Category A or C crane operator? Rentit.

Category	Types of cranes (examples)	What do you need?	At Rentit
A – Truck-mounted cranes	Truck-mounted cranes, mobile cranes, crawler cranes, trailer-mounted cranes, telescopic forklifts with a winch, lorry-mounted loading cranes with a load moment of more than 400,000 Nm or a jib length of more than 22 m	Suva crane operator’s licence, Category A (basic course, learner’s licence, practical training, examination)	Category A basic course
B – Tower cranes	Top-slewing, bottom-slewing and luffing jib cranes	Suva crane operator’s licence, Category B	Not available
C – Other cranes	Overhead travelling cranes, indoor cranes, gantry cranes, column-mounted and wall-mounted jib cranes, small lorry-mounted loading cranes	Training and instruction provided by the employer; no Suva licence required	Training (Category C)

Crane operator Category A – mobile cranes

The Category A basic course lays the foundation for your Suva crane operator certificate. It is aimed at anyone who wishes to operate truck-mounted, mobile, crawler or large lorry-mounted loading cranes in future.

How to obtain a Category A crane operator’s certificate:

1. Basic course at Rentit – 2 days of theory and practical training on a mobile crane.
2. Apply for a learner’s licence – from Suva, including an eyesight and hearing test and a health questionnaire. This allows you to operate cranes under supervision.
3. Gain practical experience – at work, accompanied by an experienced crane operator.
4. Crane operator examination – written, oral and practical. Suva will then issue you with your crane operator’s licence.

Contents of the basic course:

• Legal principles: Crane Regulations, duties of crane operators and employers
• Design and function of mobile cranes, safety devices, load moment limitation
• Reading load capacity tables and planning crane operations
• Stability: ground conditions, shoring, load distribution, wind
• Selecting, inspecting and correctly using slings
• Hand signals and radio communication with the rigger
• Identifying hazards: overhead power lines, obstacles, people in the danger zone
• Practical exercises on a mobile crane

Entry requirements: Minimum age 18 years, good command of German, suitable physical condition (vision, hearing).

Category C crane operator – industrial and indoor cranes

There is no Suva certificate for Category C cranes, but there is a clear training requirement: the employer must ensure that everyone who operates such cranes or slings loads is properly trained and instructed. Our training course provides you with exactly that – complete with a written certificate of completion.

Who is it for? Staff in production, workshops, warehouses and logistics who operate overhead, indoor, gantry or slewing cranes, or who rig loads.

Training content:

• Health and safety and accident prevention in crane operations
• Legal framework and the responsibilities of crane operators and employers
• Types of cranes, construction and safety devices of industrial and indoor cranes
• Pre-operation checks and operation during normal service
• Selecting, inspecting and stowing lifting gear (chains, lifting straps, round slings, ropes, shackles)
• Estimating load weight and centre of gravity, angle of inclination and methods of slinging
• Cooperation and communication between the crane operator and the rigger
• Typical causes of accidents and correct behaviour in the event of malfunctions
• Practical exercises on the crane

Certificate: Category C training certificate, which you, as an employer, can use to document compliance with the training requirement.

In Switzerland, the term ‘Category C crane operator’ refers to a training programme or qualification for operators of industrial and other types of cranes (Crane Ordinance Category C) – in other words, it is not a driving licence category as with motor vehicles, but rather specialist training for crane operation.

Under the Crane Ordinance, cranes are divided into three categories:

• Category A – Vehicle-mounted cranes (e.g. mobile and truck-mounted cranes)
• Category B – tower cranes
• Category C – Industrial cranes and other cranes (e.g. indoor cranes, gantry cranes, bridge cranes, jib cranes, slewing cranes)

Category C therefore specifically includes cranes used, for example, in halls, warehouses or workshops for lifting loads – typically industrial cranes, overhead travelling cranes or gantry cranes, etc.

There is no formal licence requirement involving an examination for these cranes, as is the case with the Suva crane operator licences for Categories A or B, but there is a training requirement: people who operate such cranes or rig loads must be trained accordingly.

 

The ‘Category C Crane Operator’ training course provides the necessary theoretical and practical foundations for the safe operation of industrial and indoor cranes and the correct slinging of loads. It focuses on health and safety, risk prevention and the proper handling of cranes and slinging equipment. Typical topics covered in the course include:

• Fundamentals of health and safety and accident prevention in crane operations
• Legal requirements in accordance with the Crane Regulations (Cat. C) and the responsibilities of operators and employers
• Identifying hazards when lifting, moving and setting down loads
• An introduction to crane technology, types of crane and safety devices on indoor and industrial cranes
• Operation of industrial and indoor cranes during normal operation
• Selection, inspection and correct use of lifting accessories (e.g. chains, slings, shackles)
• Proper slinging of loads, taking into account weight, centre of gravity and stability
• Practical exercises on safe collaboration between crane operators and slingers
• Raising awareness of typical causes of accidents and correct behaviour in the event of a malfunction or hazard

At the end of the training, participants will receive a training certificate confirming that they have been trained to work with Category C cranes and meet the legal requirements for these activities.

The ‘Category C Crane Operator’ training course provides the necessary theoretical and practical foundations for the safe operation of industrial and indoor cranes and the correct slinging of loads. It focuses on health and safety, risk prevention and the proper handling of cranes and slinging equipment. Typical topics covered in the course include:

• Fundamentals of health and safety and accident prevention in crane operations
• Legal requirements in accordance with the Crane Regulations (Cat. C) and the responsibilities of operators and employers
• Identifying hazards when lifting, moving and setting down loads
• An introduction to crane technology, types of crane and safety devices on indoor and industrial cranes
• Operation of industrial and indoor cranes during normal operation
• Selection, inspection and correct use of lifting accessories (e.g. chains, slings, shackles)
• Proper slinging of loads, taking into account weight, centre of gravity and stability
• Practical exercises on safe collaboration between crane operators and slingers
• Raising awareness of typical causes of accidents and correct behaviour in the event of a malfunction or hazard

At the end of the training, participants will receive a training certificate confirming that they have been trained to work with Category C cranes and meet the legal requirements for these activities.