Excavator as a Crane Training in Swindon

NPORS N100 Excavator Lifting Training for Swindon & Wiltshire

Excavators are routinely used across groundworks, drainage, utilities and civil engineering projects around Swindon. On many of those jobs the machine does more than excavate.

An operator may be expected to lift and position a drainage pipe, lower a chamber, move a trench box or handle another suspended load.

At that point, being an experienced excavator driver is not enough on its own.

Using an excavator for lifting introduces different risks and responsibilities. The operator needs to understand the machine’s lifting capability, lifting radius, load chart, stability, approved lifting point, lifting accessories and the effect of a suspended load. For employers, it also brings important responsibilities under LOLER and PUWER.

Vally Plant Training provides NPORS N100 Excavator as a Crane Training in Swindon for companies and operators who need the additional lifting competence added to the NPORS Excavator Operator Card.

Where you have suitable equipment and facilities, we can deliver the training at your workplace across Swindon and Wiltshire.

Who Is Excavator as a Crane Training For?

This lifting with excavator course is for operators who use an excavator for lifting suspended loads rather than conventional digging work alone.

It can be particularly relevant to:

• Groundworkers
• Drainage contractors
• Utilities teams
• Civil engineering contractors
• Housing and development contractors
• Infrastructure teams
• Highway contractors
• Pipeline contractors
• Plant operators
• Construction companies

The NPORS course is also valuable for employers reviewing whether existing excavator operators have the correct competence for the work they are actually being asked to undertake.

If an employee only holds a standard NPORS excavator qualification but regularly carries out lifting duties, that is worth reviewing The Excavator Suspended Load Training or Experienced Test.

What Is NPORS N100 Excavator as a Crane?

NPORS N100 is the specialist Excavator as a Crane category covering the use of suitable excavators during lifting operations. It builds on an operator’s excavator knowledge by addressing the additional risks created when a load is suspended beneath the machine.

Operators who still require their underlying excavator training should first look at our NPORS 360 Excavator Training Course.

For complete national course information and centre pricing, visit our NPORS Excavator as a Crane Training Course.

Can Any Excavator Be Used for Lifting?

No.

This is an important distinction for employers because an operator qualification does not make an unsuitable machine suitable for lifting.

Current HSE guidance 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 in accordance with manufacturer instructions and it has undergone the required thorough examination. Machines exceeding one tonne lifting capacity should also have specified additional safety equipment.

HSE also points out that excavators are primarily designed for earthmoving and will not always be the most suitable equipment for a lifting operation.

So the first question should never simply be:

“Can our operator lift it?”

It should also be:

“Is this excavator suitable and correctly equipped for this particular lift?”

What Does Excavator as a Crane Training Cover?

Training focuses on the knowledge and practical skills needed when a suitable excavator is used as lifting equipment.

Course content can include:

• Operator responsibilities
• Relevant health and safety legislation
• LOLER and PUWER awareness
• Manufacturer’s instructions
• Machine suitability
• Pre-use inspections
• Approved lifting points
• Safe working loads
• Rated lifting capacities
• Understanding load charts
• Lifting radius
• Machine configuration
• Ground conditions
• Stability during lifting
• Lifting accessories
• Attaching and controlling loads
• Communication
• Exclusion zones
• Suspended-load hazards
• Lift planning awareness
• Safe positioning and placement
• Theory assessment
• Practical lifting assessment

The emphasis is on understanding why lifting changes the way an excavator must be operated, not simply completing another test.

LOLER and Excavator Lifting Operations

LOLER – the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 – is central to excavator lifting work.

HSE states that every lifting operation involving lifting equipment must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out safely.

That matters because operator training is only one part of a safe lifting operation.

Depending on the lift, the employer or relevant dutyholder also needs to consider:

• Suitability of the excavator
• Lift planning
• Supervision
• Thorough examination
• Lifting accessories
• Load weight
• Machine capacity
• Ground conditions
• Exclusion zones
• Competence of everyone involved

Our LOLER Explained Guide provides a more detailed explanation for employers and lifting teams.

PUWER and Employer Training Responsibilities

PUWER – the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 – applies more broadly to work equipment.

For an employer, this is important because simply owning suitable equipment is not enough. Equipment must be appropriate for the task and used by people who have received suitable information, instruction and training.

HSE specifically highlights PUWER when discussing the suitability of excavators for lifting and says equipment selection must be informed by a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk.

In practical terms, employers should be asking:

• Is the machine suitable?
• Is lifting permitted by the manufacturer?
• Is it properly maintained?
• Are examinations current?
• Is the operator competent?
• Has the operator been trained for the work?
• Are lifting accessories suitable?
• Has the lift been properly planned?
• Is appropriate supervision in place?

NPORS certification can demonstrate operator training and assessment, but it does not remove the employer’s wider responsibilities under health and safety law.

Lifting With an Excavator Is Different From Digging

A standard excavator operator spends much of their working day controlling something attached directly to the machine. A suspended load behaves differently.

It can swing.

It can rotate.

It can move unexpectedly if the excavator is operated abruptly. It can also alter the forces acting on the machine as the boom, dipper and load move through different positions.

This is why an operator who may have years of experience digging still needs to understand the additional principles involved in excavator lifting operations.

Load Charts and Lifting Capacity

The weight an excavator can safely lift is not one fixed number.

Capacity can change according to factors such as:

• Working radius
• Boom position
• Dipper position
• Lift height
• Machine orientation
• Attachment fitted
• Machine configuration
• Ground conditions

The operator must work from the information supplied for the machine rather than assuming that because an excavator lifted a particular item yesterday, it can safely lift it in a different position today.

The further a load moves away from the machine, the more important understanding the relevant load chart becomes.

Excavator Stability During Lifting

Stability is particularly important when working on construction, drainage and utility sites where ground conditions may already have been disturbed.

Operators need to consider the position of the machine in relation to:

• Excavation edges
• Trenches
• Backfilled ground
• Slopes
• Soft ground
• Underground structures
• Uneven surfaces
• Other site activity

A suitable machine placed in the wrong position can still create an unsafe lifting situation.

Lifting Points – Don’t Just Attach a Sling to the Bucket

A sling should not be attached to an excavator wherever it happens to fit.

Where a machine is approved for lifting, the manufacturer’s designated lifting point should be used in accordance with the machine instructions. HSE guidance specifically refers to dedicated lifting points with safe working load markings.

The operator needs to know where the approved point is, how it should be used and what restrictions apply.

Lifting Accessories Used With Excavators

Excavator lifting operations can involve:

• Chain slings
• Round slings
• Web slings
• Shackles
• Hooks
• Master links
• Other approved accessories

The accessory needs to be appropriate for the load and lifting arrangement. Condition, identification, working load limit, configuration and sling angles can all matter.

Our Lifting Accessories Explained guide provides practical information on the equipment commonly used during lifting operations.

Does the Excavator Need a Thorough Examination?

Yes, If an excavator is being used for lifting, this is something employers need to understand clearly.

HSE states that excavators used for lifting are subject to thorough examination and that even if lifting is only occasional, the machine must be thoroughly examined by a competent person because of the additional risks involved.

This is different from the operator’s daily inspection.

A daily pre-use check remains important, but it does not replace a statutory thorough examination where one is required.

Does Every Excavator Lift Need a Lift Plan?

Lifting operations need to be properly planned. The scale and complexity of that planning should reflect the work being undertaken.

A routine lift carried out repeatedly under controlled conditions is different from an unusual lift involving restricted space, difficult ground, a large working radius or an awkward load.

The planning may need to consider:

• Load weight
• Load dimensions
• Centre of gravity
• Excavator capacity
• Working radius
• Lifting accessories
• Ground conditions
• Landing area
• Nearby structures
• Overhead hazards
• Other plant
• Pedestrians
• Communication
• Exclusion zones
• Personnel involved

The operator needs to understand the lifting method and work within it.

The Excavator Operator Is Part of a Lifting Team

Depending on the operation, lifting may involve several competent people with different responsibilities.

These can include:

• Excavator operator
• Slinger Signaller
• Lift Supervisor
• Appointed Person

The exact team depends on the lift and how it is organised.

If your Swindon workforce needs competence beyond the machine operator, Vally Plant Training also provides NPORS Slinger Signaller Training, Lift Supervisor Training and Appointed Person Lifting Operations Training.

Clear Communication During the Lift

The person operating the excavator may not always be able to see every part of the lifting area.

Where a Slinger Signaller is involved, communication between that person and the operator needs to be clear and understood. Everyone should know who is directing the movement. The operator should not be trying to interpret several different people giving conflicting instructions.

Our Slinger Signaller Hand Signals Guide provides a practical reference to recognised lifting signals.

Why On-Site Training Works Well for Swindon Businesses

The distance between Swindon and our Tewkesbury centre makes the economics of group training particularly important. For one candidate, travelling to our centre may be straightforward.

For a company with several experienced operators, sending an entire team away can mean multiple vehicles, travel time and lost productive hours before training has even started.

Where the Swindon workplace has the right excavator, lifting equipment and safe training area, bringing the instructor and assessor to the workforce can be the more practical option. It also means operators can train in an environment relevant to their normal work.

What We Need for On-Site Training in Swindon

Customer-site Excavator as a Crane training requires more than simply having an excavator available.

Depending on the course, we may need:

• Suitable excavator approved for lifting
• Manufacturer’s manual
• Designated lifting point
• Current thorough-examination documentation
• Suitable lifting accessories
• Relevant accessory examination records
• Known loads for practical exercises
• Suitable lifting area
• Safe ground conditions
• Risk assessment
• Method statement
• Lift plan where required
• Appropriate PPE
• Candidate photo ID
• Safe separation from normal site activity

If something important is missing, it can prevent the required practical training or assessment from being completed.

Please use our On-Site Plant Training Requirements Guide when preparing for customer-site delivery.

Swindon On-Site Pricing vs Tewkesbury Centre Prices

We deliberately publish transparent prices for courses delivered at our Tewkesbury training centre.

Those prices should not be confused with a quotation for bringing an instructor to Swindon. Customer-site training is priced separately because no two company bookings are identical.

We consider factors such as:

• Number of operators
• Experienced or novice route
• Number of training days
• Site location
• Machinery available
• Lifting equipment
• Additional plant or lifting categories
• Travel requirements

For businesses with several candidates, an on-site day rate can provide better overall value than paying individual centre prices and sending every employee to Tewkesbury.

Discounts may also be available for multiple candidates or where several courses are booked together.

For current centre prices and course information, visit our NPORS Excavator as a Crane Training Course.

Prefer to Train at Our Tewkesbury Centre?

Not every employer has a suitable lifting area, and not every candidate is part of a company group.

Individual Swindon operators can attend our dedicated training centre at Newton Farm Business Park, Ashchurch, Tewkesbury.

The centre is close to Junction 9 of the M5 and is also approximately a five-minute walk from Ashchurch for Tewkesbury railway station.

This provides an alternative for candidates who do not have access to suitable machinery, lifting accessories or a controlled training area.

NPORS Accredited or In-House Training?

We offer both routes because different workplaces have different requirements.

NPORS N100 Training

NPORS is the recognised accredited option where the employer, client, principal contractor or site requires NPORS certification.

The N100 Excavator as a Crane category provides evidence of the specialist training and assessment undertaken for excavator lifting operations.

In-House Excavator as a Crane Training

Some employers do not require an NPORS Operator Card and instead need appropriate documented training for employees using company equipment within their own working environment.

Vally Plant Training can provide in-house Excavator as a Crane training and certification where appropriate. This can help an employer demonstrate the training and assessment undertaken as part of its arrangements for operator competence. However, an in-house certificate is not the same as an NPORS Operator Card.

Acceptance depends on the employer, client, principal contractor, site and insurer.

If employees regularly work on third-party construction sites, check the certification requirements before choosing the in-house option.

CITB Funding for Swindon Employers

Vally Plant Training is a CITB Training Provider Network Member.

Eligible CITB-registered businesses may be able to obtain funding towards qualifying training, subject to current CITB eligibility and funding rules. If your company is CITB registered, tell us when requesting your quotation so the training requirement can be considered correctly.

Excavator as a Crane Training Across Swindon & Wiltshire

We can provide customer-site training at suitable workplaces throughout Swindon and the surrounding Wiltshire area.

This can include businesses and projects around:

• Swindon
• Wroughton
• Royal Wootton Bassett
• Highworth
• Cricklade
• Marlborough
• Chippenham
• Cirencester and the surrounding area
• Wider Wiltshire

Training can take place at suitable construction projects, company yards, utilities works, groundworks sites, civil engineering schemes and other controlled workplaces.

Why Choose Vally Plant Training?

Vally Plant Training is a family-run specialist plant and lifting training provider established in 2014.

We are an NPORS Approved Training Provider and CITB Training Provider Network Member, delivering accredited training at our Tewkesbury centre and on customer sites across Swindon, Wiltshire and nationwide.

Most importantly, we are a direct training provider rather than a course-booking broker.

If you call us about six experienced excavator operators in Swindon, we can discuss the actual machines, lifting duties, site arrangements and certification required rather than simply booking six individual courses. That becomes particularly useful where a business needs several related lifting competencies.

We can look at the wider requirement and discuss Excavator as a Crane, Slinger Signaller, Lift Supervisor, Appointed Person or other plant training within the same programme.

Related Training for Excavator Lifting Operations

NPORS 360 Excavator Training – core excavator operator training for novice and experienced operators.

NPORS Slinger Signaller Training – training for personnel involved in slinging loads and communicating with operators.

Lift Supervisor Training – for personnel responsible for supervising lifting operations.

Appointed Person Lifting Operations Training – for personnel responsible for planning lifting operations.