What You Need to Know About Hoist and Winch Operator
Job Description & Duties Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
A Day in the Life of a Hoist & Winch Operator
- Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials.
- Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.
- Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths.
- Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.
- Operate compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips.
- Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.
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What Every Hoist & Winch Operator Should Know
When polled, Hoist and Winch Operators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
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.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Types of Hoist & Winch Operator Jobs
- Rigger
- Service Operator
- Winch Derrick Operator
- Hydraulic Boom Operator
- Yarder Engineer
Are There Job Opportunities for Hoist and Winch Operators?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 2,900 jobs in the United States for Hoist and Winch Operator. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Hoist and Winch Operator. There will be an estimated 400 positions for Hoist & Winch Operator per year.

The states with the most job growth for Hoist & Winch Operator are Arkansas, Nebraska, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, or Washington. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Hoist & Winch Operator Salary
The typical yearly salary for Hoist and Winch Operators is somewhere between $28,420 and $110,430.

Hoist and Winch Operators who work in Wyoming, Minnesota, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
How much do Hoist and Winch Operators make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $42,010 |
California | $57,950 |
Florida | $49,830 |
Indiana | $40,550 |
Kentucky | $43,450 |
Maryland | $48,830 |
Michigan | $36,570 |
Minnesota | $77,840 |
Nebraska | $35,760 |
New Mexico | $53,570 |
New York | $53,030 |
Ohio | $37,480 |
Oregon | $47,210 |
Pennsylvania | $45,360 |
Tennessee | $37,820 |
Texas | $43,100 |
Utah | $53,350 |
Virginia | $40,450 |
Washington | $57,850 |
West Virginia | $61,000 |
Wyoming | $79,320 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Hoist and Winch Operators
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Hoist and Winch Operators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Data entry software
How do I Become a Hoist & Winch Operator?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Hoist and Winch Operator?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Hoist and Winch Operators Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Hoist and Winch Operators employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Hoist and Winch Operator might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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