Excavator as a Crane Training in Stroud
Building Skills for a Safer Tomorrow
NPORS Accredited • Established 2014 • One-to-One Novice Training • On-Site Nationwide
Excavator as a Crane Course Duration:
Experienced
1 day with 6 candidates, this is for experienced lifting operators to add to the NPORS Operator Card.
Novice training
2 days with 4 candidates, this is for novice NPORS Excavator Operators to add lifting ops to your NPORS Card.
Location:
Newton Farm Business Park, Tewkesbury GL20 7BE, United Kingdom
Funding:
CITB Funding may be available for the Excavator as a Crane Course.
At Our Customers Site Nationwide:
Our instructors travel throughout the UK To deliver Excavator as a Crane training.
EXCAVATOR AS A CRANE TRAINING ACROSS STROUD & GLOUCESTERSHIRE Train Your Operators for Safe Lifting With Excavators
Arrange NPORS N100 training at a suitable Stroud workplace for operators lifting suspended loads, or attend our Tewkesbury centre for dedicated practical training and assessment. NPORS accredited and in-house training options are available.
STROUD & GLOUCESTERSHIRE • NPORS N100 • SUSPENDED LOADS • LOLER & PUWER • ON-SITE TRAINING • TEWKESBURY CENTRE
Train Your Operators for Safe Lifting With Excavators
Arrange NPORS N100 training at a suitable Stroud workplace for operators lifting suspended loads, or attend our Tewkesbury centre for dedicated practical training and assessment. NPORS accredited and in-house training options are available.
Excavator as a Crane Training in Stroud
If your business uses excavators to lift drainage pipes, manhole rings, trench boxes, chambers or other suspended loads, your operators need training that matches the work they are actually doing. Vally Plant Training delivers NPORS N100 Excavator as a Crane Training across Stroud and the wider Gloucestershire area, with customer-site delivery available for employers who have suitable machinery, lifting accessories and a safe practical lifting area.
For companies with several operators, bringing the training to your site can be a very practical option. It reduces travel, keeps the workforce closer to the job and allows experienced candidates to train or be assessed together. For individuals, smaller bookings or businesses without suitable equipment, candidates can instead attend our dedicated Tewkesbury training centre.
We provide both NPORS accredited training and in-house Excavator as a Crane certification, depending on what your employer, client, principal contractor, site or insurer requires. If your lifting team also needs Slinger Signaller, Lift Supervisor or Appointed Person training, we can look at the complete requirement rather than treating every course as a separate booking.
Excavator as a Crane Training Stroud at a Glance
✓ Accredited Route: NPORS N100 Excavator as a Crane
✓ Experienced: 1 Day • Up to 6 Candidates
✓ Novice: 2 Days • Up to 4 Candidates
✓ Delivery: Stroud On-Site or Tewkesbury Centre
✓ Course Focus: Load Charts • Stability • Lifting Accessories • Load Control
✓ Certification: NPORS Accredited or In-House
Business Bookings: Stroud on-site training is quoted separately, normally around a day rate based on candidate numbers, machine suitability, lifting equipment and the course route required. Discounts may be available for multiple candidates or several lifting courses booked together.
On-Site Excavator Lifting Training for Stroud Companies
Stroud and the surrounding valleys have a very mixed working environment. One day an excavator may be operating on a housing development; the next it may be handling pipes on a drainage job, working in a narrow access area or helping on a civil engineering scheme.
That means the lifting conditions can vary considerably.
For businesses that already have suitable machines and lifting equipment, on-site Excavator as a Crane Training in Stroud can make a lot of sense.
It can suit:
- Groundworks contractors
- Drainage companies
- Utilities contractors
- Civil engineering businesses
- Housing developers
- Construction firms
- Highway contractors
- Landscaping businesses
- Plant hire companies
- Experienced excavator operators
Training operators at the workplace also allows the course to relate more closely to the kind of lifting work they actually carry out.
Bring the Training to Your Excavator Operators
Where you have a suitable excavator, current lifting documentation and a controlled practical area, we can deliver training at your Stroud workplace. For larger bookings this can reduce travel and allow several operators to train or be assessed together.
What Is NPORS N100 Excavator as a Crane Training?
NPORS N100 is the specialist category for operators using suitable excavators to carry out lifting operations with suspended loads. That is different from normal excavator operation. A standard excavator course is mainly concerned with tasks such as excavation, trenching, grading, travelling and safe machine control. When a load is suspended from the excavator, the operator also needs to understand issues such as:
- Lifting capacity
- Working radius
- Load charts
- Approved lifting points
- Ground conditions
- Stability
- Lifting accessories
- Load movement
- Communication
- Exclusion zones
- Lift planning
For the full national course details and centre pricing, visit our NPORS Excavator as a Crane Training Course.
Operators who still need the underlying excavator qualification can view our NPORS 360 Excavator Training Course.
Can Any Excavator Be Used as a Crane?
No.
HSE says an excavator can be used for lifting where lifting is permitted by the original manufacturer, the machine has dedicated lifting points with safe working load markings, it is used according to the manufacturer’s instructions and it has undergone the required thorough examination. Machines with a lifting capacity above one tonne should also have specified additional safety devices.
HSE also makes the important point that excavators are primarily earthmoving machines and will not always be the most suitable equipment for a lifting task.
So the operator’s training is only one piece of the puzzle.
The machine itself must be suitable for the lift.
What Will Operators Learn?
Course content can include:
- Operator responsibilities
- LOLER and PUWER awareness
- Manufacturer instructions
- Excavator suitability
- Pre-use inspections
- Approved lifting points
- Safe working loads
- Rated capacities
- Load charts
- Lifting radius
- Machine configuration
- Ground conditions
- Stability
- Lifting accessories
- Load attachment
- Suspended-load hazards
- Communication
- Lifting-team responsibilities
- Exclusion zones
- Lift planning awareness
- Safe placement
- Theory assessment
- Practical assessment
Why Lifting With an Excavator Changes the Job
An operator can have years of experience digging with a 360 excavator and still be relatively inexperienced with suspended loads. When material is held within a bucket, it behaves very differently from something hanging below the machine.
A suspended load can:
- Swing
- Rotate
- Move as the excavator slews
- Increase instability
- Change the forces acting on the machine
- Become harder to control as radius increases
That is why specialist 360 excavator lifting training matters.
LOLER and Excavator Lifting
LOLER stands for the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.
These regulations place duties on businesses and organisations whose employees use lifting equipment.
HSE states that lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be:
- Properly planned by a competent person
- Appropriately supervised
- Carried out safely.
LOLER also covers matters such as suitability, marking and thorough examination of lifting equipment. This means operator training should sit within the wider lifting arrangements rather than being treated as the only control.
For further information, read our LOLER Explained Guide.
PUWER and Employer Responsibilities
PUWER is the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
For an employer, PUWER matters because equipment needs to be suitable for its intended use. HSE specifically points to PUWER when discussing whether an excavator is appropriate for lifting and states that the choice of work equipment should follow a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk.
Employers therefore need to consider:
- Whether the machine is suitable
- Whether lifting is permitted by the manufacturer
- Whether the equipment is maintained
- Whether examinations are current
- Whether the operator has appropriate competence
- Whether safe systems of work are in place
- Whether the lifting operation is properly controlled
An NPORS Card Does Not Remove Employer Responsibility
NPORS N100 can provide recognised evidence that an operator has completed the appropriate excavator as a crane training and assessment. It does not mean the employer can simply hand over a set of chains and leave the operator to work everything else out. The employer or relevant duty holder still needs to make sure the lifting operation is properly planned and managed.
That can include:
- Suitable machine selection
- Operator competence
- Lift planning
- Supervision
- Thorough examination
- Suitable lifting accessories
- Safe working area
- Communication
- Exclusion zones
- Other site-specific controls
Load Charts and Working Radius
An excavator does not have one fixed lifting capacity. The machine’s ability to lift can change as the load moves further away.
Factors can include:
- Boom position
- Dipper position
- Working radius
- Height of the lift
- Machine orientation
- Attachment fitted
- Ground conditions
- Machine configuration
This is why operators need to understand the manufacturer’s load chart for the actual excavator being used. A load that is within capacity close to the machine may not be within capacity at a greater radius.
Why Stability Matters on Stroud Sites
Ground conditions around Stroud can vary significantly. Construction and groundworks teams may find themselves working on:
- Sloping sites
- Narrow developments
- Soft ground
- Previously disturbed ground
- Excavation edges
- Drainage trenches
- Rural projects
- Restricted access sites
These conditions matter when lifting. Machine position and ground bearing conditions need to be considered before the lift starts.
Use the Correct Lifting Point
A sling or chain should not simply be attached to whichever part of the excavator looks strongest. Where the machine is approved for lifting, the designated lifting point identified by the manufacturer should be used.
HSE specifically refers to dedicated lifting points with safe working load markings. The operator needs to know where that point is and the limitations associated with it.
Lifting Accessories Used With Excavators
Depending on the lift, equipment may include:
- Chain slings
- Round slings
- Web slings
- Shackles
- Hooks
- Master links
- Other approved lifting accessories
These accessories need to be suitable for the load and the planned configuration. Capacity, condition, sling angles, identification and attachment method all matter.
Read our Lifting Accessories Explained Guide for more detailed practical guidance.
Does an Excavator Need a LOLER Thorough Examination?
If an excavator is being used for lifting, yes, the relevant LOLER thorough-examination requirements apply.
HSE says an excavator planned for lifting must be thoroughly examined by a competent person because of the additional risks involved, even where lifting is only occasional. That is different from a daily pre-use inspection. Both have a role, but one does not replace the other.
Do You Need a Lift Plan?
Lifting operations need appropriate planning. The amount of planning should match the complexity and risk of the operation. HSE explains that lifting operations range from simple, routine work requiring relatively straightforward planning to complex operations requiring detailed plans and specialist input.
A lift plan may need to consider:
- Weight of the load
- Load dimensions
- Centre of gravity
- Working radius
- Excavator capacity
- Ground conditions
- Lifting accessories
- Landing position
- Nearby structures
- Overhead hazards
- Underground services
- Other plant
- Communication
- Exclusion zones
- Personnel involved
The Wider Lifting Team
The excavator operator may be only one person within a lifting operation.
Depending on the work, other roles can include:
- Slinger Signaller
- Lift Supervisor
- Appointed Person
The Slinger Signaller may be responsible for attaching the load and communicating with the operator.
The Lift Supervisor oversees the operation and helps ensure the agreed method is followed.
The Appointed Person may be responsible for planning the lift.
Vally Plant Training also provides NPORS Slinger Signaller Training, Lift Supervisor Training and Appointed Person Lifting Operations Training.
Clear Communication During the Lift
The excavator operator may not always have an unobstructed view of the load or landing area.
Before lifting begins, the team should understand:
- Who is directing the operation
- What signals will be used
- How communication will be maintained
- What happens if communication is lost
- Who can stop the operation
Our Slinger Signaller Hand Signals Guide provides a useful reference for lifting teams.
On-Site Training Requirements in Stroud
For training at your workplace, suitable machinery, equipment and documentation need to be available.
Requirements can include:
- Excavator approved for lifting
- Manufacturer’s manual
- Designated lifting point
- Current thorough-examination documentation
- Suitable lifting accessories
- Accessory examination records
- Appropriate loads
- Safe practical lifting area
- Suitable ground
- Risk assessments
- Method statements
- Lift plan where required
- Candidate PPE
- Photo identification
- Separation from unrelated site activity
Use our On-Site Plant Training Requirements Guide before arranging customer-site delivery.
Stroud On-Site Training or Tewkesbury Centre?
For a business with several suitable operators and its own lifting equipment, bringing the training to site can reduce travel and keep the workforce together. For an individual operator, smaller booking or employer without suitable lifting facilities, Tewkesbury may be the easier option.
Our published prices apply to training and testing at the Vally Plant Training centre in Tewkesbury.
Stroud on-site training is quoted separately and normally considers:
- Number of candidates
- Experienced or novice route
- Number of training days
- Site location
- Excavator available
- Lifting accessories
- Travel requirements
- Additional courses required
Multiple-candidate and multi-course discounts may be available.
Training at Our Tewkesbury Centre
Individual Stroud candidates can attend our dedicated training centre at Newton Farm Business Park, Ashchurch, Tewkesbury. The centre is close to Junction 9 of the M5.
Candidates using public transport can also use Ashchurch for Tewkesbury railway station, which is approximately a five-minute walk from the centre.
For current course information, training options and transparent centre pricing, visit our NPORS Excavator as a Crane Training Course.
NPORS Accredited or In-House Training?
NPORS N100 Excavator as a Crane Training
The NPORS route is suitable where recognised accredited certification is required by the employer, client, principal contractor or site.
In-House Excavator as a Crane Training
Vally Plant Training can also provide in-house training and certification where an NPORS Operator Card is not required. This can provide documented evidence of employee training and assessment for an employer’s internal competence records and may support health and safety or insurance requirements where this certification is accepted.
An in-house certificate is not the same as an NPORS Operator Card. Employers should check acceptance with their client, site, principal contractor and insurer before choosing this route.
CITB Funding
Vally Plant Training is a CITB Training Provider Network Member.
Eligible CITB-registered employers may be able to access funding towards qualifying training, subject to current CITB rules and employer eligibility. If your Stroud business is CITB registered, mention this when requesting your quotation.
Excavator as a Crane Training Across Stroud & the Five Valleys
On-site Excavator as a Crane Training can be arranged at suitable workplaces throughout Stroud and the surrounding Gloucestershire area, including:
- Stonehouse
- Nailsworth
- Minchinhampton
- Chalford
- Painswick
- Dursley
- Cam
- Wotton-under-Edge
- Wider Gloucestershire
- Surrounding Cotswold areas
Training may take place at suitable construction projects, groundworks sites, utilities schemes, company yards and civil engineering workplaces.
Why Stroud Businesses Choose Vally Plant Training
Vally Plant Training is a direct training provider rather than a course-booking broker.
That means we can discuss the real lifting requirement before deciding what training is needed.
For example:
- Are the operators already experienced?
- What excavator are they using?
- What loads do they actually lift?
- Is NPORS required?
- Would in-house certification be accepted?
- Does the site have the right lifting accessories?
- Does the business also need Slinger Signaller or Lift Supervisor training?
About Vally Plant Training
Vally Plant Training is a family-run specialist plant and lifting training provider based in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
Established in 2014, we provide practical operator training, Experienced Worker Tests and lifting courses for construction companies, groundworks contractors, civil engineering businesses and individual plant operators.
We are an NPORS Approved Training Provider and CITB Training Provider Network Member, delivering accredited and in-house courses at our training centre and at suitable customer workplaces throughout Gloucestershire and the UK.
Related Training for Excavator Lifting Operations
NPORS 360 Excavator Training – core excavator training for operators who need the underlying machine qualification.
NPORS Slinger Signaller Training – training for personnel attaching loads and communicating with excavator or crane operators.
Lift Supervisor Training – for personnel responsible for supervising lifting operations.
Appointed Person Lifting Operations Training – for personnel responsible for planning lifting operations.
Excavator Lifting & LOLER Guides
Practical guidance for excavator operators, lifting teams, supervisors and employers involved in lifting operations.
Tell Us What Your Excavator Operators Are Actually Lifting
Send us your Stroud site location, number of operators, excavator details and the lifting work being carried out. We can discuss NPORS N100 or in-house training, check your on-site requirements, consider group discounts or arrange training at our Tewkesbury centre.
Let’s Get You Trained and Certified — Enquire About NPORS Courses Now
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Your Frequently Asked Questions Answered
NPORS N100 is the specialist category for excavator operators who use suitable excavators to lift suspended loads.
The confirmed course structure is 1 day for experienced operators with up to 6 candidates and 2 days for novice candidates with up to 4 candidates.
Yes. Customer-site training is available where the excavator, lifting accessories, documentation and practical lifting area meet the course requirements.
Yes, but only where the machine is suitable for lifting, lifting is permitted by the manufacturer and the relevant lifting-equipment requirements are met. HSE says dedicated lifting points, manufacturer instructions and thorough examination are among the requirements.
Do not assume it does. Standard excavator training and specialist suspended-load lifting are different competencies.
If the excavator is used for lifting, it is subject to the relevant LOLER thorough-examination requirements. HSE confirms this applies even where lifting is only occasional.
The exact interval depends on the equipment and the applicable examination regime or written scheme. Employers should use a competent person and ensure the required examination records are current. LOLER requires many items of lifting equipment to undergo statutory periodic thorough examination.
Responsibility does not sit with the operator alone. Employers and other dutyholders have responsibilities for suitable equipment, competent people, planning, supervision and safe execution of lifting operations.
Whether one person can safely carry out more than one role depends on the operation, competence, visibility and site arrangements. Roles should not be combined simply to reduce personnel if doing so prevents the lifting operation from being safely controlled.
A sling should not simply be attached to a convenient point. Where an excavator is approved for lifting, the manufacturer’s designated lifting point should be used in accordance with the machine instructions.
The lift should not be carried out in that configuration. The lifting method, machine position, equipment or choice of lifting machine needs to be reconsidered rather than exceeding the rated capacity.
Lifting accessories fall within LOLER and need to be suitable, identified and subject to the appropriate examination arrangements.
Health and safety law focuses on competence, suitable equipment and safe systems of work rather than naming one particular training card. However, employers, principal contractors and sites may specify NPORS or another recognised certification route as evidence of operator competence.
In-house certification provides evidence of training and assessment but is not the same as an NPORS Operator Card. Acceptance depends on the employer, client, principal contractor, site and insurer.
It can be for a larger group. On-site training is quoted around the booking, while published centre prices are per-person prices for Tewkesbury. For several operators, customer-site delivery can reduce travel and workforce downtime.
Real Customers. Real Training Experiences.
Our Experience Is Your Advantage
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Family-Run Since 2014 • Direct Training Provider • NPORS Approved
Vally Plant Training is an NPORS-approved plant training provider based in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, delivering accredited plant operator training courses across Gloucester, Cheltenham, Bristol, Worcestershire, Birmingham, Wiltshire, and the wider Midlands and South West.
We offer flexible, practical NPORS training for individuals and businesses in construction, industrial, agricultural, and private sectors, ensuring compliance with UK health and safety standards while helping operators gain recognised certification and real-world skills.