Crane Operators

[stazza]

Just a couple questions for the resident Crane Operators on here.

I recently got my CN, CV and C2 tickets. I wanted C6, but our biggest slewing crane is a piddly C2.

My job is not primarily Crane driving though, so as it not being a main focus of my job, I don't get the opportunity to operate them as much as I'd like.

I'd absolutely love to do it for a living though. I thoroughly enjoy it and the thought provoking challenges it can present, and I am passionate about it.

I've had my Dogman ticket for about 5 years, and did Dogging on and off. From the first time I worked with a Crane 5 years ago I always thought to myself that it would be cool to operate it.

And 5 years later I thought the next step would be to actually get in one and do it.

Recently a couple guys from work were getting sent on the course, and I put my hand up and asked. The boss declined, saying I didn't need it, but I offered to pay for it myself, to which there was no reason for him to turn me down.

The funny thing is, the job that I do, I use the Crane more than anyone else where I work now, so why the boss originally declined is beyond me.

Anyway, to get to my point:

I'd love to do it for a living, and eventually go up in Crane size. But where I work doesn't offer the opportunity for me to better myself. And I'm not getting paid according to my qualifications. So my only option is to look elsewhere, I guess that being a Crane Hire company.

So my question is, what do you guys recommend I'll need, beyond experience obviously, to obtain a crane driving job? Am I stuffed because I only have the C2?

I don't currently have my HR, so I can't drive them on the road, but is that absolutely necessary? (obviously if it states in the job description then it is)

What else would you recommend? Any interesting points I could list in my Cover Letter or Resume?

Just basically looking for some guidance, and maybe a couple tips if I'm going to work in the industry.

Thanks!

[stazza]

Oh, also might be helpful to list the Cranes I operate:

AT20 - 20t Franna
MAC25 - 25t Franna
20t Slewing Crawler Crane

Not sure what brand the slewing one is, looks like a cheapo small excavator with a crane boom and winch on it

When driving the crane, my job mostly consists of lifting and moving large spools and 10-20m sections of pipe.

[Kryton]

Go get your HR.
If you cant drive the crane to the job, your not much use - it means hiring another person to do it and that costs the company money.
Find another company and be prepared to start from the bottom so to speak.
Just remember, youll be the new guy and there are most likely others there trying to climb the ladder as well.
Take any opportunity that is offered to you, even if you dont think it will necessarily help you in the short term - enthusiasm pays off in the long run.

[poppa smurf]

HR is a must.....got to make yourself more desirable than the next bloke

[stazza]

I'm 100% keen to get my HR, the only thing really holding me back is finding the time. Work won't allow me to do it in their time, as they've no need for me to get my HR. Maybe I'll take some leave some time and do it then..

[sneaky]

i have had my HR for 7 or 8 years now - work payed for it, yay.. anyway it took me 2 full days of driving to get the licence with the exam/test at the end of the second day. so you might not need that much time off work.

good luck with the crane/truck licence.

[stazza]

Awesome, thanks for the advice guys.

Do you know if the process of obtaining the HR may have changed in the past 7 or 8 years? I know the process of getting a car licence has changed somewhat in the past 9 or so years since getting my licence

[MrEL]

Where are you located?
In NSW its a 2 day course max.

[Kryton]

I was going to get a HR earlier this year.
There are 2 providers here, TAFE and a private mob.
TAFE is 2 days, sat - sun, private is 8 hours.
cost is about $1200.

[stazza]

Ahh right, cool. I'm in WA by the way.

I asked at a local mob here about 2 weeks ago, off the top of my head I was quoted about $180 an hour per lesson.

[dave351cid]

i think that you will really need to get that HR licence sorted out as a priority so that you can drive the cranes on the road.
if you are getting Franna experiance that should help you get into a specialist crane company as they nearly all seem to have Frannas of some sort. once you get in the door then they might help you train up to their larger cranes.

another industry that uses C2 crane licence a lot is the power supply companies and their maintenance contractors. the crane / borer trucks used for standing poles needs a C2 licence + HR (HC if they tow a pole jinker).

i am a linesman with a C2 licence and mostly fill in when our full time crane driver is away.

[v gate]

in all honesty it sounds to me like you really havent had enough time under the hook. if you dont no what crane your even in says it all to me.

[stazza]

Originally Posted by v gate

in all honesty it sounds to me like you really havent had enough time under the hook. if you dont no what crane your even in says it all to me.

Where did I say that I don't know what crane I'm in? The slewing one doesn't have anything on it but the words "all terrain". I said it's a 20t slewing crawler with a telescope boom on it, what else is there to know? I operated it once during my course, haven't used it since, hence me wanting to move in to a different employer so I can have new opportunities. Don't reply if you're going to pull the **** out of me mate.

[v gate]

not sure what brand the slewing one is?
what else is there to know?
you do understand you pull the wrong lever and things can go very very wrong. you ever driven a crane with out riggers?
ive bin around cranes for a long long time ive seen dead people from mistakes. you wanted advice but you dont want to hear it but im gunna give it anyway not for you but for others who may be interested in the same career. if you cant dog a load well you wont be trusted to drive a load. i wont even go near a load if its slung up by a newby without one of the other riggers watching it being slung up.
its a trust thing and if you dont even know what make crane your in , i and many more wont go anywhere near you.

[stazza]

you do understand you pull the wrong lever and things can go very very wrong. you ever driven a crane with out riggers?
ive bin around cranes for a long long time ive seen dead people from mistakes. you wanted advice but you dont want to hear it but im gunna give it anyway not for you but for others who may be interested in the same career. if you cant dog a load well you wont be trusted to drive a load. i wont even go near a load if its slung up by a newby without one of the other riggers watching it being slung up.
its a trust thing and if you dont even know what make crane your in , i and many more wont go anywhere near you.

Haha wow, one of these guys. You're not giving advice dude, you're being ridiculously condescending.

Did you read my post before you replied? Looks like you skimmed over it, noticed a thing or two to pick on, then went ahead on your high horse telling me I'm going about it the wrong way. Personally, I think I'm going about it the right way as I'm asking for advice before making any judgements or decisions.

What does dogging a load have to do with any questions I asked? If you read my post, you would have noticed I've been doing dogging on and off for 5 years, not to mention the crane course I just did had a couple day refresher.

And how would I have driven a Crane with out-riggers if A - I stated I don't currently have my HR, and B - I drive 20 and 25t Franna's and a small 20t crawler, which I have operated ONCE for my test (was incredibly easy), and haven't even walked past since, as it's not in my area. Stop jumping to conclusions.

And yes, I understand if you pull the wrong lever things can go wrong, I think that's more a common sense thing than anything buddy.

Among the things I stated, and whatever else your problem is, you do realise I've just started out driving cranes, as in within the past month, and I started a topic on here asking for advice for furthering my career A.K.A learning more about the cranes, gaining experience etc... Do you understand what I'm saying?

Everyone starts out at the bottom. Do you expect me to have driven a 20t crawler once to pick up a load, move it and place it down, and instantly know the ins and outs of that Crane, make and model (as I stated, not written anywhere on it as our company has all of our machinery resprayed white with our logo's on it) etc...? If it was that easy then everyone would be a Crane expert like yourself, but sadly we're not.

Don't even bother replying dude, the previous replies from other board members were 17 thousand times more informative, thanks.

[mik]

my young brother got his HR, he had no other experience other than logging a bit of time in a semi as a passenger, it`s not that hard imo.

[XRDeeze]

Originally Posted by v gate

not sure what brand the slewing one is?
what else is there to know?
you do understand you pull the wrong lever and things can go very very wrong. you ever driven a crane with out riggers?
ive bin around cranes for a long long time ive seen dead people from mistakes. you wanted advice but you dont want to hear it but im gunna give it anyway not for you but for others who may be interested in the same career. if you cant dog a load well you wont be trusted to drive a load. i wont even go near a load if its slung up by a newby without one of the other riggers watching it being slung up.
its a trust thing and if you dont even know what make crane your in , i and many more wont go anywhere near you.

interesting thoughts ill keep in mind. I been driving a gantry crane for 6 months now and got no idea whats it called, does it really matter?

[mickbundy]

Originally Posted by Ford_XR603

interesting thoughts ill keep in mind. I been driving a gantry crane for 6 months now and got no idea whats it called, does it really matter?

Only at the wet mess with the rest of the experts lol

[v gate]

wet mess yeh what ever!

yes it is mr deeze that means in the early on useage you had no idea of what it can and can not do.

and for mr stazza for you to get a c2 ticket from your own description of 1 single lift in a slew crane THAT IS ILLEGAL !!!

the make and model of the crane can be found in many places ie log book, the manual, crane safe sticker and the comp plate, all of which you failed to see in your rush to obtain your ticket or you just not knowing how to go about things and that tells me rite off the bat you have not spent enough time around mobile cranes in general and your assessor should have his ticket pulled

i think your boss did the ritey by not sending you for your c6 (ask yourself why and the answer , i dont know, is correct)
you are now ticketed to drive a slew crane WITH outriggers but you have not set one up. that is something you must be shown and do over and over again and again on different grades and ground conditions.

its incredibly easy. of course it is with 20 odd meters of stick out now put that same crane on the side of a hole and run 60 meters of rope out and its not so easy anymore.

all of this stuff you find out when you spend time dogging mobile cranes (not driving them) by just being there and noticing how the operator goes about his day and how the loads act.

i myself am currently teaching 2 riggers how to operate they have over 100 hours each easily in a 25t rough terrain on rubber and on outriggers over 50 hours each on 135t and above crawlers, well over 200 hours in non slew and at the moment only 1 of them i feel mite be signed off (log book) on a c6. both have been rigging for over 5yrs plus solid every day all day.

i admit im a hard when it comes to rigging but i can sleep easy at night knowing anyone i signed off is good to go and any mistake made by them in the future is not on me.

so can you see my point ? i dont think you have enough time under the hook to be incharge of it.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by v gate

wet mess yeh what ever!

yes it is mr deeze that means in the early on useage you had no idea of what it can and can not do.

and for mr stazza for you to get a c2 ticket from your own description of 1 single lift in a slew crane THAT IS ILLEGAL !!!

the make and model of the crane can be found in many places ie log book, the manual, crane safe sticker and the comp plate, all of which you failed to see in your rush to obtain your ticket or you just not knowing how to go about things and that tells me rite off the bat you have not spent enough time around mobile cranes in general and your assessor should have his ticket pulled

i think your boss did the ritey by not sending you for your c6 (ask yourself why and the answer , i dont know, is correct)
you are now ticketed to drive a slew crane WITH outriggers but you have not set one up. that is something you must be shown and do over and over again and again on different grades and ground conditions.

its incredibly easy. of course it is with 20 odd meters of stick out now put that same crane on the side of a hole and run 60 meters of rope out and its not so easy anymore.

all of this stuff you find out when you spend time dogging mobile cranes (not driving them) by just being there and noticing how the operator goes about his day and how the loads act.

i myself am currently teaching 2 riggers how to operate they have over 100 hours each easily in a 25t rough terrain on rubber and on outriggers over 50 hours each on 135t and above crawlers, well over 200 hours in non slew and at the moment only 1 of them i feel mite be signed off (log book) on a c6. both have been rigging for over 5yrs plus solid every day all day.

i admit im a hard when it comes to rigging but i can sleep easy at night knowing anyone i signed off is good to go and any mistake made by them in the future is not on me.

so can you see my point ? i dont think you have enough time under the hook to be incharge of it.

I think you missed the whole point of this post.

Please re read.

[Gobes32]

Originally Posted by XRDeeze

interesting thoughts ill keep in mind. I been driving a gantry crane for 6 months now and got no idea whats it called, does it really matter?

Yes, because if it is a JDN Monocrane, then it is most likely a piece of &$!# and needs to be blown up............. (tongue in cheek)