Crane and Tower Operators

Also called: Acid Crane Operator, Boom Cat Operator, Boom Crane Operator, Boomswing Operator, Bottom Crane Operator

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Crane and Tower Operators operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.

Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
Move levers, depress foot pedals, or turn dials to operate cranes, cherry pickers, electromagnets, or other moving equipment for lifting, moving, or placing loads.
Inspect and adjust crane mechanisms or lifting accessories to prevent malfunctions or damage.
Inspect cables or grappling devices for wear and install or replace cables, as needed.
Direct helpers engaged in placing blocking or outrigging under cranes.
Clean, lubricate, and maintain mechanisms such as cables, pulleys, or grappling devices, making repairs, as necessary.
Load or unload bundles from trucks, or move containers to storage bins, using moving equipment.
Review daily work or delivery schedules to determine orders, sequences of deliveries, or special loading instructions.
Inspect bundle packaging for conformance to regulations or customer requirements, and remove and batch packaging tickets.
Direct truck drivers backing vehicles into loading bays and cover, uncover, or secure loads for delivery.
Weigh bundles, using floor scales, and record weights for company records.

Work Context

Work Context information for this career will be available soon.

Work Activities

Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment — Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Detailed Work Activities

Weigh materials to ensure compliance with specifications.
Verify information or specifications.
Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
Inspect material-moving equipment to detect problems.
Install parts, assemblies, or attachments in transportation or material handling equipment.
Clean machinery or equipment.

Mechanical

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

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Operation Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

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.

Control Precision

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

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.

Far Vision

The ability to see details at a distance.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Selective Attention

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Visual Color Discrimination

The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

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.

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.

Time Sharing

The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).

Spatial Orientation

The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.

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).

Glare Sensitivity

The ability to see objects in the presence of glare or bright lighting.

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

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.

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

Achievement/Effort

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self Control

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software

Data entry software

Spreadsheet software

Microsoft Excel

Office suite software

Microsoft Office

Get started on your career:

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

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