Rigging training courses are available from a variety of sources, and the course you choose may depend on your training needs. Whether you are looking for rigging courses to enhance workforce development and provide employee training or you are simply selecting one for personal professional development, you need to be sure the course meets the training requirements required by the certifying institution as well as Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) guidelines for your region.
Making certain that the rigging courses you are considering have stayed up-to-date with requirements is essential. OSHA is a governing body on any site where heavy equipment is being used and violation of their rules can be costly. Due to the fact that they make changes to rules and regulations on a regular basis, all courses relevant to OSHA rules should provide up-to-date information. Additionally, you want to be sure to select rigging courses that will prepare your employees or yourself for passing the certification exam.
In the United States, to become a certified rigger, you must take and pass a written and practical exam. The process is very similar in other industrialized countries. The written exam consists of several questions pertaining to rigging and the practical exam allows testers to demonstrate their knowledge. There are two certifications for riggers: Level I and Level II. They are obtained chronologically, meaning that the Level II exam cannot be taken until Level I has been successfully completed.
Rigging courses should cover all functions related to rigging, including signals, estimating weight loads, and basic knots and hitch configurations. Rigging courses preparing individuals for basic certification are appropriate for a variety of professions, including carpenters, millwrights, longshoremen, and pipe fitters. Certification can be an asset to a company as well as an individual. By employing certified riggers, construction, demolition, and freight companies can have employees on hand who are trained to move heavy loads when necessary. Rigging certification can also be an asset to industry professionals as they try to further their careers and build marketable job skills.
Look for rigging courses that provide training and preparation for both the certification and exam as well as the real world jobs. If you are an employer looking for training for your employees, make sure the company offering the course is willing and able to help coordinate both training and exams with your workforce development department so that there is little to no interruption of ongoing projects.
If you are an individual with previous training in rigging, it may not be necessary to repeat rigging courses in order to pass the exam. If you are comfortable in your knowledge and abilities, refresh your knowledge by studying current handbooks available from the appropriate certifying institute. In the United States, the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) provides rigging certification. Recertification is necessary every five years and includes only the written portion of the exam providing your certification hasn’t expired.