Important Skilled Rigger Qualities 1/5: Equipment Knowledge

Rigger qualities

If you’ve been thinking about a path as a professional rigger, there are some things you’ll need to know. Much of this information will be gained during your training process, but it never hurts to reinforce the details. In this series, we will talk about the essential skilled rigger qualities that shipyards look for when hiring. Number one is your knowledge of equipment. What do you need to know to be the right candidate?  


When it comes to your equipment, you need to understand the capacity for the scale of the project you’re doing. That’s why math skills, including algebra and geometry, are as important as a knowledge of the tools and equipment themselves. The weight of the structure, the materials, including size and scale, will all come into factor here.  


Capacity also encompasses the components of your rigging system. You need to understand and be able to calculate the lift capacity of each component and how it will be a part of the whole. Different rigging components will be essential for different types of jobs. Knowing what to use when will be a necessary part of any rigging job.  


You also need to understand the overall structure to know that no individual part is stretched beyond its capability. Each aspect of knowing your equipment plays a significant role in the success of any rigging job. The structure you’re building involves a lot of different calculations and the ability to understand the additional components we’ve listed here.  

Safety Puzzle 

All of this comes together in an intricate puzzle relating to the overall safety of the rigging. Without safety as a key aspect of your role, you risk not only the company’s money but also the health and safety of you and everyone else on the job. While you may think that safety is the prevue of your employer, it is a team effort. To be a skilled rigger, you need to understand the safety of each component as well as how they work together.  

Do you want to know more about becoming a rigger? Talk to Hutco and stay tuned for the next blog post.