The CPCS A40 lifting-operations ticket — often called a slinger banksman course — every endorsement, from novice to card in days
Every crane lift, excavator lift and telehandler suspended load on a UK construction site legally needs a competent slinger signaller — the person who inspects the lifting accessories, attaches the load and directs the operator with BS 7121 hand signals or radio. Our slinger signaller training (often searched as a banksman slinger course) takes you from first principles to a passed CPCS A40 technical test.
Training runs at our own centre at Endon, Stoke-on-Trent, with a maximum of two candidates per course — so you spend the day slinging real loads and directing real machines, not watching from a queue. Novices complete training and testing in three days; experienced slingers can test in one.
CPCS A40A (All Types – All Duties) covers every machine type including pick-and-carry duties — the most versatile ticket and the one most candidates take.
CPCS A40B (All Types – Static Duties) covers all machine types for static lifts only, without guiding moving machines.
CPCS A40C (Loader Crane – Static Duties) covers lorry loader / knuckle-boom crane lifts.
CPCS A40D (Excavator Only) covers slinging and signalling for 360° excavator lifting operations, including pick-and-carry.
CPCS A40E (Lift Truck Only) covers telehandler suspended-load duties, including travelling with the load.
Searching for "banksman training" or "traffic marshal training" to direct vehicles rather than lifts? That’s the CPCS A73 Plant & Vehicle Marshaller ticket — also delivered at our centre, and many sites want both cards.
Everything you need to go from novice to CPCS card in one place.
Train and test on machines we own and maintain — never a hired-in machine you have not seen before. Identical to the one you take your test on.
Genuine hands-on seat time, not queueing. Many courses run 1:1 depending on availability — you spend the day operating.
Training, CITB HS&E testing and CPCS technical testing all delivered in-house at our Staffordshire centre. Fewer delays, one point of contact.
Rated five stars by over 400 reviewers — real operators we have trained and put onto site.
Over twenty years of plant training and more than 1,000 candidates certified every single year.
Already have experience? We assess you first and place you on the correct course length — no paying for training days you do not need.
Upfront prices online — no quotes, no broker mark-ups. What you see is what you pay. Book the course direct with the training centre that owns the machines.
See Prices & BookNovices complete the full course — training plus CPCS theory and practical tests — in 3 days, the official CPCS minimum for up to two learners. Experienced slingers can update and test in a single day after a short profiling assessment.
We publish our prices — most centres don’t. The full 3-day novice course is £995 all-in, including training on a maximum 2:1 ratio and the CPCS theory and practical tests. Experienced slingers can take the test-only route at £495. HS&E test and card fees are the only extras, quoted upfront when you book.
"Slinger banksman" is site slang that rolls two separate jobs into one phrase, and it causes real confusion when booking training. The slinger signaller attaches loads to cranes, excavators and telehandlers and directs the lift — that’s this course, CPCS A40. The banksman (properly a traffic marshal or plant marshaller) directs reversing vehicles and plant movements around site — that’s CPCS A73. If you’ve been told to get your "slinger banksman ticket" for lifting work, A40 is the card they mean.
No — they’re two different CPCS tickets, though the words get mixed up on site. A slinger signaller (CPCS A40) attaches loads and signals lifting operations. A banksman, traffic marshal or plant marshaller (CPCS A73) directs vehicle and plant movements. If your work involves cranes and suspended loads, A40 is the one you need — and we deliver both, so many candidates take the two cards together.
You must pass the CITB Health, Safety & Environment test within the two years before your CPCS technical tests. We can arrange it for you at our own centre, usually before your course starts.
Most people take A40A because it covers all machine types and all duties, including pick-and-carry. The restricted endorsements (B–E) suit specialists — for example A40D if you only ever sling for excavator lifts, or A40E for telehandler suspended loads. Call us and we’ll profile you in two minutes.
Passing the A40 tests gets you the CPCS Red Card (Trained Operator), valid for two years. You then complete the Level 2 NVQ in Controlling Lifting Operations while working — which we also deliver — to upgrade to the Blue Competent Operator Card, valid five years and renewable.
Check dates and prices online, or call us for advice on the right course for your experience.