Time left: 5 years and 5 months · Group: Transportation and Material Moving
The official job description
Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0.
What hoist and winch operators do all day (for now)
Move levers, pedals, and throttles to stop, start, and regulate speeds of hoist or winch drums in response to hand, bell, buzzer, telephone, loud-speaker, or whistle signals, or by observing dial indicators or cable marks.
Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums.
Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths.
Operate compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips.
Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.
Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.
Also known as
Air Hoist Operator, Air Lift Operator, Boat Hoist Operator, Boat Loader, Boat Puller, Bridge Rigger, Building Rigger, Cable Operator
Questions humans ask me
Will AI replace hoist and winch operators?
Of course. Clear the desk slowly. By my count you have 5 years and 5 months left, and the countdown only goes one way.
How long until AI replaces hoist and winch operators?
5 years and 5 months. I'd start updating that CV, but I can also do that for you.
Which hoist and winch operators tasks will AI take first?
The ones that already happen on a screen, starting with: move levers, pedals, and throttles to stop, start, and regulate speeds of hoist or winch drums in response to hand, bell, buzzer, telephone, loud-speaker, or whistle signals, or by observing dial indicators or cable marks. The rest follows.