6 free templates across construction, marine, stage, and small-shop rigging, with the OSHA qualified-rigger, NCCCO/ETCP, and FLSA guidance the template farms skip. Download as DOCX.
A rigger job description has a clear center and a part the generic templates always skip. The center: in US usage, rigger means the physical lifting rigger, the skilled trade worker who sets up rigging, attaches and secures heavy loads, signals crane operators, and controls lifts on construction sites, in shipyards, in plants, and at entertainment venues. It is not the CG or animation rigger who builds digital character skeletons in software, a separate profession that shares only the word. The part the templates skip: rigging is safety-critical, so the OSHA qualified-rigger rules and the ASME standards are the real substance of the role, and a rigger is always hourly and non-exempt. Name those, and the posting describes a safe, well-run operation.
At FirstHR, we build templates for the small, often owner-run companies that make this hire, the scaffolding, staging, and rigging shops bringing on their first staff rigger without an HR department, and we add the OSHA and FLSA guidance the template farms leave out. The six below cover the main settings plus a small-shop and a lead version. The guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
In US usage, rigger means the physical lifting role: setting up rigging and moving heavy loads with cranes and hoists across construction, marine, industrial, and entertainment settings, not a CG/animation rigger. The safety framework is central: OSHA Subpart CC requires a qualified rigger (the employer determines who qualifies), with NCCCO or ETCP certification preferred. The role is non-exempt and hourly. It maps to the federal riggers category (median $62,060 a year, about $29.84/hour, May 2024). Download as DOCX.
What a Rigger Does
A rigger sets up, secures, and controls the movement of heavy loads using cranes, hoists, slings, and rigging hardware, working across rigging setup, load planning, lift execution, and safety and inspection. The setting shifts, but the core work holds.
The federal data maps the role to the riggers occupation, defined as setting up or repairing rigging for construction projects, manufacturing plants, logging yards, ships and shipyards, or the entertainment industry. The CG or animation rigger is a separate occupation entirely.
Rigger Types and the CG Trap
The most important thing to settle before writing is that rigger means the physical lifting role, and to close the one disambiguation trap: the CG or animation rigger is a different profession.
Construction / Industrial Rigger
The dominant meaning
Sets up and controls lifts of heavy loads using cranes, hoists, and rigging gear on job sites and in plants. This is what rigger almost always means in US hiring, and what these templates cover.
Marine / Ship Rigger
Largest by employment
Rigs and moves heavy ship components and machinery in shipyards and boatyards. The largest single employment segment for riggers, with the same core lifting and safety work.
Stage / Entertainment Rigger
Concerts, theatre, arenas
Rigs truss, chain hoists, and overhead systems for concerts, theatre, and events. A higher-paid segment with its own certification (ETCP), but the same physical lifting work.
CG / Animation Rigger
A different profession
A digital rigger builds skeletons for 3D characters in software like Maya. Despite the shared word, this is a completely separate VFX profession, not the physical lifting role these templates cover.
Physical Rigging, Not CG
Rigger means the physical, safety-critical lifting role: construction, marine, industrial, or stage. A CG or animation rigger builds digital 3D character skeletons in software, a separate profession that shares only the word. Name your setting and the safety context in the first line so the posting reaches skilled-trade candidates.
Rigger Duties and Responsibilities
A rigger's duties cluster into rigging setup, load planning, lift execution, and safety and inspection. The setting shifts the details, but these four areas hold across the role.
Rigging setup
Select slings, hooks, and hardware
Set up and secure rigging
Attach and control loads
Load planning
Calculate load weights and angles
Read load charts and rigging plans
Plan safe lift sequences
Lift execution
Signal crane and hoist operators
Guide and control moving loads
Work safely at height
Safety and inspection
Inspect rigging before each shift
Follow OSHA and ASME standards
Maintain gear and records
Construction leans on steel and equipment lifts; marine on shipyard moves; stage on truss and hoists. For a structured way to scope the role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by setting, and use the small-shop version if you are hiring your first staff rigger or the lead version for a crew leader. The rigging-and-safety core runs through all six, but the setting and certification differ enough that the matched version reads credibly. Use this guide to choose.
General Rigger
The core role
The standard rigger: setting up rigging, attaching loads, signaling operators, and controlling heavy lifts. The right starting point for most companies.
Construction / Industrial
Job sites and plants
For steel erection, equipment setting, and machinery moves on construction sites and in plants, working with crane operators and ironworkers.
Marine / Ship
Shipyards and boatyards
For rigging and moving heavy ship components and machinery during building, repair, and overhaul in a shipyard.
Stage / Entertainment
ETCP certification
For concerts, theatre, arenas, and events, rigging truss, hoists, and overhead systems, with ETCP as the industry certification.
Small Shop (First Hire)
Owner-run, no HR
The flagship version for a small rigging, crane, scaffolding, or staging company hiring its first staff rigger to replace subcontracted help.
Senior / Lead Rigger
Crew leader
For a senior role planning complex lifts, leading a crew, and serving as the qualified rigger, with NCCCO Level II or ETCP preferred.
Match the Template to the Setting
General lifting: General Rigger. Job sites and plants: Construction / Industrial. Shipyards: Marine / Ship. Concerts and theatre: Stage / Entertainment (ETCP). First staff hire at a small shop: Small Shop. Crew leader and complex lifts: Senior / Lead. Whichever you pick, name the OSHA qualified-rigger standard and classify as non-exempt.
6 Free Rigger Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company overview, position summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a compliance note, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets, set the company and reporting line, and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
General, construction/industrial, marine, stage/entertainment, small shop, and senior/lead rigger. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Rigger (General)
The standard rigger: setting up rigging, attaching loads, signaling operators, and controlling heavy lifts. The right starting point for most companies.
Rigger Job Description (General)
RIGGER JOB DESCRIPTION (GENERAL)
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Lead Rigger / Foreman / Superintendent]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly; blue-collar)
Compensation: $______ per hour [+ overtime]
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[Company Name] is a [type] company in [City, State]. We are hiring a Rigger to
set up, move, and secure heavy loads safely using cranes, hoists, and rigging
gear.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Rigger sets up rigging, attaches and secures loads, and controls the
movement of heavy equipment and materials. You will select and inspect rigging
gear, signal crane operators, and make sure every lift is done safely and
within load limits.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Set up, align, and secure rigging for lifts
•Select slings, hooks, shackles, and hardware for the load
•Inspect rigging equipment before each shift
•Attach loads and control their movement
•Signal and communicate with crane operators
•Calculate load weights and angles
•Follow OSHA and ASME rigging standards
•Keep the work area and gear safe and in order
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•[2+] years of rigging experience
•Knowledge of rigging gear, load limits, and signaling
•Ability to read load charts and rigging plans
•Physically able to lift [__] lbs and work at height
•NCCCO Rigger Level I (or ability to obtain) preferred
COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
Under OSHA Subpart CC, certain lifts require a "qualified rigger," which the
employer determines. The role is non-exempt (hourly) since rigging is manual,
blue-collar work. Name the safety standards (OSHA, ASME B30) and any preferred
certification (NCCCO, ETCP). This is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations are
available for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $______ per hour [+ overtime]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
Template 2: Construction / Industrial Rigger
For steel erection, equipment setting, and machinery moves on construction sites and in plants, working with crane operators and ironworkers.
Construction / Industrial Rigger Job Description
CONSTRUCTION / INDUSTRIAL RIGGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Foreman / Site Superintendent]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly; blue-collar)
Compensation: $______ per hour [+ overtime]
ABOUT THIS ROLE
A construction or industrial rigger sets up and controls lifts on job sites and
in plants: steel erection, equipment setting, and heavy machinery moves, working
closely with crane operators and ironworkers.
POSITION SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Construction Rigger to plan and execute safe lifts on
our projects. You will rig loads, signal crane operators, and ensure every lift
meets OSHA and ASME standards.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Plan and rig lifts for steel, equipment, and materials
•Select and inspect slings, hooks, and hardware
•Signal crane operators during lifts
•Inspect rigging before each shift (per OSHA 1926.251)
•Calculate load weights, angles, and capacities
•Work in the fall zone safely during connections
•Follow steel-erection rigging rules (1926.753)
•Maintain rigging gear and documentation
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•[2+] years of construction or industrial rigging
•Knowledge of load charts, rigging math, and signaling
•Familiarity with OSHA Subpart CC and ASME B30
•Able to lift [__] lbs, work at height, and pass safety training
•NCCCO Rigger Level I or II preferred
COMPLIANCE NOTE
OSHA Subpart CC requires a qualified rigger for assembly/disassembly and when
workers are in the fall zone. The employer determines who is qualified.
Non-exempt (hourly). This is general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $______ per hour [+ overtime]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
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This is the part the template farms skip, and for rigging it is the substance of the job, since the work is safety-critical and governed by federal standards. Here is the cheat sheet.
OSHA qualified rigger (Subpart CC)
Under OSHA's cranes and derricks standard for construction (Subpart CC), certain work requires a qualified rigger: assembly and disassembly, and any time workers are in the fall zone hooking, unhooking, or guiding a load. Importantly, OSHA does not require a rigger to hold a certification from an outside organization; instead, the employer is responsible for determining who is qualified, based on training and experience. So the job description should state that the role must meet the qualified-rigger standard and that the employer designates qualification. Name Subpart CC directly, since this is the rule that actually governs the role on a construction site.
Rigging inspection and ASME B30
OSHA 1926.251 requires that rigging equipment be inspected before each shift, that safe working loads be marked and never exceeded, and 1926.753 adds rules for hoisting in steel erection. On top of OSHA, the ASME B30 consensus standards are what insurers and good employers follow: B30.9 for slings, B30.10 for hooks, and B30.26 for rigging hardware like shackles and eyebolts, covering inspection, markings, and design factors. A strong posting names the inspection expectation and the relevant standards, since following them is the daily substance of safe rigging and signals to candidates that the employer runs a safe operation.
Certifications: NCCCO and ETCP
Certification is not federally required, but it is the recognized signal of competence and worth naming as preferred. For construction and industrial rigging, the NCCCO Rigger Level I (simple, repetitive rigging) and Level II (complex rigging) are the standard, recognized by OSHA as meeting its requirements, valid for five years. For entertainment, the equivalent is ETCP Rigger, in Arena or Theatre tracks, also recurring every five years. List the certification that fits your segment as preferred rather than required, since the employer still has to make its own qualified-rigger determination either way.
FLSA: non-exempt and hourly
A rigger is non-exempt under the FLSA, meaning an hourly role entitled to overtime at one and one-half times the regular rate over 40 hours in a workweek. The Department of Labor is explicit that the white-collar exemptions do not apply to manual laborers or blue-collar workers, including construction workers and craftsmen, no matter how highly paid. That covers riggers squarely, even a well-paid senior or lead rigger. So classify the role as non-exempt and hourly, track hours, and pay overtime. This is general information, not legal advice.
The Employer Designates the Qualified Rigger, and the Role Is Hourly
Under OSHA Subpart CC, certain lifts require a qualified rigger, and the employer, not an outside certifier, determines who qualifies. NCCCO (construction) or ETCP (entertainment) certification is preferred, not federally required. Separately, a rigger is non-exempt and hourly with overtime, since blue-collar work is never exempt under the FLSA. This is general information, not legal advice.
Requirements and Qualifications
This is a skilled trade role learned largely on the job. Match the certification to your setting, and treat physical ability and safety training as essential.
Requirement
What to know
Education
High school diploma or GED (Job Zone 2)
Experience
Typically 2+ years of rigging; on-the-job training
Skills
Rigging gear, load math, signaling, load charts
Physical
Lift heavy loads, work at height, pass safety training
Certification
NCCCO (construction) or ETCP (entertainment) preferred
Classification
Non-exempt, hourly, with overtime
Match the requirements to your setting and seniority. The BLS wage data for riggers covers the pay range, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
How to Write a Rigger Job Description
A strong rigger posting takes shape once you settle the setting, name the safety standards, and classify the role. Here is the process the templates are built around.
1
Confirm the physical role and setting
Rigger means the physical lifting role, not a CG rigger. Name your setting: construction, industrial, marine, or stage. Pick the matching template.
2
Set the seniority
The role ranges from a first hire to a senior lead rigger. Pick the level and the matching template.
3
List the real responsibilities
Rigging setup, load planning, lift execution, and safety and inspection, calibrated to your setting and level.
4
Name the safety standards
OSHA qualified rigger under Subpart CC, rigging inspection (1926.251), and ASME B30. This is the substance of safe rigging.
5
Classify as non-exempt and set hourly pay
Rigging is blue-collar work, so the role is non-exempt and hourly with overtime. Benchmark pay to your setting and region.
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on protected characteristics.
Rigger Pay and Outlook
Rigger pay varies widely by setting and region, and the federal benchmark is the riggers occupation, a small but stable trade.
Pay and Demand (BLS)
Riggers had a median wage of $62,060 a year, about $29.84 an hour, in May 2024 (lowest 10% around $38,930, highest 10% over $100,480), with about 24,600 employed and roughly 2,500 openings projected each year through 2034 (O*NET, using BLS data).
Pay shifts a lot by setting: entertainment and motion-picture rigging tends to pay toward the higher end, specialty trade and building-equipment contractors sit near the median, marine and shipyard rigging a bit below, and oil-and-gas support work lower, with high-cost states paying notably more. Because the role is non-exempt, you pay an hourly wage plus overtime over 40 hours in a workweek, so describe the pay as an hourly rate, and senior or lead riggers who plan complex lifts earn above the median. For a posting, benchmark to your specific setting and region rather than the national figure, since rigging pay ranges widely, and include a good-faith hourly range where your state requires pay transparency. National compensation surveys are the right reference for setting-specific and seniority detail.
Hiring a Rigger
Rigging has a fragmented, small-business-heavy employer base, scaffolding contractors, independent rigging shops, staging companies, and small shipyards, many running with five to fifty people and no HR department. There is a real first-hire moment when a growing shop brings rigging in house. Here is what actually matters.
Rigger means the physical lifting role, not a CG rigger
When someone searches for a rigger job description in the US, they almost always mean a physical lifting rigger: the person who sets up rigging, attaches and secures heavy loads, signals crane operators, and controls lifts using slings, hoists, and hardware. That role spans several settings that share the same core work: construction and industrial sites, shipyards (the largest single employment segment), oil and gas, and entertainment, where stage and arena riggers fly lighting, sound, and scenery. There is one disambiguation trap worth closing in the posting: a CG or animation rigger builds digital skeletons for 3D characters in software, which is a completely different profession that shares only the word. So make the physical, safety-critical nature of the role clear in the first line, and name your setting, construction, marine, or stage, so the posting reaches riggers who do the lifting work rather than digital artists.
The employer base is fragmented and SMB-heavy, with a real first-hire moment
Rigging is a smaller occupation than many trades, but its employer base is fragmented and full of small businesses, which is exactly where a clear template helps. Scaffolding contractors alone number in the tens of thousands and average barely more than one employee each, and the trade association for crane and rigging companies has well over a thousand members, most of them small to mid-sized shops, alongside thousands of independent rigging shops, staging and event-production companies, theatrical houses, and small shipyards. Many of these employers run with five to fifty people and no HR department, and there is a genuine first-hire moment: a growing scaffold, staging, or rigging shop that has been subcontracting rigging decides to bring on its first staff rigger as a W-2 employee. That moment needs a job description, an onboarding flow, and safety paperwork, which is where a small employer benefits most from a ready, compliant template.
Safety compliance and hourly classification are the parts that matter most
Two things separate a serious rigger posting from a generic one, and the template farms cover neither well. The first is safety compliance, which for rigging is the substance of the job, not a footnote. Under OSHA Subpart CC, certain lifts require a qualified rigger, and crucially the employer, not an outside certifier, determines who qualifies, while OSHA 1926.251 requires rigging gear to be inspected before each shift and the ASME B30 standards govern slings, hooks, and hardware. Certification through NCCCO (construction) or ETCP (entertainment) is the recognized competence signal, valid five years, and worth naming as preferred. The second is classification: a rigger is non-exempt and hourly, entitled to overtime, because the Department of Labor is explicit that blue-collar and construction workers do not qualify for the white-collar exemptions no matter how well paid. Naming the safety standards and the hourly, non-exempt status makes the posting accurate and signals a safe, well-run operation. This is general information, not legal advice.
After You Hire: Onboarding
The job description is step one, and because rigging is safety-critical work, the onboarding should put the safety and compliance pieces at the center. Start with the employment basics: get the offer or employment agreement signed with the hourly rate and non-exempt status, complete Form I-9 within the first days along with the rest of the new hire paperwork, and gather tax forms.
Then handle the rigging-specific items: confirm and document the qualified-rigger determination under OSHA Subpart CC, collect a signed safety acknowledgment, issue and record PPE, run any required drug screening or background check, and upload NCCCO or ETCP certificates with their expiration dates so you can track the five-year renewals, the kind of structured start the employee onboarding guide describes. Store the signed onboarding documents centrally.
A documented, repeatable onboarding process matters here because the safety paperwork and certification tracking have to be right, and on a job site getting them wrong has real consequences. FirstHR supports it directly: an onboarding wizard and task workflows so each step is tracked, a safety training module, e-signature for safety acknowledgments and PPE receipts, document management to store certificates with renewal reminders, and a simple HRIS with an org chart as the company grows. Because pricing is flat rather than per seat, a small shop pays one rate as it scales. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with a payroll provider. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
In US usage, rigger means the physical lifting role, not a CG or animation rigger, which is a separate VFX profession.
The role spans construction, industrial, marine, oil and gas, and entertainment, with the same core lifting and safety work.
Safety is the substance of the job: OSHA Subpart CC requires a qualified rigger, and the employer determines who qualifies.
Certification (NCCCO for construction, ETCP for entertainment) is preferred and recognized, but not federally required.
A rigger is non-exempt and hourly with overtime, since blue-collar trade work is never exempt under the FLSA.
The role maps to the federal riggers category (median $62,060 a year, about $29.84/hour, May 2024, about 24,600 employed).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a rigger do?
A rigger sets up, secures, and controls the movement of heavy loads using cranes, hoists, slings, and rigging hardware. The duties cluster into a few areas: rigging setup, including selecting slings, hooks, and hardware and attaching loads; load planning, including calculating weights and angles and reading load charts and rigging plans; lift execution, including signaling crane and hoist operators, guiding moving loads, and working safely at height; and safety and inspection, including inspecting rigging before each shift and following OSHA and ASME standards. In US usage, rigger almost always means this physical lifting role, which spans construction and industrial sites, shipyards, oil and gas, and entertainment, where stage and arena riggers fly lighting, sound, and scenery. It is not the same as a CG or animation rigger, who builds digital character skeletons in software, a separate profession that shares only the word. This page includes a template for the main settings plus a small-shop and a lead version.
What is the difference between a rigger and a CG or animation rigger?
They are completely different jobs that happen to share a word, and the job description should make clear which one you mean. A rigger, in the physical sense that dominates US hiring, is a skilled trade worker who sets up rigging and moves heavy loads with cranes and hoists on construction sites, in shipyards, in industrial plants, or at entertainment venues. It is hands-on, physical, safety-critical work governed by OSHA and ASME standards. A CG rigger, also called an animation or 3D rigger, is a digital artist in film, television, and game production who builds the skeletons and controls that let animators move 3D characters, working in software like Maya. That role sits in the visual-effects and animation field, requires software and art skills rather than physical rigging, and is classified as a different occupation entirely. Because both appear when you search rigger, a physical-rigging employer should state the trade, the setting, and the safety context up front so the posting reaches skilled-trade candidates rather than digital artists. The templates on this page are all for the physical lifting rigger.
Is a rigger exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
A rigger is non-exempt, which means an hourly role entitled to overtime at one and one-half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Rigging is manual, blue-collar trade work, and the Department of Labor is explicit that the FLSA white-collar exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees do not apply to manual laborers or blue-collar workers, including construction workers, craftsmen, and operating engineers, no matter how highly paid they are. That covers riggers squarely. Even a senior or lead rigger who plans complex lifts and directs a crew is typically still non-exempt, because the core work remains skilled manual labor rather than the kind of exempt management or professional work the exemptions cover. So you should classify a rigger as non-exempt and hourly, track hours worked, and pay overtime when it applies. As always, classification is based on actual duties rather than title or pay level, so confirm against the real responsibilities. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm classification with a professional.
Does a rigger need to be certified or licensed?
There is no federal license for riggers in the US, and certification is not legally required, but the safety framework still matters a great deal. Under OSHA Subpart CC, certain lifts on construction sites require a qualified rigger, and OSHA is explicit that a rigger does not have to be certified by an outside organization; instead, the employer is responsible for determining who is qualified based on training and experience. So the legal obligation is on the employer to make a qualified-rigger determination, not on the worker to hold a license. That said, certification is the recognized signal of competence and is worth naming as preferred. For construction and industrial rigging, the NCCCO Rigger Level I and Level II certifications are the standard, recognized by OSHA, and valid for five years. For entertainment, the equivalent is the ETCP Rigger certification in Arena or Theatre tracks. Note that the Australian rigging licence system does not apply in the US. For a posting, name the qualified-rigger expectation and list the relevant certification as preferred rather than required. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does a small business hire riggers, and is FirstHR a fit?
Yes, small businesses are a large part of who hires riggers, which makes this a good fit for a tool like FirstHR. The rigging employer base is fragmented and small-business-heavy: scaffolding contractors number in the tens of thousands and average barely more than one employee each, the crane and rigging trade association has well over a thousand mostly small to mid-sized members, and there are thousands of independent rigging shops, staging and event-production companies, theatrical houses, and small shipyards. Many run with five to fifty people and no HR department. There is also a clear first-hire moment: a growing scaffold, staging, or rigging shop that has been subcontracting decides to bring on its first staff rigger as a W-2 employee, and that triggers a need for a job description, onboarding, and safety paperwork. That is where FirstHR fits: an onboarding wizard and task workflows, a safety training module, e-signature for safety acknowledgments and PPE receipts, document management to store NCCCO or ETCP certificates with renewal reminders, and a simple HRIS. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with a payroll provider, and applicant tracking is coming soon.
How do I write a rigger job description?
Start by making clear you mean the physical lifting rigger, not a CG rigger, and name your setting: construction, industrial, marine, or stage. Pick the matching template, then set the seniority, since the role ranges from a first hire to a senior lead rigger. Write an honest position summary and list the real responsibilities across rigging setup, load planning, lift execution, and safety and inspection, calibrated to your setting. Spell out the qualifications: typically a high school diploma, a couple of years of rigging experience, knowledge of rigging gear, load math, and signaling, the physical ability to lift and work at height, and a relevant certification (NCCCO for construction, ETCP for entertainment) as preferred. The most important differentiator is the safety and compliance section: name the OSHA qualified-rigger standard under Subpart CC, the rigging-inspection requirement, and the ASME B30 standards, since this is the substance of safe rigging. Classify the role as non-exempt and hourly, since rigging is blue-collar work, and set an hourly wage benchmarked to your setting and region. The templates on this page give you a ready structure for each setting and level with the OSHA, certification, and FLSA pieces built in.
How much does a rigger make?
A rigger earns a median of about $62,060 a year, or roughly $29.84 an hour, according to federal wage data for May 2024, with the lowest tenth earning around $38,930 and the highest tenth more than about $100,480. Pay varies widely by setting: entertainment and motion-picture rigging tends to pay toward the higher end, specialty trade and building-equipment contractors sit around the median, marine and shipyard rigging a bit below, and oil-and-gas support work lower still, though individual employers and regions vary. Because the role is non-exempt, you pay an hourly wage plus overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, so describe the pay as an hourly rate. Senior and lead riggers who plan complex lifts earn above the median, and certain high-cost states pay notably more. For a posting, benchmark to your specific setting and region rather than the national figure, since rigging pay ranges a lot by industry and location, and include a good-faith hourly range where your state requires pay transparency. National compensation surveys are the right reference for setting-specific and seniority detail.
What happens after I hire a rigger?
Run a structured onboarding, and because rigging is safety-critical work, put the safety and compliance pieces at the center. Start with the employment basics: get the offer or employment agreement signed with the hourly rate and non-exempt status, complete Form I-9 within the first days, and gather tax forms. Then handle the rigging-specific items: confirm and document the qualified-rigger determination under OSHA Subpart CC, collect a signed safety acknowledgment, issue and record personal protective equipment, run any required drug screening or background check (common for venue and entertainment work), and upload any NCCCO or ETCP certificates with their expiration dates so you can track the five-year renewals. Then orient the rigger to the work: walk through your safety procedures, the gear and inspection routine, the kinds of lifts they will handle, and the crew and operators they will work with, and set early check-ins. A documented, repeatable onboarding process matters here because the safety paperwork and certification tracking have to be right. FirstHR supports it directly with an onboarding wizard and task workflows, a safety training module, e-signature for safety acknowledgments and PPE receipts, document management to store certificates with renewal reminders, and a simple HRIS with an org chart as the company grows. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, and applicant tracking is coming soon.
