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Crane Safety Training

Cranes put separate training obligations on operators, signal persons and riggers. These programs cover all three — crane safety, standard hand signals, and rigging — in English and Spanish, with the trainer materials and records to document each session.

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Crane safety training requirements

Cranes in construction are governed by 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, and overhead and gantry cranes in general industry by 29 CFR 1910.179. The standards place separate obligations on distinct roles, and each has to be trained and assessed:

  • Operators must be certified or qualified, and evaluated by the employer for the specific equipment and work assigned
  • Signal persons must be qualified under 1926.1428 — that means documented assessment of their knowledge of standard hand and voice signals, not just watching a video
  • Riggers must be qualified for the rigging tasks they perform, including load weight, hitch selection and sling inspection

The programs below deliver the classroom instruction and the paperwork to record it. The employer's practical assessment for each role is performed on your own equipment and site.

Which crane program do you need?

Program Who it's for Focus
Crane Safety Training Operators and crews working around cranes Inspections, setup and ground conditions, capacity charts, load handling, power line clearance, operating hazards
Crane Safety: Hand Signals Signal persons, and anyone directing a lift Standard hand signals, voice signal protocol, positioning and line of sight, when signals must be used
Crane Safety: Rigging Safety Riggers and anyone attaching loads Load weight and center of gravity, hitch types, slings, shackles and hardware, sling angles, inspection and removal from service

What's included with every training program

  • Training video in English and Spanish
  • PowerPoint presentation for classroom delivery
  • Compliance manual and training outline
  • Employee quiz and answer key
  • Completion certificates and wallet / ID cards
  • Attendance log and sign-in form
  • Supplemental printouts

Compare formats

Format Access Starting price Best for
Streaming 1-month or 1-year subscription, instant online access $85 for 1 month, $195 for 1 year Training a crew now, or continuous onboarding
MP4 download Annual license, tiered by employee count. Both English and Spanish files included. Varies by employee count Hosting on your own LMS, file server or SharePoint
USB or DVD One-time purchase, physical media, no internet required $225 Jobsite trailers and toolbox talks

Crane safety training questions

Does only the crane operator need this training, or do other workers need it too?

OSHA requires training for all personnel involved in crane operations — not just the operator. That includes signal persons who direct crane movements, riggers who attach and detach loads, and other workers in the vicinity of crane operation who need to understand load paths and safe distances. The three programs above are built around those separate roles.

When is a signal person required by OSHA?

A signal person is required when the operator does not have a direct line of sight to the load, the path of travel, or the destination of the load. One is also required when the equipment is traveling with a load and the operator's view in the direction of travel is obstructed, and whenever site-specific safety concerns call for it. See 29 CFR 1926.1428.

What is the difference between a rigger and a signal person?

A rigger attaches, detaches and secures the load to the crane. A signal person directs the crane operator's movements using standardized hand signals during the lift. These are separate roles with separate training requirements, and on many crews they are separate people. Both are covered in the programs above.

Does the crane operator need hand signal training too?

Yes. The operator must be able to correctly interpret every signal received, and the signal person must be able to correctly give them — a signal only works if both sides read it the same way. The Hand Signals program covers the responsibilities of both.

Does this training satisfy OSHA requirements?

It covers the classroom instruction these standards require. Note that OSHA also requires crane operators to be certified or licensed depending on crane type, and requires signal persons and riggers to be qualified — through a third-party qualified evaluator or through the employer's own documented assessment. Those assessments happen on your equipment and are not something a video can complete for you.

Reinforce the classroom session

Employee training booklets in packs of 10 are available for crane safety, hand signals and rigging separately. The crane hand signals poster and shift inspection poster keep the reference visible at the lift, and the OSHA Cranes and Derricks regulations are available spiral bound for the site office.