N100 Excavator as a Crane (lifting ops)

NPORS N100 excavator" refers to the National Plant Operators Registration Scheme (NPORS) course for operating an excavator as a crane. It is a specific certification (category code N100) that provides the necessary training and assessment for operators to safely use a 360-degree excavator for lifting operations

Course Details

• Purpose: The course is designed for plant operators who need the knowledge and practical skills to safely and correctly lift, move, and place slung loads with an excavator, providing an alternative to a dedicated crane where appropriate.

• Prerequisites: Participants should ideally have prior experience in operating excavators and a basic understanding of health and safety regulations.

• Content: Training includes:

  • Understanding industry dangers and operator responsibilities.

  • Conforming to manufacturer requirements and relevant legislation like LOLER and PUWER.

  • Identifying safe working loads (SWL) and using lifting capacity charts.

  • Calculating load weights and identifying hazards.

  • Agreeing on communication signals with a slinger/signaller.

  • Conducting pre-operation checks and performing trial lifts to ensure load integrity.

• Duration: Course duration varies based on experience:

  • Novice operators: 1-5 days.

  • Experienced workers (test only): 1 day.

  • "Bolt-on" (for existing NPORS 360 card holders): typically 2 days.

• Assessment and Certification: The course concludes with both a theory test (open and multiple-choice questions) and a practical assessment. Successful completion leads to an NPORS operator card, which can be a traditional NPORS card or an NPORS/CSCS card valid for a specific duration (typically 5 years for the traditional card, or a 2-year "Trained Operator" CSCS-affiliated card).