Banksman and Slinger

Who should take a Banksman and Slinger course?

RelyOn Nutec’s OPITO approved Banksman and Slinger course for stage 1 delegates provides the basic knowledge of the lifting and slinging operations in the offshore industry. It is an entry-level course for those who are new to lifting operations or have not yet had any formal or theoretical or operational training.

Personnel attending this training and assessment programme are introduced to various demonstrations of lifting and slinging. The training aims to familiarise you with all the fundamental elements of lifting and slinging. All presentations are followed by practical exercises, which will allow delegates to demonstrate their skills and be individually evaluated by an experienced instructor.

Subjects covered in Banksman and Slinger course stage 1

During the course, delegates are educated in the following topics.

• Knowledge of all relevant legislation and safe systems of work
• Preparation and lifting plans
• Equipment pre-use inspection
• Safe and correct use of equipment
• Slinging principles and terminology
• Appreciation of crane operating principles
• Weight estimation
• Hand signalling and the use of handheld radios
• Lifting and moving loads including tubular, unbalanced and pre-slung
• Appreciation of environmental and dynamic factors
• Correct loading/unloading of containers, half heights and skips

To finish the course delegates have to pass a theoretical test and have participated in several live lifts. Ultimately, the student is issued with an OPITO approved Banksman & Slinger Operations (stage 1) certificate, which is valid for two years.

Further Banksman training in stages 2, 3 and 4

After being certified for stage 1 Banksman and Slinger the next step is stage 2, which is supervised workplace experience. In stage 2, the candidate records a complete list of prescribed lifting tasks in a logbook. The log serves as proof that the candidate, under supervision of experienced lifting operators, is progressing and ultimately becomes ready to advance to Banksman and slinger stages 3 and 4. This process must be completed within two years.

A fully completed logbook is a prerequisite for Banksman stage 3, where they will have their competency assessed by qualified assessors.

Stage 4 is for personnel, who after two years, need to have their competency reassessed.

Employees with no Banksman certificate can apply for stage 3 assessment provided that they can verify lifting operational experience that equals the lifts to be conducted in the stage 2 logbook. 

What is the job of a Banksman and Slinger?

The term Banksman is primarily used in Irish and British civil engineering. The title Banksman varies slightly depending on where you are in the world. Spotter and Dogman are other standard terms, but they describe the same role: the person on the ground who in cooperation with the crane operator handle the lifting operation. The banksman is the crane operator's eyes on the ground from the point of loading and unloading.