Factors for New Construction Managers to Consider Before Hiring a Crane
In case you have just landed your first job of overseeing a construction project, chances are that you will be required to hire a crane at some point in the future. For instance, while some project owners will source and avail their own commercial cranes, there are instances where you will be forced to hire a crane for one reason or another. Having the right crane for a given task is critical to the completion of the project. Therefore, instead of waiting to learn from possible mistakes, it is good to take time and learn a few things about contracting the services of a hired crane.
Weights to Be Lifted -- It is a fact that commercial construction projects involve heavy lifting. As such, you will need a crane that can handle the different weights involved in the construction project. Before hiring a crane, you should ensure that you are specific with your project's weight lifting requirements. The more specific you are about weight requirements, the more likely you are to hire the right type of crane.
Safety Check -- Before hiring a crane, conduct a thorough safety check in areas where the crane will be operating. Look out for safety hazards that may affect workers and people living in the vicinity as well as the crane, for instance, electric wires, underground pipes or loose soil. You do not want to be held liable for damaging a hired crane for reasons that would have been avoided with a safety check.
Rigging Points -- It is important to know whether the lifting will require special rigging or not because understanding how the crane will be attached to loads is critical to ensuring safety. Since different types of construction materials have different weights, most will require different rigging methods. For instance, if the crane will be lifting heavy materials, special rigging that can bear extreme loads will be needed. As such, the crane you plan to hire must allow the type of rigging demanded by the task.
Destination of Hired Crane -- When hiring a crane, it is obvious that you will need to transport it to your construction site. Since in Australia cranes are classified as Special Purpose Vehicles, they require special travel permits when entering certain areas due to their unique dimensions. For instance, if you are transporting your crane to or through New South Wales, you will need to apply for the NSW Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicles Notice or a specific access permit. Making arrangements to acquire these permits before you hire a crane will help save time as well as monetary resources.
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