AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 53-7041.00

Will AI replace Hoist and Winch Operators?

Hoist and Winch Operators: AI can already handle 1 of 13 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 13 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Hoist and Winch Operators, from most to least exposed. 1 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths. 80 Estimated Standard 4.4
Repair, maintain, and adjust equipment, using hand tools. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.0
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. 15 Estimated No tier 4.6
Apply hand or foot brakes and move levers to lock hoists or winches. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Start engines of hoists or winches and use levers and pedals to wind or unwind cable on drums. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Oil winch drums so that cables will wind smoothly. 15 Estimated No tier 4.3
Move or reposition hoists, winches, loads and materials, manually or using equipment and machines such as trucks, cars, and hand trucks. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Climb ladders to position and set up vehicle-mounted derricks. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Select loads or materials according to weight and size specifications. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Signal and assist other workers loading or unloading materials. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Tend auxiliary equipment, such as jacks, slings, cables, or stop blocks, to facilitate moving items or materials for further processing. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Attach, fasten, and disconnect cables or lines to loads, materials, and equipment, using hand tools. 15 Estimated No tier 3.7
Operate compressed air, diesel, electric, gasoline, or steam-driven hoists or winches to control movement of cableways, cages, derricks, draglines, loaders, railcars, or skips. 8 Estimated No tier 4.3

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 13 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 13 of 13. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 15% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 15% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 85% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
2,600
Median annual wage
$56,450
Middle half of earners
$42,690 to $94,350
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
-1.1%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Hoist and Winch Operators and AI

Will AI replace Hoist and Winch Operators?

AI already handles 1 of the 13 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 20 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by -1.1% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Hoist and Winch Operators?

20 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 13 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 13 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Hoist and Winch Operators tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Observe equipment gauges and indicators and hand signals of other workers to verify load positions or depths. It is the only task that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 15% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 85% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Hoist and Winch Operators, and what do they earn?

2,600 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $56,450 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -1.1% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Hoist and Winch Operators. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/hoist-and-winch-operators

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