Rigger (modern usage)

Historically, a rigger was a person who worked with ropes for hoisting the sails of a ship. In the modern day, the term rigger can apply to a person or company which specializes in the lifting and moving of extremely large or heavy objects.

Riggers tend to be highly specialized to moving jobs that cannot be accomplished by ordinary means and use equipment expressly designed for moving and lifting objects weighing hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds or kilograms in places where ordinary material handling equipment cannot go.

Because of the highly specialized nature of the work riggers do, it is one of the few remaining occupations that can only be learned by apprenticeship. Riggers must work together as a cohesive team and there must be an environment of trust among riggers because of the potentially dangerous nature of rigging.

External links

* [http://www.scranet.org/ Specialized Carriers and Riggers Association - Rigging Industry Association]

Duties and Tasks

A rigger may perform the following tasks:

examine objects to be moved, estimate their size, shape and weight and decide on the type of equipment necessary to move them erect a temporary jib or derrick (lifting devices) if required, and install cables, pulleys and other tackle choose or make slinging equipment and attach it to the load erect cranes and mobile crane booms, and increase the height of tower cranes by bolting component parts in place and rigging cables splice ropes and cables to make slings and tackle erect structural steel for buildings or plants under construction erect precast-concrete panels used on facades of buildings inspect, maintain and repair equipment make sure that safety requirements are met at all times.