Construction Rigger

A construction rigger sets up, operates, and maintains lifting and hoisting equipment on building and civil engineering sites. They plan and execute rigging operations to safely position heavy materials, structural components, and plant, working within the constraints of site conditions, load capacity limits, and Safe Work Australia guidelines.

Inspect rigging equipment including slings, shackles, eyebolts, and wire ropes for damage, wear, and compliance with Australian Standards AS/NZS 1418.1 (Cranes, hoists and winches). Calculate load weights and centre of gravity for loads to be lifted using scale sheets, engineering drawings, and load charts. Select appropriate rigging hardware and lifting configurations based on load weight, shape, and destination using safe working load (SWL) calculations. Attach and secure slings, strops, and lifting beams to loads using methods such as choker hitches, basket hitches, and vertical hitches. Communicate with crane operators using standard hand signals and two-way radio to guide and coordinate lifting operations. Position and secure spreader bars, lifting frames, and specialised rigging frames to distribute load forces evenly across components. Monitor loads during movement and landing to identify imbalance, swing, or contact risks and signal operators to stop or adjust. Maintain rigging equipment maintenance logbooks and safety inspection records as required by Safe Work Australia and site safety protocols.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You're gambling on your body holding up. Rigging is hard on your back, shoulders, and knees from crawling under loads, securing slings at awkward angles, and working in all weather. One miscalculation or equipment failure and you're seriously injured or worse. The weight of that responsibility never leaves. Pay caps out faster than crane operators earn.

Some work in regional mining and industrial areas, but most jobs are in metro zones near highways and ports. The work follows large infrastructure projects, so it's project-dependent and can mean relocating or commuting long distances between sites.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 8217, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracy
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Dispatch Documentation
• Freight Coordination
• Quality Assurance and Checking
• Stakeholder Communication
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Construction Rigger workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026