A banksman (also known as a traffic marshal, spotter, or dogman in some regions) is a trained worker responsible for safely guiding vehicles, plant machinery and mobile cranes during manoeuvres such as reversing, turning, loading and unloading. Their core task is to maintain clear communication with drivers and monitor hazards around moving vehicles. Even with modern reversing cameras and sensors, heavy vehicles still have restricted visibility and blind spots that are too dangerous to leave to chance. A banksman helps reduce the risk of collisions, crushing incidents and injuries to workers or pedestrians on site.

Banksmen are commonly used on construction sites, warehouses and depots, farms and industrial sites, logistics yards, roadworks, and waste and recycling facilities. The role is particularly critical in environments where hydraulic excavators, wheeled loaders, dumpers and other plant machinery operate in close proximity to workers and pedestrians.

What Does a Banksman Do?

The banksman's main responsibility is to help working vehicles manoeuvre safely in workplaces such as construction sites, depots, loading areas, and other operational environments. In doing so, they help protect the driver, workers nearby, pedestrians, property, equipment—and the banksman themselves. This does not normally include driving on public roads or routine parking in staff car parks; banksmen are used when vehicles are moving as part of a work activity, particularly in areas where visibility is limited or people and vehicles are working close together.

Key duties include:

  • Directing crane operators and ensuring clear communication during lifting operations
  • Assessing lifting zones and ensuring all personnel and equipment are safe
  • Providing hand signals or radio instructions to drivers
  • Monitoring the bucket of an excavator for any obstructions or underground services
  • Controlling the movements and loading/unloading of lorries or directing the movement of other plant

Why Are Banksmen Important?

Workplace transport remains one of the most significant causes of serious injuries and fatalities in UK workplaces. According to the Health and Safety Executive, being struck by a moving vehicle is consistently one of the leading causes of fatal workplace accidents, particularly in industries such as construction, logistics, agriculture, manufacturing, and waste management. Many workplace transport incidents occur during reversing manoeuvres, loading operations, and vehicle movements where drivers have restricted visibility.

Trained banksmen help reduce these risks by guiding drivers safely, monitoring blind spots, controlling pedestrian movements, and ensuring hazards are identified before accidents occur. In the UK, over a quarter of vehicle deaths at work are due to reversing vehicles. Sadly, serious accidents still happen when untrained workers attempt to guide vehicles. Workers have been crushed between reversing vehicles and walls, trapped by plant machinery, or struck because communication broke down during manoeuvres. In many cases, investigations found there was no trained banksman, unclear signalling, or no safe system of work in place.

Hand Signals and Communication

Clear communication is essential when guiding vehicles and plant machinery. Banksmen use recognised hand signals to communicate instructions to drivers, especially when radio communication is unavailable or impractical. These signals form a standardised visual language that must be learned and practised during training. Proper use of hand signals ensures that instructions are unambiguous, even in noisy or chaotic site conditions.

In addition to hand signals, radio communication systems are increasingly common on larger sites or in environments where visibility is restricted. Whichever method is used, the banksman must ensure the driver can see or hear them at all times, and that instructions are clear and timely.

Rigging and Slinging: Working with Cranes

In offshore oil and gas operations and heavy industry, the general term for a professional banksman is a rigger or deck crew. A team of riggers will manage lifting operations. The role involves preparing and securing loads using slings, chains, and other equipment; inspecting rigging equipment for damage or wear; and ensuring loads are balanced and secured properly. Offshore, on rigs or vessels, most equipment and materials will arrive on location, transferred by boat utilising a crane, so banksmen play an important role in the marine and offshore industries.

Rigging techniques include choosing the appropriate sling and configuration (such as vertical, choker, or basket hitch), calculating load weight and centre of gravity, and securing loads to prevent shifting during lifts. Proper attachment methods for different load shapes and the use of tag lines to control load movement are also part of the rigger's skillset. How banksmen and riggers work together ensures safe and efficient lifting operations.

Training and Legal Requirements

A banksman should never simply be "someone helping out." It is a safety-critical role that requires proper training, communication skills and risk awareness. In many countries, banksmen are required to meet a regulated standard, such as that laid down by the UK's Health and Safety Executive. Training typically includes understanding signals, communication protocols, site safety, load calculations, equipment inspection, and practical rigging exercises.

Examples of recognised certifications include NPORS, CPCS, or industry-specific certifications. Continuous education is also important for keeping skills and knowledge updated with new tools and techniques. Proper training and certification help ensure that banksmen can identify hazards, use the correct signals, and respond appropriately in emergency situations.

Challenges and Future Trends

Operational challenges facing banksmen include working in confined spaces or extreme weather conditions and managing large or irregularly shaped loads. Human factors such as miscommunication between team members and fatigue during long operations also present risks.

Looking ahead, technological advancements are likely to shape the role. Automation in lifting equipment, the use of drones or cameras for load monitoring, smart rigging systems with real-time load monitoring, and enhanced training programs using virtual reality are all emerging trends. However, the banksman's judgment, experience and ability to respond to unexpected hazards will remain indispensable on construction sites for the foreseeable future.

For related guidance on working safely with plant machinery, see our articles on tower crane anchorage systems and driver identification systems for construction equipment.