OccuPros Safety Academy | Online Theory
Rigger & Signal Person Safety
When a load goes up on a crane, two people decide whether it comes down safely: the rigger who connects it, and the signal person who guides it. Get either one wrong and the load finds the ground the hard way.
A crane is only as safe as the rigging on the hook and the signals guiding the move. The rigger chooses and connects the gear that holds the load. The signal person is the operator’s eyes, directing every inch of the lift. These are skilled, high-stakes jobs, and when they go wrong, loads drop, swing into people, or pull a crane over. The people hurt are rarely the operator in the cab. They are the workers on the ground near the load.
This course builds the awareness behind safe rigging and signaling: how to choose and inspect slings and hardware, how sling angles change the load on your gear, the right hitch for the job, the Standard Method hand signals, clear voice communication, and the hazards around every crane lift. It is for riggers, signal persons, and the supervisors and crews who work around lifting operations.
What you will learn
- What makes someone a qualified rigger and a qualified signal person, and what those terms really require.
- How to select, inspect, and remove from service slings, shackles, hooks, and hardware.
- How sling angle and hitch type change the actual load on your rigging.
- The Standard Method hand signals and clear voice communication with the operator.
- The hazards of every lift: power lines, struck-by and crushing, and staying out of the fall zone.
Who this is for
Aligned with OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC (Cranes and Derricks, including 1926.1404, 1926.1419-1926.1422, 1926.1425, 1926.1428), 1926.251 (rigging equipment), and ASME B30 (including the Standard Method for hand signals). Online theory completion only. OccuPros | (469) 746-4040 | occupros.com | Every Worker Home Safe.
Downloadable Resources
- Rigging Gear and Inspection (PDF)
- Sling Angle and Capacity (PDF)
- Hitches and Center of Gravity (PDF)
- Hand Signals and Communication (PDF)
Standards and References
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC (Cranes and Derricks; 1926.1404, 1926.1419-1926.1422, 1926.1425, 1926.1428)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.251 (rigging equipment for material handling)
- ASME B30.9 (slings), B30.26 (rigging hardware), and the ASME B30 Standard Method for hand signals
- Online theory only. Working as a rigger or signal person requires a documented evaluation, including a practical test for signal persons, by a qualified evaluator. There is no OSHA rigger or signal-person card.
Applicable Industries:
OccuPros Safety Instructor Team
Every OccuPros course is developed and reviewed by our team of Certified Safety Professionals (CSP) and Safety Management Specialists (SMS) with 15+ years of field experience across construction, oil & gas, manufacturing, and general industry. Our instructors don't just teach safety - they've managed safety programs on active jobsites, conducted OSHA compliance audits, and published 184 safety course topics nationwide.
Before you buy
The practical questions, answered plainly.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. When you finish the course and pass the assessment, your certificate of completion is available to download immediately from your dashboard. It carries a verification number.
How long do I have access?
Access to this course does not expire. It is self-paced, so you can start, stop and resume whenever you like, and your progress is saved between sessions.
What if I fail the assessment?
You can retake it. Knowledge checks run through the course and the final assessment draws from a larger question bank, so a retake will not simply repeat the same questions.
Does this replace hands-on training?
This course delivers the knowledge portion. Site-specific procedures, equipment-specific practice and any required practical evaluation remain your employer's responsibility, and the course is explicit about where those lines fall.
How often does this training need repeating?
The recommended refresher cadence for this topic is 3 years. Retraining is also triggered by a change in process or equipment, or by an observed gap in an employee's knowledge.
Can I buy this for my whole crew?
Yes. Choose "My team" on this page to buy seats instead of a single enrolment. You become the team administrator, assign seats from your Team Portal as people join, and volume pricing applies automatically at 5 seats and again at 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Rigger and Signal Person Safety Awareness course cover?
It covers the classroom theory of rigging and signaling for load lifts, including sling types, rigging inspection, sling angles, load capacity, and standard hand signals. It also addresses safe communication with the crane operator. The content aligns with OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC.
Does this course fully qualify someone as a rigger or signal person?
Not on its own. This is an awareness-level theory course; formal qualification typically requires a hands-on performance evaluation conducted by a qualified person at your worksite. Use it to build the knowledge foundation before the practical portion.
Is the course self-paced and mobile-friendly?
Yes, it is fully online and self-paced so you can work through it on your own schedule. It runs on phones, tablets, and computers, so you can study wherever is convenient.
Do I get a certificate when I finish?
Yes. On completion you receive a digital Certificate of Completion that you can download right away for your training records.
