Hoist and Winch Operators: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Job description

Hoist and Winch Operators operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.

• 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.
• Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.
• 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.

Salary

Hoist and Winch Operators with little to no experience tend to make between $28420 and $34190 while the more experienced ones can earn over $74840 per year.

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Hoist and Winch Operator is to move to a higher paying state like WY. Right now, the highest paying states for Hoist and Winch Operators are WY, MN, WV, CA and WA.

However, a higher pay at WY doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at WY might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Hoist and Winch Operator is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.

Requirements

We asked other Hoist and Winch Operators what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a High School Diploma followed by less than a High School Diploma.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Hoist and Winch Operator.

What is the job like

61% of Hoist and Winch Operators said they were satisfied with their job and 47% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.

Is this right for me

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

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