Tag Archives: heavy equipment

Best Practices When Moving Heavy Equipment

When it comes to transporting heavy equipment, you need to be ultra-cautious to ensure that the equipment reaches the destination safely. To do this you need to observe a set of best practices.

Best practices before loading the equipment

You need to ensure that you don’t exceed the transport vehicle’s gross weight rating and/or gross combination weight.

If the equipment is too large, determine whether you need permits for oversized or overwidth movements. These loads may additionally necessitate warning flags, lights, and oversized or wide load banners.

Are there any loading requirements for the equipment, such as the usage of locking pins, brakes, specific transmission gear, outriggers, or deck wideners? You should find them.

As a rule of thumb determine where you will place the equipment on the transport vehicle to ensure proper weight distribution and securement.

Heavy equipment movers also recommend that you check the equipment’s securement points for wear and damage. If they are damaged, don’t use them.

If there will be friction between the equipment and the transport vehicle (for example, metal crawler tracks on a metal deck), consider if you need friction devices.

If the item you need to move has rubber tires, check the pressure. Low pressure may cause the tiedowns to loosen.

Remember to remove any excess aggregate, dirt, debris, or other materials that could fall or reduce friction during transport.

Best practices when loading the equipment

You shouldn’t operate or load equipment that you are unfamiliar with or cannot operate safely. When possible, put the equipment against a vehicle structure to help prevent forward movement, unless weight distribution or securement considerations prevent this.

To avoid damaging brake or hydraulic lines or cylinders, attach securement devices with caution.

Remember to use edge protection to safeguard the tiedowns and equipment.

Whenever possible, use the equipment manufacturer’s designated connection points and adhere to the manufacturer’s securement guidelines.

Attach each tiedown as close to the vehicle’s front and rear as practicable. You can also attach it to mounting points on the vehicle specifically built for that purpose.

Do not use any attachment point with doubtful strength or compatibility.
Chain is the main tiedown method for large equipment and machinery. Ensure that no links are strained or have nicks.

Use direct tiedowns whenever possible, but keep in mind that you require more tiedowns than indirect tiedowns.

To keep wheeled vehicles from moving, place chocks, cradles, wedges, or other measures against the wheels. These devices require security.

Best practices after loading the equipment

You need to lower all ancillary equipment and movable parts, such as hydraulic shovels, booms, plows, crane arms, and so on, and secure them to the transport vehicle with tiedowns.

For the accessories with locking pins or similar devices that prevent movement in any direction, you do not need to secure them with additional security measures.

Hydraulics alone are insufficient to secure auxiliary equipment so if possible use additional units.

If the equipment being transported has an articulation point, pivot, or hinge in its design, secure or constrain the vehicle or equipment to prevent articulation during transit.

You need to secure accessories and other items not attached to the equipment to the transport vehicle in accordance with the normal cargo securement rules.

When doing this, confirm the vehicle’s true height and breadth.

Perform all needed en-route security assessments.

Have minimum tiedown requirements

If the loaded vehicle has crawler tracks or wheels, you need at least four tiedowns to prevent the equipment from moving side-to-side, forward, rearward, and vertically.

You should note that an indirect tiedown routed through an anchor point and attached to both sides of the trailer is considered a single tiedown.

You can use a chain as two tiedowns provided it is appropriately linked to two anchor points with two binders and has slack in the middle, ensuring that a break in the chain does not affect each tiedown.

For peace of mind, the total working load limits of the tiedowns must be at least 50% of the cargo’s weight. If the cargo weight is unknown, you may need more tiedowns.

You can attach the tie-downs near the front and back of equipment, or at the mounting locations of the equipment intended for that purpose.

Ensure that you play by the load securement laws

During Roadcheck, inspectors will largely do the Level I inspection, which is a thorough 37-step examination of the vehicle and the driver’s credentials.

To ensure that you are on the right size, ensure that spare tires, loads, goods, tools, and dunnage are securely fastened and do not fall, blow, spill, or leak off the vehicle, or roll or shift while in transportation.

Also, ensure that there are enough tiedowns for the weight and length of the equipment being transported.

Check for faulty tiedowns, which may be loose, torn, broken, crooked, or knotted. If you have a problem, fix it immediately.

Inspect the anchor points and buildings for damage. You also need to confirm that you observe commodity-specific cargo security standards at all times.

Parting shot

These are some of the things you should do to ensure that your load is safe at all times during transportation.

You can do the transportation by yourself but for the best outcome, let an experienced heavy machinery moving company handle the work.

The beauty of hiring a company is that you are sure that they will deliver your equipment safely and without any problems. You are also sure that they will pay attention to all the laws and your equipment won’t be held on the road due to lack of compliance.

When you are hiring a heavy machinery moving VA company, don’t hire the first one that you come across. Instead, take your time to find a reputable one who will have the necessary equipment and experience. Don’t take risks on a piece of expensive equipment.

7 Situations When You Have To Move Heavy Equipment

If you use heavy equipment in your projects, there are plenty of reasons you might consider moving the equipment from one point to the other. Some of these reasons as given by heavy machinery moving experts include:

You need to replace the machine

Machines, like other systems, have an expected lifespan. After reaching that threshold, machines require part replacements or, in certain circumstances, full removal.

Replacements are also necessary when the equipment becomes obsolete or is broken beyond repair. Running broken or obsolete machinery will cause more harm than good.

It will not only slow down production and increase costs, but it will also pose a risk to everyone involved. When you are looking to replace your old or malfunctioning machinery, you need experienced machine movers to remove the machinery and install new equipment.

You need to relocate the machine

Is your business outgrowing its current space? Are you seeking a facility with cheaper rent and overhead? Moving or replacing your equipment may be necessary if you want to relocate your operation.

Rather than investing money in new machinery, you should consider hiring a professional rigging company to move your heavy equipment.

If you are relocating the machinery from one section of the business to the other, you can use your own forklifts, air bearings, and other equipment to move the equipment. However, if you are moving the equipment from one state or town to the other, you will need to hire a company to help with the relocation.

You are redesigning the site

Finding the ideal arrangement for your work site can be challenging. As you work, you might find a better and more efficient arrangement and you have no other way out other than to move the equipment around to fit the new arrangement.

You are discarding old equipment

You need to decommission and discard machines as soon as they reach a certain performance level and begin to lose efficiency. However, the size of rejected pieces can vary, and they must be removed from the facility before scrapping.

Such a large-scale movement necessitates the use of expert movers to transport it to the appropriate disposal location.

You are upgrading to better machines

Machines and their components require constant upgrades for optimal functioning. Upgrade parts can be of various sizes, ranging from small screws to massive dynamos and generators.

To avoid damage, you need to ensure that all improvements are transported and unloaded with extreme caution. Depending on the size of the part, movers load and unload the machine using equipment such as air bearings or crane systems.

You are selling the equipment

You can downsize, relocate, or make changes regularly, and often dispose of or sell your old equipment. Discarding occurs when a machine has completed its life cycle and has outlived its usefulness.

If the machine is still functional or requires minor repairs, the best way to handle it is to sell it. When you sell the machinery, you will need expert movers to transport it to the new owner’s location.

Why do you need a professional mover when moving heavy machinery?

Regardless of the reason you are looking to move heavy machinery, you should always hire a professional company to help you out.

If you have your team that can do the moving you must be wondering why you should hire a professional to help you out, right? Well, there are plenty of reasons you should do it. These reasons include:

You reduce the risk of injury

You are familiar with your machine and are aware of its weight and size. Regardless of your motive for moving, it will be extremely unsafe for your employees to try to move it. In some cases, one of your employees may get injuries, and you may incur financial costs.

Hiring a rigging company ensures that your machinery is moved securely by skilled specialists who adhere to their guidelines.

When you are hiring moving professionals, always hire experienced ones with an insurance policy. This way you are sure that even if an accident happens, you won’t be responsible for compensating them.

You don’t strain your moving equipment

Moving big machinery necessitates the use of specialist equipment capable of safely handling the weight of the object being moved. If your equipment fails when transferring your machinery, it may cause harm to critical components of your machine.

Professional rigging companies provide skilled machinery moving contractors with the necessary rigging equipment to properly transport and preserve your machinery throughout the relocation.

You save time

Moving large machinery while trying to do your daily tasks is not only a physical drain on your employees and equipment, but it also wastes time.

Instead of having your employees complete jobs that they excel at for your firm, moving equipment diverts their attention away from the skills they provide to your team.

With a trained rigging business, the jobs are accomplished swiftly and efficiently, allowing your personnel to focus on what will help your business flourish.

Also, if you attempted to move the machine, you would have spent too much time doing it because you don’t have the right machine or skills for the task. With professional movers, they have the right equipment for the task. At the same time, they have been doing the moving tasks for too long which means that they complete the tasks fast.

You exonerate yourself from responsibility

As mentioned, moving heavy equipment comes with plenty of risks. The heavy equipment can fall, and people can get hurt, among many other risks.

When there are too many risks involved, the last thing you want is to be responsible for the outcome.

When you hire heavy equipment movers VA, you lift all of the responsibilities off your shoulders and place them on the shoulders of the equipment movers. They will be responsible for anything that happens to the equipment and the people handling the equipment.

To be safe, ensure that you hire an insured company. As mentioned, when you hire an insured company you are sure that the insurance company will handle the responsibility should anything happen.

Dangers That Come with Working with Heavy Machinery and How to Avoid Them

heavy equipment movers

If you work with heavy machinery or supervise personnel who do, know the inherent risks involved with the tasks.
Understanding the hazards involved and taking the necessary actions to mitigate them is paramount as it helps keep individuals safe.

To help you out, here are five of the most severe threats, as well as the necessary precautions you should take to protect yourself:

Heavy equipment transport accidents

Heavy equipment must frequently be moved between places. For example, you might need to move the equipment from one site to another. While this is good, the unfortunate thing is that accidents can occur for those in transit or those close if you do not take the necessary precautions.

Heavy equipment accidents usually happen due to carelessness or using the wrong moving equipment.
To stay safe when undertaking heavy machinery moving, it is critical to have a well-balanced load. To avoid tipping, ensure the load is appropriately centered and sits between the trailer’s wheels.

Before leaving, you should plan your route. Narrow bridges, underpasses, and unfinished surfaces on the road can all pose unwelcome but avoidable obstacles.

The same may be said about current roadwork. Knowing what a route includes beforehand allows you to plan accordingly to stay safe.

Planning also makes it possible for you to move the heavy equipment with ease and without causing a lot of commotion.

Getting crushed or run over

Heavy equipment’s weight, size, and power endangers persons who could be crushed between moving parts or run over by a machine.

Both awareness and visibility lessen the likelihood of both types of accidents. For example, training a worker to behave safely around a machine and ensuring the crew has appropriate high-visibility gear can go a long way.

Different organizations are trying to keep humans safe by using robotics and automation.

Experts in the industry have begun formulating related ideas and rules, such as the requirement that robots be safe and secure before working with people.

Some robots are also specifically intended to perform dangerous tasks that put people at an increased risk.
Heavy machinery that can be moved via remote controls is emerging and keeps people away from the danger zone.

Before you start working, you should ensure that you are visible and there are no blind spots in the areas you are working. If there are kids in the site you are working, keep them away from the danger zone.

Working without guards in place

Machine guards protect workers from potentially hazardous elements of a machine by shielding them from components that offer a high risk to them.

Some people, however, believe that the guarding interferes with the machine’s performance and removes it. This is wrong as it often leads to accidents that can quickly turn catastrophic.

Others know the importance of guards but don’t understand how to ensure they are present on the device before using it.

Always ensure the guards are in place before using the machine to be safe. Check the user manual if you aren’t sure whether your machine has a guard.

Operating equipment without proper training

Before operating heavy equipment, you must receive the appropriate training from a recognized provider. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Some people will receive basic training and then rush to operate the machine. This is wrong.

If the machine misbehaves, the poorly trained individuals don’t know what to do. The minimally trained individuals also don’t know what to do in an emergency.

To keep yourself and others safe, you should have the proper training. As a rule, you should only handle the heavy machinery after meeting multiple state-specific educational standards.

In most states, all construction workers must complete 10 hours of OSHA training. Superintendents, forepersons, and supervisors, on the other hand, require 30 hours.

You should practice as much as possible before working with the machine. This way, you not only do a good job but also prevent accidents from coming about.

Failing to learn the risks that come with heavy machinery

Coverage of the most prevalent OSHA standard violations emphasized the importance of avoiding employee exposure to hazards that are most likely to cause significant injury or death.

One of the most frequently reported general industry violations was a lack of a written hazard communication scheme.

Implementing precise protocols and procedures to inform individuals about the dangers contained in a task before they engage in it is what effective hazard communication entails.

Unfortunately, many people don’t engage in it, which, as you can tell, leads to an increased risk of injury or even death.

To minimize the risks, make it a habit of educating the people handling the machinery. It will even be better to remind them every morning about the risks involved and how to prevent them.

When operating a new machinery, educate the people using it and ensure they are conversant with it.
On the other hand, safety managers can help keep people safe by making them aware of the hazards through clear language and real-world examples.

Parting shot

These are some of the risks that come with using heavy machinery. While it’s impossible to eliminate the risks involved with big machinery, knowing the most severe hazards, enables all workers and safety personnel to adapt their behaviors and adjust training content as needed.

When transporting heavy machinery, don’t transport it by yourself or hire the first company you come across. Instead, ensure that the transportation is done by expert heavy equipment movers VA who know what they are doing.

These professionals will not only safely transport the machinery but also ensure that it reaches its destination quickly. The movers will also advise you on any permits you need during the transportation. a

Tips to Consider When Moving Heavy Machinery

Moving heavy equipment is always tricky, and no one is having fun, even the machines.

The task is not only challenging, but also pegged with plenty of risks.

Thankfully, with some planning and preparation, you can safely ensure that your heavy equipment gets from point A to point B without any major problems or damage.

Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through all the steps you need to take to ensure that your heavy machinery moving is a success.

Some of the things you need to do include:

Keep an eye on the land around you.

When moving heavy equipment, it is important to pay attention to the terrain in the area. Before you leave, take the time to carefully plan a route for your chosen mode of transportation. This can help you avoid trouble.

Also, be conversant with the road widths and bridges where you will be transporting your heavy machinery. The driver will be safer if they don’t have to start, stop, turn, or drive through rough terrain.

Also, think about doing a trial run. Driving through a manned checkpoint is a good way to spot any possible dangers that can be avoided ahead of time. Lastly, if you want to make sure that your cargo always gets to its destination safely, you should be aware of the local geography before you leave.

Apply for the right transportation license.

Heavy equipment, like cranes, dump trucks, graders, and scrapers, should be transported with special permits.

To ensure your heavy equipment gets where it needs to go, you must apply for the right transportation permit. Different states have different rules, so you need to find out what they are and make plans based on that.

Getting the necessary permit can take a lot of time, but it’s important for the safety of your equipment and the people who are transporting it. So, set aside time to ensure you have all the necessary permits before starting any transportation job.

Lock down the wheels.

Not only is it important to ensure your equipment is safe by securing the wheels, but locking the wheels also helps reduce risk when moving heavy equipment.

The time it takes to put on the parking brake, and use wedges, chocks, or cradles on the wheels of equipment will be worth it because they will keep the equipment safe.

When locking the wheels, think about weight distribution forces that could happen during transport, such as:

A 50% force in the back when accelerating, changing gears, or going in reverse.
When stopping, 80% of the force goes forward.
When driving uphill or over rough terrain, you stand to have an upward force of up to 20%.
When turning, changing lanes, or braking while turning, you will have a sideways force of 50%.

These steps cut down on accidental movement and make for a smooth ride.

Put signs and flashing lights on vehicles.

The transport vehicles need to have the right banners, signs, and lights on them. In some situations, there needs to be a vehicle on either side to help guide the truck and show it where to go. The other vehicle follows behind to let other drivers on the route know what’s going on.

For all transportation operations to look professional, ensure communication between transport and escort vehicles. You can achieve this using two-way radios, CB radios, or cell phones.

Inspect the equipment even during transport.

For safe and legal transport, heavy cargo must be properly strapped down. During a trip, it’s important to check in often to ensure that the cargo is safe. Safety standards in the industry say that these checks-in should be done at least:

Once during the first 50 miles of travel.
Every 150 miles or every 3 hours, depending on which comes first.
Whenever a driver’s job or station changes.

Ensure that the drivers write down inspections in a transport log so that safety standards are met.

You might be wasting time putting time and effort into running these key checkpoints, but it’s the only way to make sure that cargo is delivered successfully.

For peace of mind, ensure that the heavy equipment movers DC are experienced and have done it before, and know how to do it safely.

The Secret To Moving Heavy Machinery

moving heavy machinery

When you are looking to move heavy machinery, you have to do all the right things for your project to be a success. Which are these things you should do? Here they are as given by heavy machinery moving experts:

Put your ducks in a row

For your moving to be a success, you have to ensure that you have a solid plan for doing the moving. This calls for you to ensure that you know everything there is to know about the move beforehand.

You should know the right machine you need for the move and the weight and height of the equipment you are hauling.

In most cases, when you are moving a dozer, backhoe, dump truck, or any other large equipment, you need a special permit. The permit will shed more light on how to move the equipment. For example, it will dictate whether you need additional escort vehicles to drive with the heavy hauler and alert other drivers about the load. Ensure that you get this permit as part of your planning.

If you need to use unique roads that are less trafficked, you should know this before starting the move.

Work with the right moving company.

There is no way you will have a successful move if you work with the wrong company. As a rule of thumb, the company you work with should have the right hauler. Before you go to the moving company, you should know the size of your machine both in height and weight.

Before you sign the moving contract, ensure that the trailer provided by the company is large enough to accommodate the height and weight of your machine. The hauler should also be low enough to meet the height requirements in the roads you will be using.

Besides the trailer having the capacity to haul your machine, it also should be in good shape. The last thing you want is the trailer breaking down in the middle of the road.

While you are at the rental company’s offices, pay close attention to the trailer and ensure there are no leaks points or signs of damage that can compromise the securement of your machinery.

Also, confirm that the trailer is free of debris, which can come loose when traveling and cause damage to other vehicles on the road, putting you into trouble.

Safely load and secure your heavy machinery.

After you have confirmed that the trailer is right for your machinery, the next thing to do is load the machine to the trailer. Regardless of who is doing the loading, ensure that you do it in accordance with DOT regulations.

To avoid accidents, use enough and appropriate securing devices. Some of the tips to consider for that perfect securing include:

Use chains where possible. If you can’t find chains, use steel strapping.

Tightly secure tie-downs. This requires you to attach the tie-downs using clamps, hooks, and ties that can’t get loose during transport. Ensure that the tie downs are tight and don’t damage weak sections that can break during transportation.

Secure the wheels with chocks or wedges to prevent rolling during transport.

If possible, use friction devices such as friction mats and other devices that provide better traction and prevent sliding.

As you secure the machine, be keen and choose the right attachment points. Be keen and only use the right points as using the wrong ones could spell doom. There is the risk of breaking or damaging a part of the heavy equipment or failing to keep the equipment properly secured while on the road.

For peace of mind, double-check the attachment points and confirm they are properly in place and can’t get damaged.

You don’t have to transport the heavy equipment as a whole

Transporting heavy equipment doesn’t come cheap. It’s even more expensive when your machine is oversize. If your machine is too heavy, talk to heavy equipment movers DC and find out whether you can remove the work tools and attachments and ship them separately to save on costs.

If your equipment is too tall, consider retracting booms, buckets, or attachments to reduce the equipment height hence reducing the transportation costs and safety risks.

Crane Rental Services: 7 Types of Construction Equipment You Need For Your Construction Project

Crane Rental Services

If you are going to have a construction project, you need to have the right construction equipment to complete the job fast and do it properly. Luckily, you don’t have to buy the equipment as you can rent them from crane rental services providers. Are you wondering which equipment you should go for? Here are 7 types of construction equipment you should have:

Excavators

Excavators are designed for excavation, but you can also use them for heavy lifting. An excavator contains a long arm and cabinet with the end of the long arm having a digging bucket and the cabinet serving as the sitting area for the machine operator. The most attractive thing about the excavator is that the whole cabin arrangement rotates 360 degrees, which makes it easy to operate.

There are all types of excavators in the market, ranging from wheeled to tracked forms. It’s up to you to choose the one that’s ideal for your application.

Dragline excavator

Are you having a construction project involving larger depth excavations? You should get a dragline excavator. The machine consists of a long length boom and a digging bucket suspended from the top of the boom by a cable. This machine is a must-have if constructing a port, having underwater excavations, or removing sediments in water bodies.

Bulldozer

You use a bulldozer to remove the topsoil layer or push large quantities of material over a short distance at the construction site. The machine does this using a sharp-edged wide metal plate that the machine operator can raise and lower using hydraulic pistons.

There are many types of bulldozers you can use to remove weak soil, lift soil, or remove rock strata. There are wheel and track dozers. Both provide the same function, but they navigate differently. Track bulldozers spread their weight over a large track, which decreases the amount of pressure they exert on the ground. This reduces their chance of sinking into soft ground.

Wheeled dozers have large tires in place of tracks, which makes them move faster. Unfortunately, they aren’t ideal for soft areas as they tend to sink as most of the pressure is exerted in one area—tires.

Trencher

From their name, you use these to excavate trenches in soil. Like other heavy machines, trenching machines are of two types: chain and wheeled. The chain trenchers contain a fixed long arm where you find the digging chain while the wheeled trenchers contain a metal wheel with a digging tooth around it.

Best applications for the trenchers are when laying pipes, cables, and for drainage purposes. If your site has hard soil layers, you should use wheeled trenchers.

Loaders

You use a loader to load materials or move them aside, paving the way for other activities. You can use the machine when looking to move or load raw minerals, rock, sand, asphalt, demolition debris, woodchips, gravel, feed, and other materials.

There are many types of loaders that vary in design and application, with the most popular ones being: bucket, front-end, front, skip, shovel, skid-steer, scoop, swing, compact front, tractor front, payloader, and many others.

There are two main types of loaders: tracked or wheeled. You should use tracked or crawled loaders in areas you can’t reach with wheeled loaders.

Tower cranes

Tower cranes are fixed cranes you use for hoisting purposes when constructing tall structures. The cranes are characterized by a vertical supporting tower, jib, which operates the arm, counter jib, which is the other arm that carries counterweight on the rear side, and the operator cabin where the crane operator operates from.

You use tower cranes to lift heavy materials such as frames, steel trusses, pre-stressed concrete, and other materials you need in your work.

Telehandlers

You use telehandlers to lift heavy materials to your desired height or provide a construction platform for the worksite workers. The machine comes with a long telescopic boom, which you can easily raise or lower depending on your needs.

You can attach different items such as buckets, forklifts, lifting jibs, or cabin from the end of the telescopic boom. You also should rent the attachments from the local crane rentals DC. The attachment you use depends on the project requirements.

5 Tips To Successful And Stress-Free Heavy Machinery Moving

heavy machinery moving

When you are looking to move heavy equipment, the sensible thing to do is to hire heavy machinery moving company. For the moving process to be safe and stress-free, you need to consider plenty of tips that include:

Plan plan plan

Everything begins with a plan. Before you even visit the rental company, you should know everything about the project from when you will pick the heavy machinery to when you will set it down.

One of the things you should know is the weight of the heavy machinery. This will help you rent the right moving truck. You also should know the best route to use to easily get to your destination with as minimal disruption as possible.

Once you reach your destination, how will you remove the heavy machinery? You also should know the right location to place the heavy machinery after removing it.

The planning stage is where you spend most of your time. To have an easy time, give all the details to the moving company, and they will help you in coming up with a detailed program of how to go about it.

Use the right transport vehicle.

The right vehicle comes in handy at ensuring that transportation is fast and safe. The right vehicle for the job depends on the size and weight of the machine you are looking to transport.

If moving long heavy loads such as columns, the average trailer will get the work done, but if looking to transport long heavy loads, you should get extendable trailers. From their name, these are trailers with the added functionality of being extended.

To have an easy time choosing the right vehicle, explain everything to the rental company, and they will guide you.

Get quotes from different companies.

Moving heavy equipment doesn’t come cheap, and no two companies are similar. For you to get the most from the moving process, work with the right company. Visit different companies and see what they have in store. While you are there, inspect the machines and ensure they are in perfect working condition.

To choose the company that suits your budget, request free shipping quotes from different companies. Compare the quotes and settle on the one that gives you the most.

Understand all the required permits and regulations

Depending on the size and weight of the equipment you are looking to transport, you might require getting certain permits. Work with companies that understand any permits and regulations you might need during the transportation of the machine as they will guide you towards getting the right ones.

Even if the company tells you that you don’t need any permits, do your research to confirm this. You should note that some companies might tell you that you need permits while you don’t need them. To avoid getting extorted, do your research and even visit the relevant authorities and find out whether you need the permits.

If you need them, ensure that you get them. You don’t want the transportation of your heavy equipment getting delayed, do you?

Ensure the load is properly secured.

You might be working with the right company, using the right vehicle for the work but you won’t get the most from the transportation if you don’t properly secure the heavy machinery.

As the transport company is loading the heavy machinery, be present and ensure that the load is secured with the right restraints. This gives you peace of mind that the machine won’t fall off along the way and get damaged, leading to wastage of money.

Think about the safety aspects of the move as plenty of things can go wrong as you are moving the heavy machinery:

People can get stuck and injured by the machinery.
Parts of the body can be drawn in or trapped between the belts, rollers, and pulley drives.
People can get crushed between the parts of the machine moving together or towards a fixed part of the machine.
Sometimes parts of the machine, materials or emissions can cause burns or scalds and electricity leading to electrical shocks.

In addition to planning, you also should work with experienced heavy equipment movers VA.

4 Ways To Prevent Accidents When Undertaking Heavy Machinery Moving

heavy machinery moving

While heavy machines make work easy, they have one main flaw: they cause accidents. According to heavy machinery moving services providers, the most common accidents are:

The machine getting caught between vehicles as they are backing up. This is common with large onsite vehicles with huge blind spots.

People getting pinned by heavy machinery
Workers getting struck by falling, frying or discharged objects
Workers getting hit by moving or rolling over machinery
Machine operators falling when mounting or dismounting the machinery
Workers getting crushed under collapsing structures

These accidents cause severe injuries such as head, neck, concussions, broken bones, digit amputations, electrical burns, severed limbs, and even death.

When injured, the affected workers have to incur huge medical costs, lost wages from time spent out of work, and lost earning capacity in the event the injuries cause permanent disability.

All of these are severe repercussions that you can prevent. Some of the things you can do to avoid them include:

Train the people handling the machine

Even if you want to move the machine from one place to another, you should never let an untrained operator in the cab of the heavy machinery.

To prevent the accidents from coming about, ensure that anyone handling the machine has a comprehensive understanding of how the machine works, what to do in the event of emergencies, and how to safely operate the heavy machinery.

Studies show that most seasoned equipment operators fail to train the people handling the machine, which it’s often out of ignorance. As mentioned above, always train the people handling the machine to prevent accidents from coming about.

Inspect the machines regularly

A faulty machine is a dangerous machine. When you are working with a defective machine, it can easily fail, leading to a dangerous situation.

For example, when you operate a machine with faulty brakes, the machine might fail to stop at the expected area resulting in significant damage to the surrounding structure and equipment.

If the machine has a damaged wire, the hook load can drop and destroy anything in the vicinity. God forbid if it’s the employees that are in the area.

Before you handle any project, take the time to inspect the machine thoroughly. Pay attention to the headlights, brakes, headlights, and fluid levels.

In addition to heavy machine inspection, ensuring you are safe when working, it also prolongs its life.

If you have the skills, you can inspect the machine by yourself, but if you have never done it before, ask an experienced professional to help you out.

Don’t be in a hurry

There is a common saying in the Special Forces: “slow is smooth and smooth is fast.” When you are falling behind in completing a task, it’s common to want to speed up things so that you can get a lot done within the remaining time. Don’t do this.

When you are in a hurry, you will most likely skip the safety checks, which increases the chances of accidents happening at the worksite.

When you are renting the heavy machine by the hour, it’s common to be tempted to hurry up, so you save some money, but this has been shown to result in errors and mistakes that can end up costing you more than you are looking to save.

For you to avoid accidents resulting from haste, set out enough money for the project. This way, you won’t have to hurry up to save a few coins here and there.

You also should start the project early enough. Some people wait until a few weeks or days before the project is due to start working on it. As you might guess, since they are in a hurry to get things done, they are more likely to cause an accident.

The best way of preventing an accident from coming about is to start your search for the heavy machinery early enough. Do it at least three months before the project commences. This way, you have enough time to visit several companies and compare the machines they have in stock.

Minimize employee distractions

Construction sites are extremely hazardous, and the many obstacles can be threatening to the heavy equipment movers DC. The last thing you want is an additional source of distraction. One of the easiest distractions to get rid of is the phone. To minimize distractions, have a “no phone” policy where you should confine the use of phones only to break time.

5 Factors To Consider When Hiring Heavy Equipment Movers

heavy equipment movers

Are you looking to move a piece of heavy equipment or machine? You need to hire heavy equipment movers. For you to hire the right ones you need to pay attention to a number of qualities. They include:

Reputation

Can you trust the company that you are looking to hire? You should research and find out if the company you are looking to work with has a great reputation. You want to work with a company that transports the machine safely and delivers it at the agreed time.

For you to determine whether the company is reputable, you should ask people that have worked with the company before. This calls for you to ask the company for references. You should contact these people and hear their side.

As a rule of thumb avoid working with a company with a bad reputation as it won’t give you great services.

Experience

An experienced company will not only deliver your machine safely, it also will make your work easy. The company will help you in dealing with taxes for interstate travel, customs if they apply to you, and processing and forwarding fees that may be involved.

The company will also insure the machinery during the move thus giving you peace of mind that your machine is safe and you will be compensated in the event of an accident.

Since the company is experienced, it will advise you on the right vehicle to use in the transportation of the machine. The company will also advice you on the right hours and time to move the heavy machine.

Avoid working with a new moving company as it will make your life difficult. In addition to the inexperienced company losing your machine, it also will make your life difficult as it won’t know how to do most of the things.

For example, the company might not be able to clear customs on time, leading to delivery of the machine getting delayed.

Regardless of how cheap the new company charges you for the move, you should avoid working with it.

Versatility

Anything can happen when you are moving heavy equipment. The most common one is the heavy equipment moving truck breaking down. You want to work with a company with plenty of trucks so that when one machine breaks down, they can simply replace it and continue with the transportation.

If you work with a company with only one truck, you will be in for trouble when the truck breaks down. You will have to wait for it to be fixed before you can go on with transportation.

When you are searching for a company to work with, you should pay close attention to this as you don’t want to work with a company with only a single truck. In addition to considering the number of transportation vehicles that the company has, you also need to consider how well maintained they are. As rule of thumb, ensure that they are in top shape.

Costs

How much will it cost you to move the heavy equipment? This depends on a number of factors such as the distance you are going to cover, the weight of the machine, and many other things.

Different moving companies have different packages aimed at different services. You only need to choose one package. You should avoid the cheapest one as you often end up getting a bad experience from it. In addition to the cheap companies being inexperienced, they often don’t insure your machinery; therefore, when there is an accident, you are left on your own to fix it.

Organization

You need to determine how organized the company you are looking to work is. The good thing is that you can tell by simply visiting their offices. Is the office clean? Do they have a reception? How do they address you? You need to think about this.

You should always work with an organized heavy machinery moving VA company as heavy machinery requires a lot of planning and there is no way a disorganized company will be able to successfully pull it off.

Guide To Hiring A Heavy Machinery Moving Company

heavy machinery moving

When you are looking to move heavy equipment you need to have a great deal of skill and knowledge for you to pull it off safely. According to heavy machinery moving companies, the heavy machines are often extremely heavy, unwieldy and can easily cause damage; therefore, you should be extra careful when moving them.

One of the things you should do is to ensure that you hire the right machinery mover. For you to be on the safe side, you should hire a professional with these qualities:

Correct moving equipment

As mentioned above, heavy machines are of great risk; therefore, you should be cautious of how you move them. The company you are going to hire should have the right equipment for the task. This calls for you to hire a company that has the necessary heavy moving equipment.

In addition to the standard rigging gear, the company should also have the right heavy-duty forklifts that are capable of lifting your heavy machine.

You should note that you will be better off going for a machine with the necessary special attachments that allow you to hoist equipment that can’t be lifted with forks.

If you need to move the heavy equipment in restricted areas, you should go for low profile mobile cranes. This saves you money that you would have spent hiring heavy duty machines.

When you are looking to hire a heavy machinery moving company, there are plenty of rigging equipment you should look out for. Be on the lookout for special dollies, rollers, and powerful jack sets that are capable of lifting the equipment so that you can place it on the rollers.

The trailers needed to undertake the move are also of great importance. Before you hire the moving company, check the company’s truck fleet. Does the company have the right trailers to transport the machinery?

You also should be on the lookout for the number of trucks the company has. Are the vehicles enough to support the relocation? The number of trucks is of great importance when you are looking to move many machines.

Necessary skills and Experience

How experienced is the company you are looking to hire? Due to the risks involved with the moving of the heavy machines, you should hire a highly experienced company that will not only move the machines effectively, but also ensure that the move is safe and free of any accidents.

For peace of mind, work with a company with a team of highly experienced professionals that will professionally handle your heavy machines.

In some cases, your heavy machine might be too large to access certain areas. In such a case, you have to disconnect or partially dismantle the equipment for a more manageable move. The dismantling of the machine requires special skills and it’s only the right people with the right skills that will be able to execute it properly.

Can you guess what will happen if you hire a company with a staff that doesn’t understand how to do it? You will have to hire other service providers to help you out, which will be an additional cost on your part.

In some cases, you don’t even need to dismantle the machine. All you need to do is to move it safely without any damage. In such a scenario, you need people who are experienced in safe machine transportation. This will ensure that your machine reaches its destination in one piece.

When you are hiring the moving company, take your time and check the company’s profile and ensure that they employ certain personnel with the right experience.

Track record

Does the company complete the jobs safely and at the right time? You need to know about this before you hire the company. The last thing you want is a company that will take the work but fail to deliver.

You should verify that the company is capable of handling the scope and volume of work that you want done. You can do this by contacting people that the company has worked with before. If you come across heavy equipment movers DC that always fall behind schedule, you should avoid them as you will have a bad experience with them.