Who this course is for
- Operators who lift with a pendant-controlled overhead or gantry crane
- Workshop, plant and production staff moving components along a bay
- Maintenance teams lifting motors, gearboxes and assemblies during shutdowns
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent overhead crane operators
What you will be able to do after this course
- Explain the functions and controls of a pendant-controlled overhead crane
- Carry out pre-use safety and suitability checks on the crane
- Inspect and record the operational fitness of the crane
- Lift, travel with and land loads safely and follow emergency procedures
What the course covers
The course works through the Occupational Health and Safety Act Driven Machinery Regulations as they apply to overhead lifting, then through the crane and the checks that keep it fit for service.
Learners cover the functions and controls of a pendant-controlled overhead crane, pre-use safety and suitability checks, inspecting and recording the operational fitness of the crane, rated capacity and load limits, hoisting, cross-travel and long-travel technique, controlling load swing, working safely over people and plant, limit switches and emergency stops, and emergency procedures including what to do with a suspended load. The lifting work is assessed practically on the crane.
How you are assessed and what you receive
Assessment covers a written knowledge test and a practical on the crane, where the learner completes the pre-use checks, records the crane as fit for service and then lifts, travels with and lands a load under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 116235, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
Overhead cranes lift over people and production plant, often many times a shift, which is why both the operator competence and the recorded pre-use inspection matter to an auditor. The certificate proves competence in terms of the Driven Machinery Regulations. Learners can download it from the Fundza portal at any time.
Duration, dates and fees
| Option | Duration | Fee | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full course | 5 Days | R6,010 | First-time certification |
| Refresher | 2 days | R1,204 | Already certified, renewing |
On-site delivery at your own plant is available and is usually the better option for a team, because the practical work is done on the crane and the bay they work in. For group bookings, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based.
Where and how the training runs
Training runs at the Fundza Training Institute centre in Mokopane, and on site at your own plant or workshop. On-site delivery is generally better for a production team, since the crane, the bay layout and the loads are already there. For a group booking, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.
Overhead crane and chain hoist: how they differ
| Pendant controlled overhead crane (this course) | Chain hoist | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Powered overhead or gantry crane | Manual chain block and lever hoist |
| Unit standard | SAQA 116235 | SAQA 244407 |
| Typically used for | Repetitive lifting along a bay or shop floor | Positioning and short lifts in a workshop |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
Both are lifting machinery under the same regulations, but they certify different equipment. A workshop that runs both normally sends the same people on both courses.
Where this course can take you
Overhead crane operation sits inside the lifting stack at Fundza. Operators commonly add Sling and Communicate and Slings Load so they can rig their own lifts, and Chain Hoist for manual lifting in the same workshop. Browse the full range of lifting machinery training.
Enquire about this course
Tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.