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Description
Example Titles
Classified Elsewhere
Duties
Skills
Employment Requirements
Terms & Conditions
Earnings
Education / Training
Career Paths
Outlook
Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies

Employment by Age Group
Employment by Industry
Employment by Region
Employment by Gender
Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification
Employment by Visible Minority

Crane Operators (NOC 7371)

Description

Crane operators operate cranes or draglines to lift, move, position or place machinery, equipment and other large objects at construction or industrial sites, ports, railway yards, surface mines and other similar locations. They are employed by construction, industrial, mining, cargo handling, and railway companies.

Example Titles

boom truck crane operator
bridge crane operator
climbing crane operator
construction crane operator
crane operator
dragline crane operator
gantry crane operator
hoist operator (except underground mining)
mobile crane operator
tower crane operator
tractor crane operator

>> View all titles

Classified Elsewhere

Heavy Equipment Operators (Except Crane) (7421)
Hoist operator - underground mining (in 8231 Underground Mine Service and Support Workers)
Supervisors of crane operators (in 7271 Contractors and Supervisors, Heavy Construction Equipment Crews)

Duties

Crane operators perform some or all of the following duties:

Operate mobile and tower cranes to lift, move, position or place equipment and materials
Perform pre-operational inspection, and calculate crane capacities and weight to prepare for rigging and hoisting
Operate pile driving cranes to drive pilings into earth to provide support for buildings and other structures
Operate cranes equipped with dredging attachments to dredge waterways and other areas
Operate gantry cranes to load and unload ship cargo at port side
Operate locomotive cranes to move objects and materials at railway yards
Operate bridge or overhead cranes to lift, move and place plant machinery and materials
Operate offshore oil rig cranes to unload and reload supply vessels
Operate cranes mounted on boats or barges to lift, move and place equipment and materials
Operate dragline cranes to expose coal seams and ore deposits at open pit mines
May assemble tower cranes on site
Perform routine maintenance work such as cleaning and lubricating cranes.

Skills

Crane operators need the following skills and abilities:

Essential Skills:

ability to work at heights
good sense of balance and spatial ability
good physical and mental stamina
good vision and manual dexterity
good problem solving skills
good oral and listening communication skills
ability to work as part of a team.

Technical Skills:

ability to operate power equipment
mechanical aptitude and an understanding of computerized machinery
knowledge of safe operating procedures.

Employment Requirements

Completion of secondary school is required.
To legally work in Manitoba as crane operator (boom truck, mobile crane or tower crane) you must be a registered apprentice or a certified journeyperson.
You must be at least 18 years of age to work as a Crane Operator in Manitoba.

Terms & Conditions

Crane operators work almost exclusively outdoors in all types of weather. The work is largely seasonal; overtime and weekend work are common during peak times. Crane operators employed in construction move from site to site and may relocate from home for the duration of a project. The work can be physically demanding. Most operators work at great heights. To avoid injury, they are required to wear safety equipment and observe strict safety procedures.

Almost all of this group work full time. Many crane operators, particularly in the construction sector, work on a seasonal basis and experience periods of unemployment between projects.

Although employment in this occupation is primarily seasonal, the annual earnings reported below represent the prevailing wages, salaries, and/or net income for full time employment for the full year.

Earnings

$34,500 per annum - starting

$49,900 per annum - average

$70,000 per annum - high

Earnings are reviewed annually or more frequently if new information becomes available.

Education / Training

To become a certified Crane Operator (boom truck, mobile crane, or tower crane), apprenticeship training that combines on-the-job (practical) experience and in-school (technical) training must be completed. Contact the Apprenticeship Branch for more information and program requirements. http;//www.apprenticemanitoba.ca
In Manitoba, individuals can train to be a mobile crane operator, a boom truck hoist operator, or a tower crane operator.

The following institution offers programs in this field:

Operating Engineers Training Institute of Manitoba offers a Crane & Hoisting Equipment Operator Apprenticeship program, and a Crane Upgrading (Theory) program. http://www.oetim.com/Crane_Courses.aspx

Career Paths

Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operators may be employed in a variety of industries. In manufacturing, crane operators are involved in the movement of large storage containers and the assembly of large heavy industrial products. In the transportation industry they work at shipyards and ports as well as railroad yards where large containers are loaded and unloaded onto flatcars. The construction, utility, energy, crane rental, petrochemical and paper industries also employ crane and hoisting equipment operators.

Operators may also specialize in boom truck, pile driving, gantry, tower, offshore oil rig, dredging, etc. Experienced crane operators may advance to supervisory positions or set

up their own crane rental and service businesses.

Red Seal trade certification for mobile crane operators allows for interprovincial mobility.

Outlook

Employment prospects for crane operators are good for the period 2010 to 2014. Employment in 2010 is estimated at 395.

Opportunities for crane and hoist operators are dependent upon the outlook for the manufacturing, transportation and construction industry sectors in which they are employed. There were employment losses in this occupation as a result of the economic downturn in 2009, primarily in manufacturing and construction. As the economy rebounds manufacturing firms will start to reinvest and recruit.

Over the forecast period, a number of major construction projects such as the Canadian Human Rights Museum, the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson Airport, and the hydroelectric dams in Northern Manitoba will require crane operators. Recruitment increases in the spring as construction activity peaks in the summer months. Some crane operators move to other provinces to work on construction projects or for mining companies.

An older than average age profile suggests there will be openings resulting from retirements in the forecast period.

Jobs for crane operators are located throughout the province with a larger proportion outside Winnipeg. Across industries, craneoperators are found in Construction (44%), Manufacturing (22%), Wholesale Trade (18%),Transportation and Warehousing (10%) and Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction (6%).

Employment by Age Group

Employment by Industry

Employment by Region

Employment by Gender

Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification

Employment by Visible Minority

Please Note - The source for above charts is the 2006 Census.

Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies...

Canadian Construction Association, http://www.cca-acc.com
Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, http://www.mhca.mb.ca
Operating Engineers of Manitoba - Local 987, http://www.oe987.mb.ca