HEO Crawler Crane NC III study plan
HEO Crawler Crane NC III · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Pre-operation inspection of crawler crane and accessories & Maintenance, troubleshooting, and shutdown procedures
List the major crawler crane assemblies and accessory items (carbody, crawler frames, track shoes, boom sections, jib, hook block, sheaves, wire rope, outrigger/flotation mats) from memory and state the inspection point for each
Sequence a complete pre-operation walk-around inspection in the correct order, from ground-level track and undercarriage checks to upperworks, boom, and rigging
Describe acceptance/rejection criteria for wire rope (broken wires per lay, abrasion, kinking, corrosion, diameter reduction) and for hooks (throat opening, wear, cracks, latch function)
Explain the purpose and reading method of load moment indicator, anti-two-block, boom angle indicator, level gauge, and travel alarm checks before start-up
Your checkpoint
A one-page pre-operation inspection checklist covering at least 25 items with pass/fail criteria, written from memory and then self-corrected against reference material
Site preparation, rigging, and load handling planning & Crawler crane setup, stabilization, and boom configuration
Evaluate ground bearing conditions and select the correct mat/crane pad size for a given crane weight and track loading
Identify site hazards (overhead power lines, excavations, slope, adjacent structures, underground utilities) and state the required control for each
Match rigging hardware to load weight and configuration: sling type, shackle rating, hook selection, and sling angle effect on tension
Describe crawler crane assembly sequence steps including boom section pinning, boom foot connection, and boom stop/backstop installation
Explain track tension, leveling, and blocking requirements that must be satisfied before lifting
Your checkpoint
A written lift-site setup plan for a hypothetical job: ground assessment, mat selection rationale, hazard list with controls, and rigging selection with tension calculations at 60 and 45 degrees
Load charts, capacity calculations, and lift planning & Crane operation and load movement
Read a crawler crane load chart and locate the correct capacity for a given boom length, radius, boom angle, and counterweight configuration
Calculate net capacity by deducting the weight of hook block, slings, and all lifting attachments from gross chart capacity
Compute radius from measured boom angle and boom length, and verify against the chart's stated radius definition
Identify chart notes and limitations: over-front/over-side/360-degree ratings, travel allowances, and prohibited configurations
Explain the consequences of exceeding rated capacity and how the load moment indicator intervenes
Your checkpoint
A worked lift plan for three different load/radius scenarios, each showing chart lookup, deductions, net capacity, and percent capacity utilization with a pass/fail judgment
Crane operation and load movement & Load charts, capacity calculations, and lift planning
Perform the standard pre-lift sequence: verify load weight, confirm rigging, check radius, test the brake, and lift a few inches to confirm stability
Describe control inputs for hoist, boom hoist, swing, and travel, and the effect of combining functions on load swing and structural load
Explain swing brake behavior, load drift, and how to control load swing during a placement
Apply tag line practice and load orientation control for a blind or restricted placement
Plan a multi-point load movement path that avoids personnel, power lines, and structural obstructions
Your checkpoint
A step-by-step lift execution procedure (minimum 15 numbered steps) for a blind placement, including tag line use, signal protocol, and abort criteria
Occupational safety and health, including crane signals and exclusion zones & Crane operation and load movement
Recite the standard hand and voice signals used for crawler crane operations and state the rule on who may give signals and when to obey a stop signal from anyone
Define exclusion zone boundaries for swing radius, boom reach, and power line clearance, and state the minimum approach distances you must follow on site
Identify personal protective equipment and personnel positioning rules for riggers and signal persons around a working crane
Explain lockout/tagout and the conditions under which operations must stop (high wind, lightning, loss of communication, alarm fault)
Describe the roles and communication chain among operator, rigger, signal person, and lift supervisor
Your checkpoint
A signal and exclusion-zone quick reference card with all standard signals described in words, plus a written stop-work criteria list of at least 8 conditions
Crane operation and load movement & Load charts, capacity calculations, and lift planning & Occupational safety and health, including crane signals and exclusion zones
Solve timed capacity problems under exam conditions: given boom length, radius, and load, determine whether the lift is legal and what to change if not
Analyze failure scenarios (two-blocking, side loading, shock loading, out-of-level ground, wind on a large sail area load) and state the preventive control for each
Rehearse the full lift planning workflow from load weight verification to post-lift inspection
Explain critical lift criteria and when a more detailed lift plan and engineering review are required
Your checkpoint
A timed 25-question self-test on capacity, rigging, and safety scenarios, scored and with every wrong answer rewritten as a corrected note
Maintenance, troubleshooting, and shutdown procedures & Documentation and reporting
Describe daily, weekly, and periodic maintenance items and the operator's role versus the technician's role
Diagnose common faults from symptoms: weak hoist brake, boom drift, alarm or LMI error, uneven track wear, and abnormal noise in the swing system
Execute the correct shutdown and parking sequence, including boom lowering, load removal, and securing the machine
Complete a shift log and an incident/near-miss report with the facts an investigator needs
State the recordkeeping requirements for inspection records, load charts on board, and operator certification documents
Your checkpoint
A completed mock daily inspection log plus a mock near-miss report, both filled in with realistic data and reviewed for missing fields
Pre-operation inspection of crawler crane and accessories & Site preparation, rigging, and load handling planning & Crawler crane setup, stabilization, and boom configuration & Crane operation and load movement & Load charts, capacity calculations, and lift planning & Occupational safety and health, including crane signals and exclusion zones & Maintenance, troubleshooting, and shutdown procedures & Documentation and reporting
Review all eight domains using your own notes, prioritizing the domains where your week-6 self-test scored lowest
Re-solve every previously missed capacity and rigging problem without notes until each is correct twice
Take a full-length timed mock exam and analyze errors by domain
Explain aloud, in under three minutes each, the pre-operation inspection, the lift planning workflow, and the emergency stop criteria
Your checkpoint
A full-length timed mock exam with a domain-by-domain score breakdown and a final one-page summary sheet of formulas, chart rules, and stop-work criteria
Milestones
Week 2: You can produce a complete pre-operation checklist and a site setup plan with mat selection and rigging tension calculations without referring to notes
Week 4: You can look up a chart capacity, deduct rigging weight, and correctly judge the lift as legal or illegal in under five minutes for three different scenarios
Week 6: You score at least 80 percent on the timed 25-question self-test and can list all stop-work conditions from memory
Week 8: You pass the full-length mock exam with at least 80 percent overall and no domain below 70 percent, and your summary sheet is complete