Crane Signals

Reeve Factors Explained header showing the importance of understanding the different type of sling reeving configurations and their reductions to slings WLL.

Reeve Factors Explained: What They Are and Why They Matter

Motion	Signal	Description	Whistle Code
Stop / Emergency
Stop Anyone can stop a lift	🤚/✊/🫸 Palm out, fist up, or push — hold still	Arm extended, palm out — or closed fist raised. Hold firm and completely still. Anyone on site can stop a lift at any time, not just the dogger. All crane movement must cease immediately.	1 short
Hoisting
Hoist Up — Raise	☝️ Finger up — roll wrist in circles	Forefinger pointing straight up, forearm vertical. Roll hand in small continuous circles — the rocking motion shows the circular wrist action. Signals raise.	2 short
Hoist Down — Lower	👋 Palm down — sweep side to side	Open hand, palm down. Sweep arm slowly from side to side — signals controlled lowering. Keep the motion deliberate and wide so it reads clearly to the crane operator.	1 long
Creep	🤏 Pinching motion	Give the regular motion signal with one hand while holding the other still close by — tells the operator to move very slowly and precisely. Used when tight placement is needed.	No whistle code
Luffing
Luff Boom Up	👍 Thumb up — arm extended, hold still	Thumb up, arm extended horizontally. Hold still and clear — signals the crane to raise (luff up) the boom. Do not move the hand — stillness distinguishes it from hoist up.	3 short
Luff Boom Down	👎 Thumb down — arm extended, hold still	Thumb down, arm extended horizontally. Hold still and clear — signals the crane to lower (luff down) the boom.	4 short
Slewing
Slew Left	👈 Point in the direction you want the crane to go	Arm extended horizontally, index finger pointing left. Always point in the direction you want the crane to slew — that is, in the direction of the crane's left.	1 long, 1 short
Slew Right	👉 Point in the direction you want the crane to go	Arm extended horizontally, index finger pointing right. Always point in the direction you want the crane to slew — that is, in the direction of the crane's right.	1 long, 2 short
Telescoping
Telescope Out — Extend	👍 thumb away from you → toward the crane	One hand, thumb rotated 90° pointing away from you toward the crane. Hold still. Signals boom to extend out.	1 long, 3 short
Telescope In — Retract	👍 thumb toward you ← away from crane	One hand, thumb rotated 90° pointing toward yourself, away from the crane. Hold still. Signals boom to retract in.	1 long, 4 short
Travel / Traverse
Travel / Traverse	🖐️ Open palm — push in direction of travel	Arm extended forward, open palm facing in the direction of travel. Push firmly and clearly. Use radio confirmation where possible — no standard whistle code applies.	No whistle code

Motion

Signal

Description

Whistle Code

Stop / Emergency

Stop Anyone can stop a lift

🤚/✊/🫸

Palm out, fist up, or push — hold still

Arm extended, palm out — or closed fist raised. Hold firm and completely still. Anyone on site can stop a lift at any time, not just the dogger. All crane movement must cease immediately.

1 short

Hoisting

Hoist Up — Raise

☝️

Finger up — roll wrist in circles

Forefinger pointing straight up, forearm vertical. Roll hand in small continuous circles — the rocking motion shows the circular wrist action. Signals raise.

2 short

Hoist Down — Lower

👋

Palm down — sweep side to side

Open hand, palm down. Sweep arm slowly from side to side — signals controlled lowering. Keep the motion deliberate and wide so it reads clearly to the crane operator.

1 long

Creep

🤏

Pinching motion

Give the regular motion signal with one hand while holding the other still close by — tells the operator to move very slowly and precisely. Used when tight placement is needed.

No whistle code

Luffing

Luff Boom Up

👍

Thumb up — arm extended, hold still

Thumb up, arm extended horizontally. Hold still and clear — signals the crane to raise (luff up) the boom. Do not move the hand — stillness distinguishes it from hoist up.

3 short

Luff Boom Down

👎

Thumb down — arm extended, hold still

Thumb down, arm extended horizontally. Hold still and clear — signals the crane to lower (luff down) the boom.

4 short

Slewing

Slew Left

👈

Point in the direction you want the crane to go

Arm extended horizontally, index finger pointing left. Always point in the direction you want the crane to slew — that is, in the direction of the crane's left.

1 long, 1 short

Slew Right

👉

Point in the direction you want the crane to go

Arm extended horizontally, index finger pointing right. Always point in the direction you want the crane to slew — that is, in the direction of the crane's right.

1 long, 2 short

Telescoping

Telescope Out — Extend

👍

thumb away from you → toward the crane

One hand, thumb rotated 90° pointing away from you toward the crane. Hold still. Signals boom to extend out.

1 long, 3 short

Telescope In — Retract

👍

thumb toward you ← away from crane

One hand, thumb rotated 90° pointing toward yourself, away from the crane. Hold still. Signals boom to retract in.

1 long, 4 short

Travel / Traverse

🖐️

Open palm — push in direction of travel

Arm extended forward, open palm facing in the direction of travel. Push firmly and clearly. Use radio confirmation where possible — no standard whistle code applies.

No whistle code