Introduction

Favoured for their capability to lift extremely heavy loads, overhead and gantry cranes are present in various industries, small and large. They are often grouped or referred to interchangeably, but there are differences in overhead and gantry. Typically found inside warehouses and similar, overhead cranes are built into the infrastructure of the building to serve the entirety of the area or serve a specific purpose in a production line. They are an excellent solution for lifting very heavy loads in manufacturing, such as engines in the automotive industry. Gantry cranes are overhead by design but are fully mobile, often on tyres but sometimes on rails and mechanisms designed to move the crane base when needed. Gantry cranes are very often seen in the shipping industry.

This Citrus certification delivers the necessary skills, knowledge, and understanding of overhead and gantry crane use and identifying and eliminating any bad operational habits. It is specifically aimed at Plant Operators who require practical and theory-based training and assessment on an overhead or gantry crane and is carried out at the client premises.

Course Outline

With a mix of practical and theory-based exercises and tutorials, delegates will cover manufacturer and general knowledge and awareness of overhead and gantry crane use while participating in practical activities to recognise machine components and functions, safety procedures and stability work.

The course reflects national standards and industry best practices and is fully accredited in line with regulations. In addition, choose to learn with Citrus, and we can tailor courses to fit your specific training needs, with the added flexibility provided by our custom-built training facilities and customer-first approach to how we work.

Our occupationally and technically-experienced trainers coach delegates on this course, completing the session with a question and answer paper and practical assessment to follow.

They must pass the tests to qualify for the Citrus Certificate and Citrus ID Card, valid for three years.

Course Programme

This training is essential for workers to operate overhead and gantry cranes safely. Delegates will review legal requirements, ensure safety compliance, understand procedures and appropriate documentation and classifications.

The learnings will take delegates through;

• Relevant legislation, statutory regulations and Codes of Practice for Plant Operators
• Theoretical knowledge of plant operations
• Operator's responsibilities, including daily/weekly checks and maintenance of machinery
• Familiarity with the equipment and use of the Operator's manual
• Safe and best practice in practical plant operating methods (unless a theory only version of the course has been booked)
• Power units, control systems and transmission systems theory
• The purpose of programming, safe load indicators and duties charts
• The critical components and functions of the crane
• Locating and identifying key controls and their functions
• Setting up an exclusion zone
• PPE appropriate for overhead crane use
• All pre-operational and running checks, following manufacturers’ and legislative requirements
• Preparing the overhead crane for use
• Operating an Overhead and Gantry crane safely and efficiently
• Environmental considerations and impact
• All end of work and shut down procedures

On Completion

At the end of the training, successful delegates will be able to:

• Operate safely 
• Understand and carry out crane positioning, including associated safety devices
• Conduct routine maintenance and all required checks on Overhead and Gantry cranes
• Locate and identify critical controls and explain their functions
• Identify and prepare the correct PPE for use with Overhead and Gantry cranes
• Set up an exclusion zone
• Programme and understand safe load indicators and duties charts
• Confidently know the relevant legislation, statutory regulations and Codes of Practice for overhead and gantry crane use
• Understand structural strength, including shock loading, stability and load-displacement
• Consider and manage the environment around their work appropriately
• Secure and shut down the equipment and area adhering to training and procedure

On successful completion of the course, delegates receive their Citrus Certificate and Citrus Training ID card, valid for three years.

Who Should Attend?

This Overhead Crane Citrus Certification is for Plant Operators who need practical and theory training and assessment on overhead and gantry cranes to carry out their work. The course is available to those who need the whole package and assessment-only options. 

Course Duration

This comprehensive course trains delegates to safely and responsibly work with overhead and gantry cranes on-site. The training options vary to accommodate novices and seasoned delegates:

Novice training - three days with a maximum of three delegates 

Refresher training – two days with day one for training and day two for assessment with a maximum of three delegates  

Preparation and Testing – one day course split with training in the morning and assessment in the afternoon for a maximum of three delegates 

Assessment only - one-day session with a maximum of four delegates

*For these courses, Citrus Training will deliver courses on client premises.

Why Citrus?

We dedicate our efforts to unrivalled quality and the customer experience at Citrus Training, working tirelessly to provide exemplary service to our clients and produce excellent results from our delegates. As a result, we are the leading UK-based provider of health, safety, and technical training and assessment services to the Built Environment and Utility sectors. 

We have over 30 specialist Plant and Lifting trainers and assessors, coaching and testing nationwide to meet any specific needs of our clients. With a wealth of experience and expertise, they have successfully trained over 25,000 delegates across the Plant and NVQ training categories.

Our facilities include six technical centres with the capacity for delivering Plant Training across the UK. And our national, accredited Training and Test Centres are fully equipped to provide CPCS and CSCS accredited courses. In addition, as an approved NPORS training provider, we can also offer on-site training and testing nationwide. 

Finally, as an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) by CITB, we provide quality training that meets the industry-approved standards. 

Things You Need to Know

To truly benefit from this Citrus Certifed course, delegates will ideally have some prior experience and knowledge of lifting and working with cranes.

This training has practical elements, so delegates must inform their trainer if they have any serious health issues, physical problems, special considerations or are taking any medication, which may create difficulties in conducting elements of this training course. 

For training held at your location, please ensure that the classroom you make available has a 240v power supply and is a suitable size for the number of delegates attending. In addition, please ensure that the practical area has been risk-assessed, is free from harm, and is ideal for training. 

If you are a CITB Levy payer, you can claim a CITB Grant for this course. Once you have booked please contact us with your CITB number and we can assist you in claiming the funds.