Hoist and Winch Operators - 53-7041.00

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

Sample of reported job titles: Electrical Traveling Overhead Crane Operator (ETOC Operator), Hoist Operator, Hoistman, Lineman, Material Handler, Service Operator, Winch Derrick Operator

Tasks

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

Technology Skills

• Data base user interface and query software - Data entry software
• Spreadsheet software - Microsoft Excel
• Word processing software - Microsoft Word

Tools Used

• Adjustable wrenches - Adjustable wrench sets
• Belt conveyors - Conveyor belt systems
• Floor or platform scales - Bulk weighing systems
• Forklifts - Tracked forklifts
• Grapples - Fork-grapples
• Grease guns - Grease dispensing guns
• Hand trucks or accessories - Warehouse hand trucks
• Hoists - Electric hoists; Gas powered hoists; Pneumatic hoists; Power hoists
• Hold down clamps - Load clamps
• Ladders - Stepladders
• Lifting cables - Hoisting cables
• Light trucks or sport utility vehicles - Pickup trucks
• Oil can - Oil dispensing cans
• Pallet trucks - Pallet jacks
• Scissor lift or lift table - Elevating platforms
• Skid steer loaders - Skid steers
• Slings - Lifting slings
• Track excavators - Tracked excavators
• Wheel chocks - Stop blocks
• Winches - Electric winches

Knowledge

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Skills

• 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.
• 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.
• Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
• Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Abilities

• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
• Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
• Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
• Hearing Sensitivity - The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
• Rate Control - The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Gross Body Equilibrium - The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
• Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
• Response Orientation - The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.

Interests

• Interest code: REC
  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
  • Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Work Context

• Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - 100% responded “Every day.”
• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - 100% responded “Every day.”
• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - 90% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - 84% responded “Extremely important.”
• Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - 90% responded “Very high responsibility.”
• Face-to-Face Discussions - 91% responded “Every day.”
• Time Pressure - 85% responded “Every day.”
• Work With Work Group or Team - 86% responded “Extremely important.”
• Freedom to Make Decisions - 84% responded “A lot of freedom.”
• Exposed to Contaminants - 81% responded “Every day.”
• Exposed to Hazardous Equipment - 88% responded “Every day.”
• Exposed to High Places - 79% responded “Every day.”
• Frequency of Decision Making - 85% responded “Every day.”
• Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - 82% responded “Very important results.”
• Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - 81% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Structured versus Unstructured Work - 72% responded “A lot of freedom.”
• Consequence of Error - 78% responded “Extremely serious.”
• Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment - 74% responded “Extremely important.”
• Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body - 72% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
• Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions - 71% responded “Every day.”
• In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - 75% responded “Every day.”
• Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
• Contact With Others - 75% responded “Contact with others most of the time.”
• Duration of Typical Work Week
• Exposed to Whole Body Vibration - 15% responded “Never.”
• Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
• Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
• Spend Time Sitting - 13% responded “Less than half the time.”
• Coordinate or Lead Others - 14% responded “Extremely important.”
• Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - 12% responded “Once a year or more but not every month.”
• Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - 11% responded “Important.”
• Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting
• Physical Proximity
• Frequency of Conflict Situations - 22% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
• Spend Time Walking and Running
• In an Open Vehicle or Equipment
• Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - 14% responded “High responsibility.”
• Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
• Outdoors, Exposed to Weather

Work Styles

• Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
• Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
• Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
• Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
• Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
• Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
• Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
• Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
• Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
• Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
• Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
• Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
• Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.

Work Values

• Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
• Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
• Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Wages & Trends

• Median wages (2017)
  • $20.77 hourly, $43,210 annual
• Employment (2016)
  • 3,000 employees
• Projected growth (2016-2026)
  • Little or no change (-1% to 1%)
• Projected job openings (2016-2026)
  • 400