Lesson 1Ground and foundation checks: crane base, pad conditions, temporary roadways, surface bearing capacity and ground water/drainage issuesHere you'll learn to check crane foundations, pads, and access roads, confirm bearing capacity for expected loads, spot soft areas, holes, or erosion, and assess drainage or water table issues that might affect stability during work.
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'll learn to inspect and test communication gear like radios, batteries, chargers, spare units, and signs, plus set up clear backup hand signals to keep 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 operationsThis part explains monitoring wind speed and direction, reading gust forecasts, checking visibility, rain, snow, and ice, and using manufacturer and regulatory limits to decide when to stop or pause crane work 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 signsYou'll learn inspection standards for wire ropes, hoist ropes, and hooks, checking for broken wires, rust, kinks, bends, hook throat opening, latch operation, lubrication state, and signs it's time to take them 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 indicatorsThis section looks at visual and functional checks of tower crane parts like mast sections, ties, slewing ring, jib, counterjib, and counterweights, watching for cracks, loose bolts, rust, bends, 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 zonesHere you'll learn to survey the work area for 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 attachmentsThis section shows how to read and use tower crane load charts, including capacities by radius and setup, effects of jib length and counterweights, dynamic load factors, reductions for attachments, and planning safe lifts.
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 checklistThis covers checking operator, rigger, and signaler qualifications, reviewing certificates, noting daily fitness status, and running structured pre-shift briefings to align the team on tasks, risks, 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 systemsThis explains testing safety devices and limit switches like overload protection, anti-two-block, boom angle and radius indicators, wind alarms, and emergency stops to ensure they work before lifting starts.
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
