checks for overload, anti-two-block, boom angle/radius, wind speed indicators and emergency stop systemsTest safety devices and limit switches like overload protection, anti-two-block, boom angle and radius indicators, wind alarms, and emergency stops to confirm they work properly before starting lifts.
Testing overload and moment limitersVerifying anti‑two‑block operationChecking boom angle and radius indicatorsInspecting wind speed alarms and cutoutsTesting emergency stop buttons and circuitsDocumenting safety device test results
