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Training Directory

NYC DOB CRANES AND DERRICKS TRAINING

32-Hour Lift Director

The DOB-approved course required for Lift Director registration and the Master Rigger license in New York City. Taken in person or live online.

  • In person · Live online · Hybrid
  • 32 hours
  • English

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Course at a glance

Format
Instructor-led, in person, live online, or hybrid. No self-paced option. No hands-on component.
Length
32 hours of instruction, not counting breaks and meals. No session runs more than 9.5 hours including breaks.
Assessment
Written multiple-choice assessment. You must pass to complete the course.
Credential
Certificate card that serves as a prerequisite for Lift Director registration and the Master Rigger license.
Official NYC DOB course outlinePDF · revision 03/26(opens in a new tab)

About the 32-Hour Lift Director course

The 32-Hour Lift Director course is an NYC DOB-approved course for the person who directs crane and derrick lifts on New York City job sites. It is a prerequisite for DOB registration as a Lift Director and for a NYC Master Rigger license.

Finishing the course does not register or license you. To register as a Lift Director, you also need one of the following: a valid accredited lift director certification, two years of NYC rigging supervision experience in the last three years, three years as a NYC Class A, B, or C Hoisting Machine Operator, or one year as a NYC Lift Director. A Master Rigger license has its own requirements, including the 32-Hour Rigging Supervisor course.

The course covers crane incidents and failure case studies, OSHA Subpart CC, NYC code and DOB rules for cranes and derricks, and DOT and NYC Transit requirements. It also covers the roles of site personnel, the Lift Director's authority to order corrective action and stop work, crew resource management, pre-shift meetings, inspections, logs, reading crane and wind action plans, verifying setup, securing the crane, weather, critical picks, hoisting personnel, operating over occupied buildings, power lines, and emergency procedures.

Classes are instructor-led, in person or live online, or a mix of both. There is no hands-on component and no self-paced option. You must pass a written multiple-choice assessment. You keep your registration current with the 8-Hour Lift Director Refresher.

Before you enroll

You need the following before you can take this course.

  1. DOB's outline sets no prior course to enroll
  2. You must be able to read and write English; the course is taught in English
  3. Lift Director registration also requires one qualifying credential or experience path (see FAQ)

What you'll learn

Drawn from the training objectives in DOB's outline.

  • Your authority as Lift Director to order corrective action and stop crane operations
  • Who does what on site, and how to lead the crew with clear communication and crew resource management
  • The NYC code, DOB rules, and DOT and NYC Transit requirements for cranes and derricks
  • How to read crane, wind action, and assembly plans and verify the crane is set up to match
  • Basic weather, NOAA alerts, wind limits, and how to secure and stow a crane
  • Controls for critical picks, hoisting personnel, lifts over occupied buildings, and work near power lines

Course topics

Everything in DOB's outline for this course.

  1. Part 1 · Incidents and regulations

    • Crane and hoisting machine incidents, with at least two failure case studies
    • OSHA 1926 Subpart CC and related subparts
    • NYC code review: BC 3316, BC 3319, license provisions, and DOB crane rules
    • DOB, DOT, and NYC Transit requirements

  2. Part 2 · Roles and leadership

    • Roles and responsibilities of site personnel, including licenses and certifications
    • Authority of the Lift Director
    • Crew resource management, with two non-construction case studies
    • On-site and pre-shift meetings

  3. Part 3 · Plans, inspections and records

    • Required crane, derrick, and rigging inspections
    • Logs and reporting, including notifying DOB
    • Reading CN, wind action, and assembly and disassembly plans
    • Verifying setup and configuration, securing and stowing

  4. Part 4 · Lift hazards and emergencies

    • Basic meteorology, wind and weather restrictions, wind action plans
    • Critical picks, hoisting personnel, and operating over occupied buildings
    • Power line safety and fall protection
    • Safety protocols and emergency procedures
    • 311 and DOI handouts, review, and written assessment

Credit & certificate

A course completion and certificate card that serve as a prerequisite for DOB registration as a Lift Director and for a NYC Master Rigger license. It is not the registration or license itself.

Renewal: 8-Hour Lift Director Refresher, completed within the one year before each Lift Director registration or Master Rigger license renewal.

Who it's for

  • Workers seeking DOB registration as a Lift Director
  • Applicants for a NYC Master Rigger license
  • Experienced rigging supervisors and NYC licensed crane operators moving into lift direction
  • Holders of a national lift director certification who will direct lifts in NYC

Before you buy

Format and schedule
Taught by an instructor in scheduled classes, in person or live online. The dates, times and place of each class are listed under Upcoming classes; registered students in a live online class get the join link.
Certificate and credential
When you finish, Training Directory issues a course certificate.
Identity verification
No identity verification or proctoring is required for this course.

Questions

Can I take this course live online?

Yes. DOB allows this course in person, live online (Virtual Live), or as a hybrid of the two. It is not offered as a self-paced course. For live online classes, your identity is confirmed before you get access, you attest that you will complete the training without help, attendance is monitored the whole time, and your webcam must stay on for the entire class.

Does this course make me a registered Lift Director?

No. It is a prerequisite. You also need a qualifying credential or experience and must register with DOB.

What else do I need to register as a Lift Director?

One of these: a valid accredited lift director certification, two years of NYC rigging supervision experience in the past three years, three years as a NYC Class A, B, or C Hoisting Machine Operator, or one year as a NYC Lift Director.

I am applying for a Master Rigger license. Do I need this?

Yes. DOB requires this course and the 32-Hour Rigging Supervisor course within the year before you apply, along with accredited rigging supervision and lift direction certifications and qualifying experience.

What do I get when I finish?

After you attend all 32 hours and pass the written assessment, you receive a certificate card. The Lift Director course is not on the Worker Wallet list, so it does not come as a Worker Wallet certification.

Is there a refresher?

Yes. To renew a Lift Director registration or Master Rigger license, complete the 8-Hour Lift Director Refresher within the one year before renewal. Master Riggers also need the 16-Hour Rigging Supervisor Refresher.

Are there prerequisites to enroll?

DOB's outline sets no prior course for this class, but you must be able to read and write English, since the course is taught in English.

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