Slinger Signaller Training

A slinger signaller (sometimes called a banksman slinger) is the ground-based member of the lifting team who:

• Selects and inspects lifting accessories — slings, chains, shackles — before every lift
• Attaches (slings) loads securely, allowing for weight, centre of gravity and sling angles
• Directs the crane, excavator or telehandler operator using BS 7121 hand signals or radio
• Controls the landing zone, keeps people out of the exclusion zone, and detaches the load safely

On any crane-served site, no lift happens without a competent slinger signaller — it's a legal requirement under LOLER.

CPCS splits the A40 category into five endorsements. Most candidates take A40A because it covers everything, but we'll help you choose:

• A40A – All Types, All Duties: every machine type including pick-and-carry duties. The most versatile ticket and our recommendation for most people.
• A40B – All Types, Static Duties: all machine types but static lifts only (no guiding moving machines).
• A40C – Loader Crane, Static Duties: lorry loader / knuckle-boom crane lifts only.
• A40D – Excavator Only: slinging and signalling for 360° excavator lifting operations, including pick-and-carry.
• A40E – Lift Truck Only: telehandler suspended-load duties, including travel with the load.

The split exists because guiding a moving machine (pick-and-carry) puts you close to crush hazards, so it's trained and tested separately. Not sure which fits your work? Call us and we'll profile you in two minutes.

People use the words interchangeably on site, but strictly speaking:

• A slinger signaller attaches loads and signals lifting operations — that's the CPCS A40 ticket on this page.
• A banksman (or plant marshaller) directs vehicle and plant movements — reversing lorries, guiding excavators around site. That's the CPCS A73 Plant & Vehicle Marshaller ticket.

If you searched for "banksman slinger course", A40 is the lifting one. Many sites want both cards — ask us about combining them.

Novice (no lifting experience): 3 days — this is the official CPCS minimum duration for up to two learners, and includes the theory and practical tests.

Experienced worker: 1 day of update training and testing. We'll confirm the right route with a short profiling assessment when you book — it's a CPCS requirement and takes minutes.

Unlike most centres, we publish our prices:

• Full 3-day novice course: £995 — training on a maximum 2:1 ratio, CPCS theory and practical tests, and Red Card application all included
• Test only: £495 — CPCS theory and practical tests plus Red Card application, for experienced slingers

Compare that with £1,100–£1,560 at the big national centres, where you'll share the course with up to four candidates. HS&E test and CPCS card fees are the only extras, and we'll quote those upfront when you book.

No. The 3-day novice course assumes no slinging or signalling experience at all. If you've been slinging on site for years without a card, the 1-day experienced worker route gets you tested and carded fast.

A one-to-one verbal test with a CPCS tester — you'll answer 40 questions drawn from the official A40 question bank, covering your responsibilities, lifting accessories and inspection, load assessment, signals and radio procedures, and exclusion zones.

We work through the whole question bank during the course, so nothing in the test will surprise you.

The A40 practical is a thorough, timed assessment (up to 1 hour 50 minutes for A40A). You'll:

• Inspect a set of lifting accessories, spotting and impounding defective items and out-of-date certificates
• Sling and direct lifts of four different load types — balanced, unbalanced, a long bundled load and a load turned from horizontal to vertical
• Direct an out-of-sight (blind) lift — one way by radio, the other by hand signals
• Land every load within 100 mm of the marked position

It sounds demanding — it is — but after three days of hands-on practice with a maximum of two candidates per course, you'll be ready.

Yes — you must pass the CITB Health, Safety & Environment test within the two years before your CPCS technical tests. We can arrange the HS&E test for you at our own centre, usually before your course starts.

Your Red Card is valid for two years. In that time you complete the Level 2 NVQ in Controlling Lifting Operations – Slinger/Signaller while working on site — workplace evidence, no exam.

1. Pass A40 and get your Red Card (valid 2 years)
2. Work on site as a slinger signaller, building your evidence portfolio
3. Complete the NVQ Level 2 with an assessor
4. Apply for your Blue Competent Operator Card (valid 5 years, renewable)

We deliver NVQs in-house, so you can do the whole journey with us.

Every five years you renew by passing the HS&E test, completing the online CPCS Renewal CPD (which replaced the old renewal test in 2024 — the lifting module applies to A40), and showing ongoing operating experience through your logbook or an on-site assessment. We can guide you through all of it.

Both are recognised schemes, but CPCS is the card most major contractors and crane-served sites ask for by name — it's the plant partner scheme of CSCS. NPORS is accepted on some sites but checked less universally.

If you work (or want to work) for principal contractors, CPCS A40 is the safer investment. Read our full CPCS vs NPORS guide.

Funding options depend on your employment status:

• Employers: CITB grants may be available if you're levy-registered — slinger signaller training attracts grant support as a short-duration course.
• Self-employed: typically self-funded, and you can spread the cost with Klarna at checkout.

Contact us to check eligibility and discuss options.

Strong and steady. Every tower crane, mobile crane, excavator lift and telehandler suspended load legally needs a competent slinger signaller, so demand exists on virtually every major site:

• Dedicated slinger signaller roles on crane-served projects
• Lift-team roles combined with groundworks or steel erection
• A natural stepping stone towards crane supervisor and appointed person roles

It's also one of the most affordable CPCS tickets to obtain, making it a high-return addition to your card.