Overhead Crane, Pendant and Cab
Safe crane operation, slinging, hand signals and load control.
Overhead cranes need precision. This course covers crane components, safe slinging techniques, hand signals and emergency stops.
Why this training matters
When an overhead crane lift goes wrong, the crane itself is rarely the thing that failed. It is usually the sling, the estimate of what the load weighed, the angle the slings were set at, or the person who was standing under it.
Sling angles are the classic example, because the arithmetic is not obvious. As the angle between the legs of a sling opens up, the tension in each leg rises sharply, and it can pass the rated capacity while the load itself is well within the crane's limit. An operator who has never been shown that calculation has no reason to suspect it.
The other half of the job is communication. A pendant operator whose view is blocked is relying entirely on the person signalling, and a misread signal at the wrong moment puts a swinging load somewhere nobody expected. Standard hand signals and disciplined radio procedure exist precisely because improvised ones fail under pressure.
What you will learn
- Crane types and components
- Pre-operation inspection
- Slinging methods and sling angles
- Load weight estimation and centre of gravity
- Hand signals and radio communication
- Safe lifting, moving and placing
- Emergency procedures
The legal requirement
An overhead crane is a lifting machine, and the tackle it lifts with is lifting tackle. Both fall under regulation 18 of the Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015.
Regulation 18(11) requires that a lifting machine is operated only by an operator specifically trained for that particular type of lifting machine, holding a certificate of training issued by a training provider accredited by the Transport Education and Training Authority under the National Code of Practice for Training Providers of Lifting Machine Operators. As with forklifts, the duty falls on the user as well as the operator: your company may not permit an uncertified person to operate.
Because the certificate is machine-type specific, a pendant controlled crane and a cab operated crane are treated separately. This programme covers both, and the assessment is run on the configuration your operators actually work with.
Lifting tackle carries its own inspection regime, and slings, shackles and chains have to be examined and taken out of service when defective. Teaching operators and slingers to inspect tackle before a lift is part of making that regime work in practice rather than only on paper.
Sources
- Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015, Department of Employment and Labour
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993, Department of Employment and Labour
Legislation is summarised for orientation and is not legal advice. Always check the current text of the Act and its regulations, or take advice.
Practical assessment
Observed lifts on your own crane. Delegates carry out a pre-operation inspection, inspect and select tackle, estimate load mass, rig the load, give and receive standard hand signals, then lift, travel and place the load under assessment.
Prerequisites
Delegates must be medically fit to operate, including adequate vision and hearing for signalling and radio work. No prior crane experience is assumed on the novice intake.
What is included
- Crane for the practical
- Slinging gear
- Training manual
Certification
Delegates who complete the programme and are found competent receive the TETA aligned overhead crane certificate, valid for 2 years. Attendance registers and assessment records are handed over to your health and safety department for the training file.
Refresher and re-certification intakes are available before a certificate lapses. Tell us the expiry dates and we will schedule around them.
Overhead Crane, Pendant and Cab questions
Yes. The certificate under Driven Machinery Regulation 18(11) is specific to the type of lifting machine, so we scope the assessment to the cranes you run and note the configuration on the certificate.
Bring them. Most overhead crane incidents come out of the rigging and the signalling rather than the crane controls, so training the operator alone leaves the larger part of the risk untouched.
Yes, we bring slinging gear for the practical. We also work through your own tackle with the delegates, because learning to condemn a worn sling on your store's stock is more useful than doing it on ours.
Usually yes. We schedule the practical around your lifting programme and can work shift by shift so the crane is not tied up for three straight days.
Two years. We track expiries and book the refresher before they lapse.
Book overhead crane training
Send us the courses, the number of delegates and where you are. We come back with a written quote within one business day.