Advanced Rigger (Shutdowns)
$160,000 – $240,000
About the role
Advanced Riggers on Australian mine sites are the specialists who lift, lower, secure and reposition the heaviest components on a plant — mill liners, conveyor drums, crusher mantles, structural steel and process modules. During major shutdowns, when a fixed plant is deliberately stopped for maintenance, the entire critical path of the job runs through the rigging crew. That is why Advanced Riggers can earn $1,300–$1,800 per day on shutdown campaigns and clear well over $200,000 in a strong year. The work is physical, technical and demands constant situational awareness: a single miscommunication between a rigger, dogman and crane operator during a lift can be fatal, and Australian mining regulators treat rigging incidents with zero tolerance. A typical day involves reading lift studies, checking rigging gear against SWL, setting up spreader bars, communicating with cranes by radio, and safely landing multi-tonne loads into confined process areas. Advanced Riggers usually progress from Basic Rigging to Intermediate to Advanced, adding EWP, dogging, working at heights and confined space tickets along the way. Iron ore majors in the Pilbara — BHP, Rio Tinto, FMG, Roy Hill — run enormous shutdown seasons twice a year across dozens of process plants, and rigging labour hire firms like Monadelphous, UGL, Programmed and SRG Global rotate crews through these events on 2:1 and 3:1 rosters. Career progression paths include Rigging Supervisor, Shutdown Coordinator, and Lift Study Engineer. The downside is intensity — 12-hour shifts, 26 days on 9 off is common — and the physical toll on knees, shoulders and hands. But for a tradesperson who wants to earn top-tier money without a university degree, an Advanced Rigging ticket combined with strong shutdown experience is one of the most reliable high-income tracks in Australian mining. Riggers who move into supervision or superintendent roles typically double their earnings again while working slightly gentler rosters.
Certificates & qualifications required
- CPCCLRG3001 / CPCCLRG3002 / CPCCLRG3003 — Basic, Intermediate, Advanced Rigging (High Risk Work Licences)
- CPCCLDG3001 Dogging Licence
- Working at Heights
- Confined Space Entry
- EWP (Boom > 11m) High Risk Work Licence
- Standard 11 Generic Mining Induction
- White Card (CPCCWHS1001)
How to get a job in this field
- Start with a Dogging ticket and Basic Rigging licence through a registered RTO.
- Get onto a labour hire shutdown crew — Monadelphous, UGL, Programmed, SRG — as a Trades Assistant / Dogman.
- Log hours under experienced riggers and progress to Intermediate then Advanced Rigging.
- Stack tickets: working at heights, confined space, EWP.
- Chase Pilbara iron ore shutdowns (April–May and October–November) for maximum earnings.
- Aim for Shutdown Supervisor or Rigging Superintendent after 5–7 years on the tools.
