Rigging matters

Rigging and crane operating -- like everything in life -- is equal parts confidence and knowledge. It absolutely takes both. One without the other is a recipe for disaster.

Confidence without knowledge equals over-confidence with no theory to back it up. Conversely, theory without confidence is going to give you self-doubt, as you've never actually physically carried out the assignment before so how can you be confident that your theory is sound? The only way to gain both efficiently is through training, which includes both theory and hands-on. You could send an inexperienced employee out into the field in the hope they will gain that confidence and knowledge through osmosis, but that can be a very lengthy, costly and dangerous process. Trial and error rigging is not an option in the field.

The benefits of a well-trained workforce will be efficiency, cost-effectiveness and, most importantly, safety.

Building a team that can execute a task in a timely and safe manner can only come with experience and proper training. An untrained team ordering incorrect equipment for a job can be very costly, including in terms of time. More training is needed for riggers.

The subject of rigging is covered within apprenticeship programmes, which most governments feel is sufficient, although unfortunately that's not the case.

There isn't a recognized trade as a rigger in the construction or general industries in North America - instead, rigging is performed by tradesmen who are pipe fitters, ironworkers and boilermakers.

The act of rigging crosses over many trade groups and typically the associated training (if any) pertains to trade-specific loads - so, for example, ironworkers are taught how to rig columns and beams.

We are seeing a massive hiring blitz within North America. The older generation is retiring in masses and the industry is scrambling to replace them.

Many of the new recruits are being put on a probationary period to show their worth prior to being indentured into an apprenticeship programme.

The key is to have a happy blend of apprentices and ongoing training within your workforce. If you have a "green" or new workforce, you'll lack experience, knowledge and confidence. On the other hand, an aging workforce with no new blood only spells one word and that's extinction.

We are still seeing the training of existing workers, especially where new technologies and processes emerge.

Without that I believe a company would struggle to remain competitive in an ever growing and changing industry. Investing in the workforce helps instill some level of job security for the employees while the employer is rewarded with more highly staff.

Failure to invest in this way heightens the operational risks for people, places and things.

As someone who has completed two apprenticeships programmes and holds two Canadian Journeyman Red Seal trade licenses (industrial steamfitter and industrial/commercial plumber) I can say with confidence that our apprenticeship programmes are healthy.

That's not to say that they don't have their shortcomings - as I've mentioned earlier, the rigging content within the individual programmes is somewhat lacking. The trades themselves are so intricate and in depth that it's difficult to cover all the facets thoroughly, so further training beyond the apprenticeship is required either from a third party training provider or internally (within a company or trade union).

A good example of this is the building trades. The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Canada has licensed ITI's entire master rigger programme, theory and hands-on, for use at their new Edmonton Learning Center.

The United Association of Steamfitter and Plumbers Pipefitters have ventured into various affiliations (EPRI, CSA).

The Iron Workers Local 720 (Alberta Canada) has fully endorsed ITI to their membership as the third party trainer of choice. After hosting some of the apprenticeship trainers from the Canadian carpenters and joiners union in our master rigger programme, we have been in talks to solidify local training within Canada or the individual provinces. They are currently utilizing the Millwrights International Training Facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. On the non-union or open shop market, companies such as JV Driver, Kiewit, Walsh Construction, and Omega Morgan are utilizing third party providers such as ITI, to ensure their apprentices are receiving the hoisting and rigging related training they require.

Big companies in the industry such as Mammoet, Barnhart, Sarens, JV Drivers, Kiewit and PCL take training very seriously. However, when economic times get tough, training is usually one of the first things to get cut in a budget or put on the back burner.
'On-the-job' training is an option in those circumstances but then you have to be aware that it can be subjective in nature and have some gaps.

We hope that employees see the investment that a company is making in them and that they respect and appreciate that and see it as an indication of job security. Unfortunately that isn't always the case and it is a massive issue in all workforces.

It is especially problematic within the trade unions as these union workers historically have a very short job duration. Their time on a job site can vary from two days to an entire career with a company, but usually averages one to three months. A signatory contractor expects a trades union worker to already be trained when they arrive on-site. The individual unions are aware of this problem and have stepped up to the plate with their own in-house training or sanctioned third party training, as mentioned earlier.

In 2015 ITI released the Fundamentals of Rigging Engineering (FoRE). Nearly 20 of the world's best crane, rigging and load handling experts were selected to build the curriculum and deliver it on an e-learning platform for a worldwide audience. We will see a healthy blend of instructor-led training, e-learning and a combination of the two, hopefully integrated with a number of hands-on segments in the coming decade.