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Who Is Most at Risk When Working Around Cranes?

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Unfortunately, crane-related injuries often result in fatalities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an average of 42 deaths per year happen from crane-related accidents.

If you just started working with cranes, or you are looking to rent a crane from crane rentals, you must be wondering who is at the highest risk when working with cranes, right? Well, the truth is that anyone without proper training can be a victim.

Crane accidents, like other industrial occurrences, are often the result of operator error. Operator errors occur for a variety of causes, including inadequate training, distraction, exhaustion, and, in severe cases, drunkenness from drugs and alcohol.

This puts everyone on the site in significant danger.

Common risks

There are plenty of risks that come when working with cranes. The most common ones are:

Electrocution

All employees, including the operator, are accountable for identifying electrical dangers. Crane booms may come into touch with overhead electrical lines due to their height.

When this occurs, the electrical current can travel along the boom, into the material line, and through the tagline before passing directly through the worker securing the tagline.

One of the most critical safety precautions crane operators can take is to have local utility personnel mark off overhead lines with safety flags. This increases crane operators’ vision and hazard awareness.

Employers must also maintain a safe distance between the crane’s operational location and any electrical wires.

To be on the safe side, you should handle cranes with a minimum of 10 feet of clearance from electrical lines. This distance includes the fully extended load.

Falling loads

Most people envision crane accidents as a big cargo being dropped from the crane’s greatest height. This is a real threat associated with crane operations that all worksite managers must be aware of.

Falling loads occur for a variety of reasons. To begin, if the load is not properly fixed or fastened to the crane’s load line, it may slip.

If the load is not properly balanced, it can shift the machine’s center of gravity, resulting in tipping, which puts everyone on the site in danger.

Another potential risk arises when the principal load line or a tagline is disrupted. Without the entire support of an undamaged cable, the load becomes unstable, and one or more lines may finally give way and release the weight.

Two-blocking can occur when the operator does not allow for enough slack when extending the boom. This generates extra tension in a cable, causing the load to snap off.

Weather conditions are also an important consideration for operators. When cranes operate in severe environments, loads that are not properly fastened with taglines may become unstable owing to wind force and unrestrained swinging.

Finally, falling loads might occur when the load exceeds the crane’s design capability. Riggers must follow OSHA crane rules by first determining the load’s weight and capacity, then properly rigging and shackling it.

Operators are also responsible for maintaining smooth control of the weight to prevent it from falling.

To minimize the chances of this accident happening on your site, take your time and only hire experienced crane operators who know what they are doing.

Struck by accidents

The crane’s swinging movements increase the chance of being struck by an object. When the crane is raising or transferring a load, an unprepared worker could be injured by swinging pieces.

According to BLS data, 52% of the fatalities happen as a result of struck-by occurrences. Nearly 27% of these fatalities occur when a worker is struck by a load that fell from a moving crane.

To prevent this accident, be ultra-cautious of the operator you hire. You also should ensure that you train everyone to be more cautious when carrying out their activities beneath the crane.

Caught between hazards

Another construction incident occurs when workers are caught in or between dangers. In crane operations, caught-in/between accidents occur when a worker is physically pinned or compressed by the crane’s swinging superstructure or crushed by its moving elements.

Every piece of construction equipment, from a basic skid steer loader to a big industrial crane, contains moving elements, which produce pinch points.

The most critical thing a construction business can do to reduce crane-related accidents is to provide, teach, and enforce two-way radio communication between the operator and ground personnel.

Ground personnel are most vulnerable to being compressed in pinch points. Thus, they must be aware when the operator begins working the crane, particularly while adjusting its swinging sections or driving it forward or backward.

Transportation hazards

The frequently disregarded danger of working with cranes is the risk of transporting cranes to and from work sites.

These accidents are frequently referred to as the fifth danger in OSHA’s list of deadly four. Cranes are massive machines that must frequently be transported over large distances by industrial trucks.

Crane transportation is a long and difficult procedure with numerous potential hazards, including crashes, runovers, and brake failure.

It’s estimated that more than 13% of fatal crane incidents occur during transportation. Oversized loads, such as cranes, are risky and can kill personnel who are not properly trained or do not adhere to crane safety regulations for transportation.

Best practices when working with cranes

To reduce the chances of accidents happening, you should be cautious about how you handle the cranes. To be on the safe side, here are tips you should observe:

Properly train your employees

As an employer, you must give proper health and safety training to all of your employees so that they are competent at their employment.

By educating your personnel, you improve workplace safety, satisfaction, and revenues while reducing injuries, fatalities, accidents, and illness.

Ensure people working on the crane know where to stand

You should never stand underneath a crane or have a weight lifted over you. Your personnel must be aware of this and avoid wandering through any areas where cranes are overhead.

Parting shot

Everyone working with cranes is at risk of getting injured or hurt, so you should be aware of this when renting cranes from crane services VA.

Besides hiring a well maintained crane, also ensure that you work with experienced professionals. It also doesn’t hurt to train the people handling the crane to reduce the chances of accidents happening.

Tricks to Spend Less with Rented Cranes

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When hiring a crane for your project, you don’t want to spend too much on it. Profit margin drives decision-making in every aspect of construction, and even seemingly insignificant project modifications—like overspending or underperforming equipment—can have a big effect on the final financial result.

Due to this, getting every detail right is crucial.

When renting cranes from the crane rentals, you can avoid overspending by taking the time to plan and procure cranes, as well as by taking into account some basic site considerations.

The things you need to consider include:

Rent a small cane for small sites

A small crane with a remote control is the most economical option if you have a low-intensity site with a small workforce (12–15 workers, for example) and a required lift capacity of up to two tonnes, which would suggest you were building something with a timber frame or conventional houses using pallets of bricks, blocks, and mortar.

You will reduce the running costs greatly if you employ a remote-controlled model that only requires one person to load the hook and operate the crane controls.

Additionally, you can train multiple site workers to perform this task, allowing you to continue working without waiting for a single trained worker to return. This keeps the crane running and the project moving forward.

If, on the other side, you have a large site, you should get a tower crane. This crane is ideal when loads exceed two tones at thirty meters, and your project takes over twenty weeks.

Compared to mobile cranes with a comparable lifting capacity, saddle jib or flat-top cranes are more affordable to hire and come in various height and jib configurations. So, if your project fits into the crane, go for it.

Hire cranes that are tall enough.

A crane’s height significantly influences costs. And it’s not just the cost of the rental. Also, the costs of keeping the crane running.

You need more concrete and steel for the base of a taller crane to be huge and strong enough to support the crane’s weight.

Additionally, taller cranes use more electricity and emit more carbon dioxide. Therefore, even a slight reduction in the height required for your lifting requirements might impact your overall expenditures.

To ensure that you don’t rent a crane that is too tall than you need, determine the highest point that the crane can reach. This dimension will assist you in figuring out the necessary crane height. As you decide on the right crane, consider any impediments or barriers that could limit the crane’s reach.

These include power lines, neighboring buildings, trees, and so on.

Position the materials appropriately.

The cranes’ location and other building site features will also impact your expenses. One well-known instance that frequently happens is when a materials shop is placed in the center of a courtyard or other open space on the property.

If you have multiple cranes, this implies that while one is loading, the other cannot reach the materials and must wait, wasting time in the process.

In addition to raising the chance of collisions, this configuration often makes site operations challenging and ineffective.

Optimizing the location of the materials store within the overall lifting plan will guarantee seamless operations, resulting in longer hook times and lower crane rental expenses.

For a great experience, provide open, unobstructed access to these locations.

You also should ensure the site has well-built walkways and access roads so the cranes can navigate it. These paths should be clear of obstructions and large enough to fit both cranes.

As a rule of thumb, have a specific location for storing the materials. Ensure that both cranes can easily access this area. This area should be placed strategically to reduce the distance that cranes must go to pick up items.

Ensure the crane has enough power.

You will need three-phase power if you install lift shafts—most tall structures do. The power should be installed as soon as possible to use the tower crane’s primary power during construction.

You should ensure that you have enough power before you bring on the crane because doing so is far less expensive than using a generator, even with the additional rental fees, fuel tank, and fuel.

You can cut the costs throughout a building project with a few easy adjustments, including one-time hire fees and continuous operating costs.

Work with the right team.

Finally, you should ensure that you have the right team. This calls for you to ensure that everyone, from the crane operator to the riggers, is experienced and knows what they are doing.

Many people will argue that you will end up spending more money than you need when hiring expert riggers, but this isn’t the case.

When you hire experts, as much as they will be a little expensive to hire at first, they will save you a lot of money in the long run.

When you hire inexperienced contractors, as much as they will be cheap, they might cost you too much money. This is because they will do substandard work, and you will have to redo it, which will likely be too expensive.

There is also the risk of the crane breaking down or even getting damaged due to being handled by inexperienced technicians.

As much as you want to spend less on your project, take time and find experienced professionals. Thankfully, most crane service DC providers have their team that they work with; hence, you don’t need to worry about finding the right team to work with.

5 Overhead Crane Myths You Should be Aware Of

Overhead cranes are highly versatile and can be used in various applications. Due to their versatility, there are plenty of myths surrounding them. These myths include:

You can get away with overloading the cranes.

The common misconception is that overhead cranes have several safety features, such as an overload prevention system, so you don’t have to worry about overloading the overhead crane.

Even if some sections of the overhead crane have built-in safety features, the overall safety of the overhead crane system cannot be guaranteed under overloading.

The reason for this is that overloading a crane can stress its components beyond their design limits, potentially resulting in structural failure. This can lead to catastrophic mishaps, such as the crane falling, putting workers in danger and inflicting extensive damage to the surrounding environment.

Even occasionally, overloading a crane can severely shorten the crane’s lifespan. Repetitive stress on the crane’s components can cause premature wear and tear, necessitating more regular maintenance and repairs.

Overloading a crane jeopardizes its stability and balance, increasing the possibility of an accident. The crane could also tip over or swing unexpectedly, endangering operators, adjacent employees, and the load itself.

Overloading can also damage crane components, including the hoist, trolley, wheels, and structural elements. This might lead to expensive repairs and downtime for the crane.

Loading a crane beyond capacity can even result in legal ramifications, fines, and regulatory penalties. When you rent a crane from crane rentals, it’s your responsibility to ensure the safety of your employees and equipment, and intentionally overloading a crane is a breach of workplace safety standards.

To stay on the safe side, always use your crane as per the laid down regulations. As a rule of thumb, never overload your machine.

You should lift until you reach the upper limit switch

The upper limit switch is a safety mechanism that prevents the crane from rising any higher when it has reached a predetermined safe height. Its purpose is to prevent collision with obstacles, the trolley from striking the end of the runway, and the hook assembly from potentially damaging the crane or the load.

The misconception is that you should lift your crane until it hits the upper limit switch. In overhead cranes, lifting till you hit the upper limit switch is not encouraged and can be dangerous.

Instability can result from lifting a weight until the upper limit switch engages. This is because you can have unexpected swinging or shifting of the load, which could result in accidents, injuries, or damage to the load itself.

Using only the upper limit switch can give you a false sense of security. Assuming that the limit switch will always avoid accidents, you can become complacent and fail to adequately examine the load, the surroundings, and other potential threats.

If the load is too heavy, the crane may approach the upper limit switch while remaining within its load capability. This can result in unintended overloading, which is dangerous and can harm the crane.

To protect your crane and prevent accidents, you should avoid relying on the limit switch and follow the right crane procedures instead.

The secondary brake will prevent injury.

In overhead cranes, a secondary brake is an additional safety element that provides an extra layer of protection if the primary brake system fails.

The primary brake system is in charge of stopping the crane’s motion when it is not in use, while the secondary brake is designed to engage in the case of a primary system failure, preventing the crane from moving unintentionally.

Some people think that just because the overhead crane has a secondary brake, they can work safely beneath a load. Well, this is wrong.

Secondary brakes are intended to serve as a backup safety measure in the event the primary braking system fails. They are not, however, a guarantee against unintentional crane movement, and depending entirely on secondary brakes while operating beneath a crane can still pose major safety risks.

Many risks come with working underneath a crane, even with all the brakes engaged, so you should avoid doing it. If you have to work beneath a crane, use correct safety measures, such as wearing adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), staying clear of loads, and carefully collaborating with crane operators and other people working on the site.

Using the reverse button is the best way to stop the crane

The believe that when the crane is moving in one direction, the most convenient way to control velocity is to press the reversal button, is wrong.

Reverse plugging speed control was a viable method of controlling speed in the past, but for modern motors and contactors, which are much more compact, heat causes premature component failure.

Because current motors have various means of soft start and soft stop, usually with variable AC inverters, reverse plugging is no longer a choice with more advanced designs.

You can push the reverse button all you want, but it will only work once the crane comes to a complete stop.

To be safe and ensure that your crane stops when you want it to, you should use the brakes and not the reverse button.

Since the crane worked yesterday, it will work today

Some people treat a crane like a car. Since it worked perfectly yesterday, it will work today. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

Anything can go wrong since cranes lift heavy loads and work long hours. To stay safe and have peace of mind that the crane is in good working condition, you should inspect it.

You should note that you shouldn’t only inspect it when getting it from the crane rental services VA but also rent it every day before you start the lifting.

During the inspection, take a brief look around the area. Is the crane in good working order? Is there anything dangling? Is there evidence of crashes or damage?

You also should listen to the crane. Start the hoist. Is there any strange noise made when it reaches the upper limit switch or is dropped to the ground? Is the trolley and bridge movement audible when in use? Are there any other sounds? If present, you should find their source and fix them.

7 Tricks to Reduce Crane Accidents On Your Site

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Cranes are extremely powerful pieces of machinery that allow for the lifting of big items on construction sites. However, cranes are also potential risks because their weight can cause harm if mishandled.

Of all the reported crane accidents, more than half resulted from workers being injured by objects or equipment, and more than 20% included the crane operator.

These figures emphasize the need for crane safety during all stages of operation, including crane hire, transport, setup, rigging, and lifting.

Would you like to reduce crane accidents on your site? There are several things you can do. They include:

Work with the right crane.

Choosing the right crane is the first step toward ensuring safe crane operation. Cranes can be movable or fixed, with fixed cranes used in industrial environments or complex or tall construction projects.

There are many types of cranes, so be sure you get the proper one for the job.

Carry deck crane: These highly mobile cranes have a simple setup and rotation but struggle to handle tough terrain.

Crawler cranes are ideal for places with soft terrain since they employ tracks rather than rubber wheels.

Rough-terrain cranes: While they cannot drive on public highways, they can tackle steep grades and challenging terrain on the project site.

All-terrain cranes have the advantage of being able to travel to job locations on their own and tackle harsh terrain once there.

There are dozens of crane types, ranging from small to gigantic cranes. It’s up to you to take your time and select the appropriate crane for your site.

Inspect your crane every day.

The crane operator should use a daily inspection checklist to ensure the crane is safe before operation. These inspections include pre-start, engine start-up, and safety system inspections.

Before starting the crane, the operator should inspect the tires, oil levels, seat belts, air reservoir, and battery, among other things.

Before starting the engine for the day, the operator should also check the pressure gauge, fuel level, turn signals, horn, suspension, and brain system.

They also should undertake safety system checks to avoid catastrophic incidents. They should check the anti-two block, the rated capacity limitation, and the outriggers.

Operators should also execute a series of hydraulic system checks to ensure the crane can lift properly.

Ensure the crane is stable before starting work.

Outriggers or other stabilizing features are necessary on mobile cranes to prevent the crane from tipping over during operation. Keep the following in mind when stabilizing the crane:

To establish how far outriggers should be extended, consult the manufacturer’s instructions.

Under outriggers, place outrigger pads or crane pads.

Don’t use outriggers over voids, depressions, or unstable ground.

Many crane mishaps and tip-overs are caused by poor outrigger setup, so make sure you’ve done a thorough safety review of the outrigger location.

If you have any doubts, don’t proceed with the project. Call it off until you are comfortable.

Correctly rig the load.

Load rigging protects objects from falling and potentially injuring those on the job site. Consider the following factors when rigging a load:

Hitching: Slings can be attached to a load in various ways. Always consider the object being hoisted as well as the object’s weight distribution. You can use basket hitching and choker hitching are two popular hitch configurations. Always use the correct one.

Sling angle: When a non-vertical angle is utilized, additional forces are applied to the slings, lowering their overall weight capability. Use slings that are adequately certified for weight at a specific angle.

A thorough grasp of force, weight distribution, and rigging techniques is required to enable a safe, stable lift of even the most irregular and heavy loads.

Pay attention to the load limits.

Despite the fact that many modern cranes feature load moment indicators and rated capacity limiters, crane operators should still be able to read load charts to prepare for a safe lift. Keep the following in mind while reading load charts to establish the safety of a lift:

On rubber vs. outriggers: A crane can carry a lot more weight when it’s on outriggers rather than just tires.

Rotation: A crane can retain greater weight if the boom remains above the front of the crane during the lift. You should note that the capacity is substantially reduced if the boom must swing; thus, check the correct column.

The greater the load radius, the less weight the crane can lift. Load charts rarely cover every potential radius; therefore, always refer to the next highest radius to stay within safe limits.

Load charts are the most important tool for safely planning a lift and avoiding crane failure or tip-over.

Plan your movements

Before crane movement, design and clear a path of any obstructions. Hazards that cannot be moved, such as electrical lines or other permanent elements, should be avoided, and the operator should always maintain a safe distance.

You should keep your crane at least 10 feet away from power lines.

To be safe, have a signal person to lead the crane during travel, alerting the crane operator to potential hazards and informing other site staff of the crane’s progress.

Work with the right people.

Crane operation requires qualified workers for setup, rigging, signaling, and operation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has standards requiring crane operators to be trained, certified, and properly evaluated.

Follow the regulations and ensure that only a qualified person operates your crane.

It’s tempting to hire the first person that you come across that says that they can operate a crane. Don’t do this. You should note that a crane contractor should be experienced and know what they are doing.

It’s also tempting to hire a cheap contractor to save some money. Again, don’t do this, as the cheap contractor will most likely be inexperienced and will lead you to more problems.

The best way to do it is to hire the professional that comes with the crane that you hire from crane rental services VA.

Tips to Control Load During Rigging

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When undertaking crane rigging or any other type of rigging, one of the most important things to pay attention to is load control. When you control the load, you complete your project quickly and keep the other people on the site safe.

To help you out, here are load control measures you should take into account to ensure that your rigging is safe and fast:

Know the weight you are lifting.

One of the most important parts of keeping load control is ensuring the load is rigged and lifted correctly for its weight.

Often, the weight of the load will be written on it. Or, if it’s a load you lift regularly, you’ll already know how much it weighs.

If you don’t know the weight of the load or it isn’t written on the load, there are several ways to figure it out. These ways include:

Look at the bill of lading or other shipping paperwork
Engineered prints or design plans
Use an industrial scale
Check the specifications or catalog data from the manufacturer.
Use load cells or dynamometers

Mark the center of gravity

You need to find the load’s center of gravity before lifting it safely (COG). One easy way to do this is to set up the load and slowly lift it a few inches off the ground while watching where the weight shifts.

Once you’ve found the COG, set up the load so that:

The center of gravity should be right below the load hook.

The load’s connections should be above the COG.

You should note that if the load is connected below the COG, the load could flip over, which could cause shock loading and cause the lift to fail.

If the load hook is not above the COG, it will shift or swing toward it when lifted. If the load is moved too quickly toward the COG, it can fall over.

If the load is not rigged correctly according to the COG, you can lose control of the load, which could hurt the load, nearby structures, or even workers on the job site.

Use the right rigging and lifting equipment.

You need to use the right equipment to keep your load balanced. Some of the equipment you need include:

No touch tools: You use hand tools when a load has pinch points that are too dangerous to touch or move with your hands. With these tools, the load can be moved and handled without touching it, which keeps you safe.

Rigging Hardware: These include hoist rings, swivels, shackles, and other pieces of rigging hardware that you can use with lifting slings. The hardware can connect slings to the hook on the load or the crane or even to other slings. Hardware for rigging can also connect the load directly to the hoist or crane hook.

Devices for lifting below the hook: A below-the-hook lifting device can help when a load is broad, too big, or has a strange shape. Because these tools are made to order, they can control and support loads better than standard rigging. You can change below-the-hook lifting devices to lift metal coils, furnaces, pallets, and more.

Use the right sling hitch.

Like the lifting equipment, you need to use the right sling hitch. Three main types of hitches are ideal for different applications:

Vertical hitch: The load is most likely to twist and sway with a vertical hitch, so you may need to use tag lines to keep the load from swinging into a nearby building. You shouldn’t use vertical hitches to move long, loose items like a bundle of pipes that could fall over when moved.

Choker hitch: Do not use a choker hitch to move loose or uneven loads. You can use the hitch to pull loose or unbalanced loads if wrapped around the load twice.

Basket hitch: You shouldn’t use basket hitches on loads that are hard to balance. These hitches work best on evenly balanced loads.

When none of the three basic hitch types is the best way to rig the load, work with an experienced industrial rigging MD rigger who can use a sling assembly with more than two legs. With these assemblies, the rigger can connect the load in more than one place, making it more stable and easy to control.

What Makes a Good Crane Hire Company?

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When you are looking to hire a crane, you shouldn’t hire from just any company—you need to be cautious and hire from a crane rental services that will give you great service. Some of the things that you should look out for when hiring include:

Safety comes first

Cranes can be dangerous machines, especially when lifting things that weigh thousands of pounds. First and foremost, you need to know that the crane is in good shape and that the company renting it to you cares about safety.

When you call potential rental companies, you should always ask how safe their cranes are. A good company will be happy to talk about how safe the cranes are, while a bad company will try to avoid talking about specific scary instances they have had.

For peace of mind that the crane will be safe, you need to ensure that it’s properly maintained. Before you make a payment, check the maintenance records and confirm that they are recent.

Experience

Most of the time, renting a crane from a company with a lot of experience costs more than from a new company. And you should always go for a more expensive but experienced rental company than a cheaper company that doesn’t know what they are doing.

When you know a crane service has been around for a long time, you have peace of mind as you know that the company has the experience to do your job right.

Great communication

No matter how big or small the job is, using a crane is always a team effort. There will be an operator, support staff on the ground, and other workers. There will also be managers and executives.

A good crane company will ensure that everyone on the project can talk to each other and will also be easy to work with.

If you talk to a company that seems hard to reach or communicate with, that’s not a good sign of how well they’ll communicate on the job.

As you gauge how good a company is with communication, be cautious of how long it takes to get back to you after you contact them.

If you have set up a meeting, do they show up on time? If so, that’s a good sign that they’ll be on time and helpful on the job site.

Once work has started, you need to know that you can still reach them and will hear back soon if something changes.

As a rule of thumb, stay away from a company with poor communication as they will make your work too complicated, and you don’t want this, do you?

Great reputation

When looking for Austin crane rental companies, it’s always a good idea to look at more than just the companies themselves.

Look them up online and see what other customers have said about them.

A good company will also be happy to give you the names of other people who have worked with them so you can talk to them about their work.

A company with a good reputation won’t have anything to hide in its work history.

Availability

There are also more practical things to think about, like will the company you’re looking at be there when you need them?

Contacting crane rental companies at least a month or two ahead of time is a good idea if you want to increase your chances of getting time with their machines.

After all, people will want to hire contractors who have a good name.

Good service to customers

A good crane company will listen to what you say and ensure they understand the job. The job could be easy, like lifting an air conditioner to the top of a building, or it could be a complicated building project.

In either case, they should be very good at listening and eager to meet your needs.

Many kinds of cranes

Lastly, it’s important to remember that there are many kinds of cranes, each of which is good for a different job.

A good company that rents out cranes will have a whole fleet to match the right machine to the right job.

Renting your cranes from crane rentals DC with many cranes gives you peace of mind as you know that in the event of a breakdown, you can easily get a replacement.

Working With A Contractor? Ask These Crane Hire Questions

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To save money and have more control over your project, you should manage your projects, but if you don’t have the time or you have other projects going on, you have no way out–you have to hire a contractor.

The contractor is responsible not only for the management of the project, he/she is also responsible for crane hire. Since you are the one who will pay for the crane, you should keep a close eye on the type of crane that the contractor hires.

Some of the things you should know from the contractor include:

How experienced is the rental company?

An experienced company comes with plenty of benefits. In addition to giving you peace of mind that it knows its stuff, an experienced company also helps you in other areas that you might not be knowledgeable about. For example, the company will help you in the acquisition of permits that are necessary when using the crane.

An experienced company also tends to have properly maintained cranes, so when you hire them, you don’t worry about them failing to work, forcing you to rent new ones.

For your project to be a success, you need crane riggers. Since an experienced company has been around for a long time, it must have come across all types of riggers; hence it’s more likely to refer the best ones.

When your contractor tells you the company they have decided to go with, take time to research it and ensure it’s the right fit for your project.

Is the crane hire service within the budget?

Before the contractor went out to find a crane, you must have first had a discussion on the amount of money you are looking to spend on the crane. To ensure things are still on track, ask the contractor how much they are renting the crane.

You can hire an old or new crane. As long as the crane is properly maintained, even if it’s old, it will still do the work. It will also be cheaper to rent.

A new, top of the line crane, on the other hand, tends to be a little bit expensive to rent, but it’s more efficient, which significantly cuts down on your labor costs.

Since no two companies rent their cranes at the same price, ask your contractor to visit different companies, and get quotes from them.

You should then schedule a meeting and go through the quotes. Compare and contrast them depending on the prices and services that the company provides.

For peace of mind and to save money in the long run, rent from a company with many cranes. This way, you are sure that even if a given crane stops working in the middle of the project, the crane company will easily replace the machine at no extra cost.

What safety measures have they taken?

Although cranes make work easy, they are a huge risk where they cause severe accidents and sometimes deaths.

Since you aren’t at the site, you should know from the contractor the measures they have put into place to prevent accidents from coming about.

Crane safety starts from the crane you hire. Let the contractor know that they should hire a properly maintained crane as it has minimal chances of developing problems that put the lives of the people working at the site at risk.

Many crane companies rent their cranes together with a crane operator, but if you have to hire one, remind the contractor to only hire an experienced one.

Even if the riggers have been using cranes for years, ask the contractor to take them through a training customized to the conditions of your work site.

Finally, ask the contractor to pay close attention to the type of insurance provided by the rental company. You don’t want to be responsible for the accidents that happen at your worksite, do you?

To protect yourself, ask the contractor to only hire a crane rental services VA provider with a comprehensive insurance policy.

What are the environmental complications of having the crane?

Even if you want to complete your project, you also want to conserve the environment. So, ask your contractor to avoid hiring old diesel cranes. The contractor should only hire properly maintained electric cranes that are emission-free.

Rigging Services: 4 Things To Think About When Buying Rigging Equipment

rigging services

Choosing the right lifting equipment is vital for your safety and that of the other riggers. Whether looking for a marine or wire rope, you should take your time and buy the right rigging equipment.

You can get the equipment from the rigging services providers or your local store. For you to find the right equipment, you need to think about several things:

Your needs

Why do you need the equipment in the first place? Different pieces of equipment are ideal for various applications and have different capabilities and characteristics.

What you want to do with the equipment will determine the size, weight, and shape of the equipment.

You need to check the equipment and ensure that it’s strong enough to carry the maximum weight of the item you are looking to lift. You also need to ensure the equipment is of the right shape and design.

Once you have narrowed down on the equipment you need for your project, your next step should be to buy the equipment.

Even if you are strapped for cash, you don’t want equipment that puts your life in danger. You may as well might have used the wrong equipment, right?

To be safe, avoid a cheap product as it will wear out fast.

Think about the temperature in the area

The temperature has a significant impact on the rigging equipment. Some of the equipment even won’t function properly at specific temperatures.

For example, metallic core rope slings won’t operate properly at temperatures above 400 degrees Fahrenheit or below 40 degrees.

Due to this, you must know the temperature you will be working with to choose equipment that can handle the temperature.

Load limit

The working load limit is the maximum weight you can apply on given rigging equipment. Different pieces of equipment have different limits based on the material.

Most of the loads you handle at the rigging site have their weights written down, but if you are unsure, ask an expert to help you out.

Buying equipment of the right weight limit not only saves you money as you don’t have to keep on replacing the units when they break, it also significantly reduces the chances of accidents happening at the site.

Using equipment of the right load limit also gives you peace of mind as you know that the weight can’t break the equipment.

Quality of the equipment

As mentioned above, you need to buy high-quality rigging equipment. Rigging and lifting equipment see a lot of wear and tear. When you buy cheap, low-quality equipment, they wear out fast, and you have to buy new ones.

This can be too expensive in the long run.

To save money and have peace of mind, buy high-quality equipment. While it will be expensive, it will last for a long time.

How to buy the rigging equipment

Most of the companies rending you the crane and rigging machine will also stock the rigging equipment, so these are the first places to check for the equipment.

The rigging companies wouldn’t like accidents on the site or their machines getting damaged, so they stock the best quality products. Sometimes you don’t even have to buy the equipment as they are rented together with the rigging machine.

If you have to buy the equipment, buy from the same company. This not only gives you an easy time as you have to walk into only one store, but it also increases your chances of getting a better deal and discounts as you will be giving the company more business.

Many people make the mistake of buying the equipment at the last minute. For example, they will visit the crane rental companies, and when they are asked to buy the equipment, they rush to the rigging equipment stores.

This is a wrong move as you are often in a hurry to buy the equipment.

So what do you do? You end up buying low-quality equipment without even inspecting it.

Instead, start your research early. This way, you have enough time to visit different crane rentals DC and see what they have. You will also have time to visit different equipment stores and compare the prices and quality of equipment in stock.

4 Tips To Renting From Crane Rentals

crane rental

When you are looking to lift heavy equipment, you need a crane. For you to effectively and successfully rent the machine from the crane rentals, you need to consider several tips that include:

Be realistic about the duration of the project

Crane rental companies rent cranes by the hour or by the day. If you have a small project that will take just a short time, you don’t have to rent the crane the entire day as you will be wasting money.

At the same time, if having a long project, you will be better off renting the machine by the day. When you rent the crane for many days, you can negotiate a better deal.

While you shouldn’t waste money renting a crane for a period you won’t be using it, don’t underestimate the size of the project as you might find yourself paying too much for the crane. In some cases, the rental company might take away the machine before you complete your project.

When determining the amount of time it will take to complete the project, always make room for issues that might come about, such as time spent rigging the load. You should note that you will be better off overestimating the time and reserve the crane for longer than to hire it for just a short time, and you bring about plenty of inconveniences.

Size things up

Renting the machine for the right amount of time isn’t enough. You also need to ensure you rent a machine that is strong enough to lift the weight you are dealing with. Before you rush to the rental companies, take time to measure the load, and determine its weight.

This will enable you to tell the exact weight capacity that you are looking to lift which will make it easy for the rental company to recommend the best type of crane for your project.

In addition to the weight of the load, you also need to know the height of the lift. If you need to put the HVAC unit on the roof, you need a crane that can lift just 20 feet, but if you need to lift to the top of a ten-story building, you need a crane that can raise your load that high.

By doing this, you increase your chances of hiring a machine that is strong enough to lift your weight. You also reduce the chances of accidents happening on your site.

Take time to find the right crane company

One of the prime reasons many people complain about lousy crane experiences is being in a hurry to hire the machines. Many people wait until a day or two to the commencement of their project to find a crane.

By doing this, they hire the first company they come across, which is often not the right one. For you to find the right company, you need to take your time. Begin your search three or four months before you launch your project.

When you do this, you have enough time to visit several companies and see what they have in store. Ask to see the quality of the machines. You also should ask about their maintenance records.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money renting a crane, but at the same time, you shouldn’t rent one that is too cheap as you will end up with a poor quality machine that will be problematic to have and operate.

Work with the right crane operator

Talking about crane operation, you need to have the right crane operator by your side. Many crane companies rent their cranes together with a crane operator, but if you come across a company that doesn’t, you don’t have any other way out other than to hire one.

Some people ask one of their employees with basic crane understanding to operate the crane, but don’t do this. In addition to the employees taking a long time getting used to the crane (which leads to time wastage), it also increases the chances of accidents happening on the site.

The right thing to do is to hire a crane operator from the crane rental services VA providers. When you hire the operator, you are sure that he/she is experienced in operating the type of crane you are looking to rent. While you will pay an extra amount, it will be worth it.

6 Things You Should Know Before Getting Crane Services

crane services

For your project to be a success, you need to ensure everything is in place. Here are a few things you should know before you contact crane services providers:

Weight of the load

Different cranes have different weight capabilities. Before you decide to hire a crane, take time to find out the weight of the load you are looking to lift. The best way is asking professionals to help you weigh it.

In addition to weighing the load, also take measurements of it—measure the length and width. Knowing the load weight will help the company advise you on the right crane to go for.

Why you are renting

You need to have a clear reason why you are renting the crane. If you have a short term project or you already have a crane, but it’s broken and wants a replacement for a few days, you need to get into a short term rental agreement with the rental company.

On the other hand, if you have many projects and want to use the crane for a long time, let the crane rental company know it and negotiate longer contractors that often come with great discounts.

You can also rent a crane when you are looking to test a few cranes so that you can tell the right one to buy in the future. In such a scenario, you have to rent a number of cranes and try them out. This way, you will know the right ones to go for when it comes to time to buy.

Height of the lift

When undertaking heavy lifting with cranes, you need to know how far you want to lift the load. Just as cranes come with different weight capabilities, they also come with varying capabilities of height. Before you hire a crane, you should know how high you want the crane to lift the load.

When you are looking to place an HVAC unit on the roof, you need a completely different crane from when you are looking to put it on top of a ten-story building. When renting, the rental company will ask you about it. Ensure that you know the exact height to avoid spending money on a machine that won’t give you the service you are looking for.

If you aren’t sure of how high the crane is going to lift the load, ask the professionals to help you in taking the measurements.

Condition of the site

This is often a forgotten factor. Is your site on a hilly, muddy, sandy or flat surface? You need to know about this as different cranes manoeuvre differently on different surfaces. When renting for the first time, you might not know how the machines move, but it’s wise that you fully understand the nature of your site. This will help the crane companies advise you on the right crane to hire.

Who will operate the crane?

The person operating the crane is crucial for your project. Since you rent cranes by the hour, you want someone who will get the work done correctly and in the shortest time possible. Even if you have employees experienced in operating cranes, it won’t be wise to hire them as they will have to learn how to operate it as it’s of a different type and model.

The best way out is to hire an expert. Most of the companies offering crane rental services also provide you with the option of hiring a crane operator by the hour, which is a great consideration. While it will be more expensive than when working with one of your employees, you will bring efficiency and professionalism to the project.

Who will handle the maintenance and repairs?

Different companies providing crane rentals VA have different policies when it comes to crane repair and maintenance. Some stick with the fact that you are the one using the machine; therefore, you should be responsible for the repairs and maintenance. Others believe it’s their responsibility to take care of their machine. To have an easy time, work with a company that will maintain its machines.

This way, you end up saving a lot. You also complete the work fast as you always get a replacement crane in the event one of the cranes fails to work.