Career Overview
Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
Also Known As
- Hoist Operator
- Hoistman
- Material Handler
- Service Operator
Alternate Job Titles
- Air Hoist Operator
- Air Lift Operator
- Boat Hoist Operator
- Boat Loader
- Boat Puller
- Bridge Rigger
- Building Rigger
- Cable Operator
- Cable Way Operator
- Cage Operator
- Cage Tender
- Casing Puller
- Cemetery Vault Installer
- Chute Operator
- Clean-Out Driller
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Problem Sensitivity
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Control Precision
- Depth Perception
- Reaction Time
- Near Vision
- Multilimb Coordination
- Oral Comprehension
- Manual Dexterity
- Selective Attention
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Attention to Detail
- Stress Tolerance
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Independence
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Adjustable wrench sets
- Bulk weighing systems
- Conveyor belt systems
- Electric hoists
- Electric winches
- Elevating platforms
- Fork-grapples
- Gas powered hoists
- Grease dispensing guns
- Hoisting cables
- Lifting slings
- Load clamps
- Oil dispensing cans
- Pallet jacks
- Pickup trucks
Work Environment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $33,910 |
| Median | $52,310 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $116,120 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 2,480
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Riggers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $62,060
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $46,390
Crane and Tower Operators
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $66,370
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $58,710
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $52,550
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.