Skills for success (Essential Skills) summary
Essential skills are needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change.
Through extensive research, the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated nine essential skills. These skills are used in nearly every occupation and throughout daily life in different ways.
The application of these skills may be described throughout this document within the skills and knowledge which support each sub-task of the trade. The following are summaries of the requirements in each of the essential skills, taken from the essential skills profile.
Reading
In their daily work, mobile crane operators read and comprehend several types of texts. These include safety and work procedures as well as more complex hoisting regulations and manufacturers’ operating manuals.
Document use
Mobile crane operators use workplace documents such as logbooks, load charts, hazard assessments and workplace policies and procedures to carry out their job. They must be familiar with regulations relating to hoisting, rigging and safe work environments. They must have the ability to read and interpret manufacturers’ specifications and load charts for the model of crane they are using. Depending on site specific requirements, they may obtain information from engineered and construction drawings and plans.
Writing
Mobile crane operators use writing skills to record comments or notes in logbooks or work records. They write messages to colleagues or management to give work details or reply to requests for technical information. They may also write longer descriptions and explanations for various reporting and data collection forms.
Oral communication
Mobile crane operators use oral communication skills to coordinate work with site crews. Clear communication of technical and complex information is very important to avoid injuries and promote efficiency. Mobile crane operators also use communication skills when instructing apprentices, co-workers and on-site work crews. Good listening and visual skills are also required to communicate with riggers, signallers and other operators during lifts. Operators use verbal communication and hand signals to communicate the speed of lift movements and precise positioning of loads.
Numeracy
Mobile crane operators use a range of math skills in their daily work. These include mathematical and physics concepts such as conversions, geometry, algebraic calculations, measurement and calculation of load and lift requirements. They use code books, load charts and manufacturers’ specifications to further determine procedures, limits and the necessary equipment for rigging and hoisting.
Thinking
Mobile crane operators must use decision-making skills to perform work planning and prioritizing. The decisions they make about the sequence of work have implications for everyone on site. Mobile crane operators require strong analytical skills to effectively use their equipment. They should be able to use systems thinking to consider how multiple aspects of the industry interrelate, for example using “cause-and-effect” logic.
Mobile crane operators use problem solving skills to choose setup locations and crane configurations for specific jobs. During lifts mobile crane operators make operational decisions to start, stop and vary the speed and direction of lifts to ensure safe movement and placement of a load. They evaluate the safety of lifts before and during lifts, and stop work if necessary.
Working with others
To be effective, mobile crane operators must establish close and ongoing job task coordination with other workers on the job site. They work closely with clients to plan lifts and ensure that their activities are coordinated with those of on-site crews. They are in close communication with riggers, signallers and supervisors to coordinate lifts and load placements. Mobile crane operators work in close coordination with other operators when performing multiple crane lifts and when in close proximity with other cranes and heavy equipment.
Digital technology
Mobile crane operators are increasingly required to interpret electronic data transmitted from load moment indicator (LMI), anemometers and electronic scales to a display located in the cab of the crane. Controls for the mobile crane may also involve computerized applications. Electronic logging devices (ELD) may be used by mobile crane operators when driving to log hours. There are additional digital technology being applied to online learning in this trade. Mobile crane operators may be required to operate a crane by using remote-controlled technology.
Continuous learning
As construction methods and crane technology are advancing, mobile crane operators must keep abreast of these developments and maintain the mindset of a learner. There are requirements for site- or crane-specific training and regulatory changes that may require additional training to ensure compliance and safe working conditions.