banksman
banksman — noun
- banksmansingular
- banksmansplural
1. a person employed at a construction project to guide lorries, cranes, and other
a person employed at a construction project to guide lorries, cranes, and other heavy equipment safely around the work area, preventing collisions with workers or obstacles
The banksman guided the reversing lorry as it backed towards the unloading bay.
collocation: banksman + guide / signal to vehicle
Pedro worked as a banksman on the new hospital site, making sure cranes stayed within safe limits.
countable: a / the banksman
Without a banksman, the driver could not see the workers standing below the scaffolding.
Every large UK construction site must have a trained banksman on duty while vehicles are reversing.
- spotter
the more common American English term for the same role on a construction site
- traffic marshal
used especially when the focus is on controlling vehicle movement around a work zone
- safety observer
a broader term that can include watching for hazards beyond just vehicle movement
用法筆記
In British English, the term is standard on UK construction sites, while in American English the equivalent role is often called a 'spotter' or 'traffic marshal'.
常見錯誤
2. a person who works above ground at a mine beside the shaft entrance, operating t
a person who works above ground at a mine beside the shaft entrance, operating the cage that lifts miners, coal, and supplies to and from the pit below, and who signals the winding-engine operator
The banksman signalled to the winding-engine operator that the cage was ready to descend.
collocation: banksman + signal + winding-engine operator
Sade shouted down the shaft to let the banksman know the miners were safely inside the cage.
Before each shift, the banksman checked the cables and the safety gate at the pit top.
The banksman rang the bell twice to tell the winding house that the cage could be raised.
- cage attendant
a less common synonym focused specifically on operating the conveyance
- pit-top worker
a general term for anyone working at the surface entrance of a mine
用法筆記
Unlike a banksman on a construction site, a mining banksman is responsible for the vertical transport of people and materials through the shaft. The role is sometimes combined with that of the 'winding engineman' on smaller mines.