Jobs / Transportation and material moving / 53-7041.00
Hoist and Winch Operators
Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
- US jobs
- 2,600
- Median wage
- $56,450 a year
- Job family
- Transportation and material moving
Can agents do the work of hoist and winch operators?
We read the evidence for the whole job family, Transportation and material moving: Unmeasured (no change in 12 months)
No direct benchmark gives a success rate.
0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.
- 41%Operate lifting or moving equipmentNot measured
- 14%Maintain vehicles in working conditionNot measured
- 10%Monitor equipment operationNot measured
- 8%Select materials or equipment for operations or projectsNot measured
- 6%Connect components or supply lines to equipment or toolsNot measured
- 6%Climb equipment or structuresNot measured
- 4%Load products, materials, or equipment for transportation or further processingNot measured
- 4%Communicate with others about operational plans or activitiesNot measured
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in transportation and material moving, not always this occupation's tasks.
Direct evidence
Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.
- 82%Waymo Driver (rider-only, 220.6M miles through March 2026) · Mar 2026Unrated
Also relevant
These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials.
- Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths.
- Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums.
- Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.
- Repair, maintain, and adjust equipment, using hand tools.
- Tend auxiliary equipment, such as jacks, slings, cables, or stop blocks, to facilitate moving items or materials for further processing.
- Move levers, pedals, and throttles to stop, start, and regulate speeds of hoist or winch drums in response to hand, bell, buzzer, telephone, loud-speaker, or whistle signals, or by observing dial indicators or cable marks.
- Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.
- Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.
- Attach, fasten, and disconnect cables or lines to loads, materials, and equipment, using hand tools.
- Oil winch drums so that cables will wind smoothly.
- Operate compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips.
Other job titles for this occupation (51)
Hoist Operator · Hoisting Operator · Hoistman · Service Operator · Winch Derrick Operator · Winchman · Air Hoist Operator · Air Lift Operator · Boat Hoist Operator · Boat Loader · Cable Operator · Cable Way Operator · Casing Puller · Chute Operator · Clutch Operator · Corner Bead Operator · Cupola Hoist Operator · Derrick Operator · Electric Fork Operator · Gin Pole Operator · Hoisting Engine Operator · Hydraulic Boom Operator · Industrial Tugger Operator · Jammer Operator · Jump Roll Operator · Lever Operator · Pack Changer · Pack Puller · Pier Runner · Pipe Puller · Pit Hoist Operator · Pneumatic Hoist Operator · Pole Lift Operator · Pulling Unit Floorhand · Scrap Hoist Operator · Scraper Loader Operator · Skip Hoist Operator · Slope Tender · Steam Hoist Operator · Stiff Leg Operator · Tugger · Tugger Operator · Vault Puller · Well Puller · Well Service Derrick Worker · Winch Driver · Winch Operator · Winch Runner · Winch Stripper · Yarder Operator · Yarder Puncher