What are goods and passenger lifts?

Freight and passenger cranes, also known as lifts, are used to transport goods and people vertically, climbing up or down. The load, or people moving in the lift, are in an enclosed cabin and move along vertical guides or inclined at a slight angle in the lift shaft. The lift serves stops, or floors. The lifts with the largest capacities are suitable for loading and unloading with forklifts.

Lift operator profile

The cranes are designed to:

  • Vertical handling of building materials, tools
  • Transporting people at height in a cabin or on a platform

Thanks to their design, building lifts enable efficient loading and unloading. They make work easier and faster. Nowadays it is difficult to work without these equipment, even more so when you have heavy materials to erect.

Freight cranes are used to move cargo (load) between floors of buildings. As a rule, they have a self-contained structure. It is controlled (steered) by the operator. Freight cranes, characterised by a lifting capacity of more than 900 kg, are used as a means of transporting goods and people. As a general rule, machines with a significant lifting capacity are built to simplify the loading/unloading of goods as much as possible.

A crane is commonly referred to as a lift or lift. It is used to move a load (people and/or goods) quickly and efficiently on a platform/cab. The movement of the crane takes place along rigid guides, usually inclined at an angle of at least 15 degrees to the horizontal surface between the different levels of the facility.

What types of cranes are there?

There are many, choosing the right one depends on the purpose and application.

  • hospital crane
  • passenger lift
  • freight crane
  • freight and passenger crane
  • building-crane

What qualifications must a freight or passenger lift operator have?

If you are interested in this profession and want to become qualified, you need to go through a course and pass an examination. Lift operator is a desirable profession on the job market. With this skill, you will find a job as you will be an extremely valuable employee with qualifications. In that case, what qualifications will allow you to become a lift operator?

Freight lift operator qualifications

Photo of the freight and passenger lift during constructionIf you want to become an operator, you need to have a licence; without one it is illegal to work. By signing up for the course you will learn everything you need to pass the exam and become an operator. You will go through theoretical and practical classes. You will learn about the functioning and construction of a crane.

Examination:

After each course, you will face an examination. This consists of a theoretical, or written, part. Then there is a practical part that tests your skills. If you pass the exam, you are awarded the relevant licence by the UDT. With this qualification, you can move on to finding a suitable job.

What does a freight lift operator do?

If you want to become an operator, you will be in charge of operating a crane during construction, for example. Cranes are designed to help move heavy loads in a safe way. It is a job that involves responsibility and requires attentiveness.

How is the lift operated?

Control is by crank, override or disposition.

Legal basis and powers

  • D And this qualifications for building cranes (operation of goods and passenger building lifts and goods hoists)
  • D II is the entitlement for the operation of internal-controlled goods lifts and hospital lifts (internal-controlled goods lifts and hospital lifts without cabin load control).

All the rules are regulated in the Lift Directive. This is an important document and every operator should know and comply with it. Every lift is subject to technical inspection as well as maintenance and modernisation. Without regular examinations and observance of the rules - working with this equipment is dangerous and life-threatening. It is important to remember that after every repair and modernisation it is necessary to check the technical condition before use.

Lifts, i.e. crane equipment, should be regularly tested for efficiency and safety, and any faults or hazards must be rectified on an ongoing basis. A defective lift is not suitable for operation. Once the defects have been rectified or the lift has been upgraded, a reassessment of the technical condition is required.