How to make sure you get the right crane, for the right job
Planning a lift is one of the most complicated undertakings in construction or engineering.
It takes a huge range of skills to ensure that all the right criteria is met.
If you are looking to book a crane, you probably have a huge to do list that looks a bit like the below:
- Making sure all Health and safety requirements are met.
- Complying with BS7121 and proving the competence of your team
- Site restrictions
- Weight and type of item being lifted
- Road closures
- Getting the kit to site
- Local restrictions
City Lifting have the most diverse fleet of cranes in the UK, so we will certainly have what you need BUT how is the right one selected?
Here are a few of the considerations our team take into account when picking the best crane for your project.
- Crane positioning
- Maximum radius for lift
- Lifting tackle
- Hook height
- Transport of crane and road closures
- ground bearing capacity
- Provision of suitable matts
- Clearance
- Weight, size and slinging points
- Height of obstructions
- Counterweights
- Rigging space
An experienced appointed person will know what questions to ask, but even then it’s unlikely that you will able to identify the right crane for heavy, or complex lifts right away.
Lee, a Senior Contract Manager at CityLifting is keen to make his clients aware of why this is so important…. “If any of this is rushed through or avoided, you are at significant risk of ending up with the wrong crane, or perhaps even unable to get one on site. This will cost time and as a result have a direct financial impact on the whole of the work chain.”
In order to ensure you eliminate the risk of delays or additional expense, it is generally a good idea to trust your crane provider with the whole job. Quality providers will be able to handle all aspects of the lift (getting back to that lengthy to do list). In doing so, you know the job will run smoothly, nothing will get overlooked and you are likely to save on spend in the long run. City Lifting always offer:
- On-site inspection
- Job planning
- Risk assessment
- Risk management
- Insurance
- Method statements
- All permits
- Road closures and traffic management
- Liaising with local authorities
- Transportation
- Specialist equipment including lifting tackle
So, choose a business that knows what it’s doing for your next lift and you can be confident it will be a job done well.
Best practice ensures that a thorough examination and assessment of the site and job is undertaken. Following this, you should be provided with a detailed report and proposal, from which it can be determined which kit and approach is best for your job.
To learn more about us and our fleet, download our PDF brochure. (link) or speak to our experienced advisors. (link to contact us page)
