Explore the rankings
Transport & Logistics · Updated Aug 2026

Hoist and Winch Operators

Operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
37/100
Low

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
35/100
Low

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence81/100
Task coverage87%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums.High
66
Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.High
66
Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials.Medium
66
Tend auxiliary equipment, such as jacks, slings, cables, or stop blocks, to facilitate moving items or materials for further processing.Medium
63
Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths.High
33
Operate compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips.High
19
Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.High
21
Move levers, pedals, and throttles to stop, start, and regulate speeds of hoist or winch drums in response to hand, bell, buzzer, telephone, loud-speaker, or whistle signals, or by observing dial indicators or cable marks.High
15
Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.High
16
Climb ladders to position and set up vehicle-mounted derricks.High
15
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums.66
  2. Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications.66
  3. Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials.66
  4. Tend auxiliary equipment, such as jacks, slings, cables, or stop blocks, to facilitate moving items or materials for further processing.63
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Climb ladders to position and set up vehicle-mounted derricks.01
  2. Move levers, pedals, and throttles to stop, start, and regulate speeds of hoist or winch drums in response to hand, bell, buzzer, telephone, loud-speaker, or whistle signals, or by observing dial indicators or cable marks.02
  3. Operate compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips.03
  4. Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches.04
  5. Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks.05
Where else this work leads

Related occupations

Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

See all rankings →
Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency63
Physical dependency73
Adoption pressure43
Labour-market resilience69
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence81/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →