Rigger is the person who is specialized in the lifting & moving extremely heavy items often with the help of cranes, derricks and chain hoists.
The word rigger derived from the days of sailing ships. Earlier a Rigger identified as a person who worked with rigging to hoist the sails.
Before mechanical haulage & cranes, ropes, pulleys & muscles power were available to move heavy objects.
Now a day, rigger use shackles, cables, clamps or straps to lift heavy objects.
Riggers help to operate machines that move heavy objects like steel plates, bundles of steel road, drilling towers, platforms and other heavy construction equipment that are used to build & take down steel structures.
Riggers play an important role while construction work on the sites
• A rigger decides that which pulleys, booms, braces & cable are enough strong to adopt in a job.
• They also know which types of hooks, chains & cables have to attach and where to lift a load safely.
• When the crane operator lifts the objects, riggers use their hands to give signal where the object has to place.
• They determine the most effective manner to lift the object by examining the size & weight of the object.
• Riggers erect structural steel and concrete framework with this they also inspect, repair & maintain rigging equipment.
• They assemble & dismantle the equipment before & after job, respectively.
• Riggers inform to management about safety concerns immediately.
• They should have a calculative mind and solid math skills for calculating load requirements.
Skills and Characteristics of a Rigger Worker
• Rigger works often at heights, the conditions may be dangerous. So, they should be mentally & physically prepare for it.
• They should possess a high school diploma at least though.
• They also know which types of hooks, chains & cables have to attach and where to lift a load safely.
• Riggers should have good communication skills as at the construction sites they will have to communicate with the co-workers which are the basic for safety.
• Riggers work mostly on the construction sites so they should understand construction business completely.
• Riggers should have a strong mathematical background to perform the job properly.
