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Overhead crane operator skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical overhead crane operator skills. We ranked the top skills for overhead crane operators based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 18.9% of overhead crane operator resumes contained cranes as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an overhead crane operator needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 overhead crane operator skills for your resume and career

1. Cranes

Here's how overhead crane operators use cranes:

Achieved overhead crane, standing and sitting forklift certifications * Safely and proficiently transferred * Effectively navigated customers to appropriate merchandise
Transported steel tubing throughout plant using multiple overhead and remote cranes Provided assistance to general labor assignments as necessary

2. Overhead Cranes

Overhead cranes are major industrial equipment used for lifting heavy objects, loads, and tools from one location to another in construction sites. Operating an overhead crane takes much expertise, experience, and skill, as there is no ''one size, fits all''. Overhead cranes come in different components for different specific functions.

Here's how overhead crane operators use overhead cranes:

Loaded materials onto customer and company equipment with overhead cranes.
Crane American Service Operations and safety of overhead cranes/hoists.

3. Determines Safety

Here's how overhead crane operators use determines safety:

Operate overhead crane to lift, move, and position loads using hoisting Observe load hookup and determines safety of load.
Load trailers and cargo onto trains Obverses load hookup and determines safety of load.

4. Steel Coils

Here's how overhead crane operators use steel coils:

Trained to load, unload, move, and locate steel coils in a designated storage area.
Guided steel coils through a line that cut different widths and lengths according to customers order specifications.

5. Hoisting

Here's how overhead crane operators use hoisting:

Performed precision rigging and hoisting operations and obtained rigging certification through McDal Corporation.
Calculated load ratings for daily hoisting operations.

6. Tape Measure

A tape measure is a thin, flexible strip of plastic or metal that can be rolled up when it is not being used. The tape measure has numbers marked on it linearly which is used for measuring length.

Here's how overhead crane operators use tape measure:

Read tape measure for measurement of steel to be cut according to customers orders.
Measured and verified materials using a tape measure, micrometer, and calipers.

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7. Load Trucks

Here's how overhead crane operators use load trucks:

Operate Forklift to move pallets of steel and unload trucks Accomplishments Obtaining Crane Certification by passing crane test with 91%.
Move large steel beams from one end of shop to other, load trucks and set up steel for fabrication

8. Rail Cars

Rail Cars, also called railroad cars, are large containers set on a railway and pulled by a locomotive. Rail cars are frequently used for shipping large quantities of product or material, such as metal, chemicals, or livestock; however, a rail car may also transport people such as a subway system. A locomotive often pulls numerous cars that attach to each other, which then form a train.

Here's how overhead crane operators use rail cars:

Work on a production line Welding decks for triple deck rail cars that transport vehicles.
Operated overhead crane loading/unloading scrap metal from rail cars to supply SSAB Steel mill.

9. Hoist Movement

Here's how overhead crane operators use hoist movement:

Operate a crane box to regulate speed and direction of a crane and hoist movement according to written and signal instructions.
Check all the hoist movements to long travel and cross travel for abnormal sounds coming from wheels and abnormal speeds.

10. Steel Beams

Here's how overhead crane operators use steel beams:

Executed daily operations of loading Steel beams, pipes an angle iron, steel plating.
Operated forklift to transport steel plates; moved steel beams throughout the plant.

11. Aluminum

Aluminum is the most common nonferrous metal and the most prevalent metallic material in the Earth's crust. Aluminum is never found in its metallic form in nature, but its compounds can be found in varying degrees in nearly all minerals, vegetation, and animals. Cans, foils, cooking utensils, door frames, kegs, and aeroplane pieces are all made of aluminum.

Here's how overhead crane operators use aluminum:

Operated 70-ton overhead crane in lifting/transporting coils of aluminum for production processing.
Operated Overhead Crane in Aluminum Smelter pot room @ 6 yrs*Operated Overhead Crane in Aluminum Anode Dept.

12. Bulk Materials

Here's how overhead crane operators use bulk materials:

Load coke into barges by operating barge haul system and associated bulk material handling equipment.
Delivered bulk material to fabrication areas.

13. Load Weights

Here's how overhead crane operators use load weights:

Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.

14. MIG

MIG is a specific type of welding in which two base materials are welded together using a solid wire electrode fed through a welding gun and into the weld pool.

Here's how overhead crane operators use mig:

Welded mainly carbon steel pipes and stainless steel; operating MIG and TIG welders.
Used MIG, flux core, 309 stainless to carbon

15. Position Loads

Here's how overhead crane operators use position loads:

Operate traveling or stationary overhead crane to lift, move, and position loads, such as machinery, equipment etc.
Operated traveling overhead crane to lift, move and position loads, equipment and coils, using magnet & tongs.

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List of overhead crane operator skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for an overhead crane operator resume and required skills for an overhead crane operator to have include:

Cranes
Overhead Cranes
Determines Safety
Steel Coils
Hoisting
Tape Measure
Load Trucks
Rail Cars
Hoist Movement
Steel Beams
Aluminum
Bulk Materials
Load Weights
MIG
Position Loads
CNC

Steel Plates
Hand Signals
Semi Trucks
Slings
Remote Control
Assembly Line
Load Hookup
Tractor Trailer
Tongs
Semi Trailers
Hoists
Safety Rules
Bobcat
Storage Bins
Safety Procedures
Customer Specs

Machine Operators
Inventory Control
Steel Mill
Tow Motor
Hi-Lo
Structural Steel
RF
Cherry Pickers
Production Lines
Safety Standards
Customer Orders
Flatbed Trailers
Burn Table
Torches
Drill Press
Steel Products

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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