Crane Rental Tips

Cranes are standard equipment on construction sites where contractors need to lift or move heavy items. Given that cranes are expensive, most contractors opt to hire these machines. The excerpt below details some crane hire tips that will guarantee cost savings and safety at your site. 

Hire The Crane Based On Your Needs

Some contractors will hire the crane with a one-crane-fits-all mentality. However, this approach could lead to downtime and accidents at the site. As a best practice, you should rent the crane based on your needs. Therefore, inform the rental company about the weights you intend to lift and the height of the building. You should also determine a suitable swing angle. If you have several operations at your site, consider mobile cranes. These cranes are designed to sit on trucks. They are easy to erect and flexible in that it only takes a few minutes to move the crane from one site to the next. 

Inspect The Crane Before Signing The Rental Contract

Generally, the cranes posted on the company's website are new. However, over time, they will eventually suffer significant wear and tear. Besides, they may have developed severe mechanical issues. As such, inspect the crane before signing the rental contract. Sometimes, it is impossible to visit the company's premises to inspect the crane. If this is your situation, ask the company to give a guarantee that you will receive a high-quality crane. 

Train Your Employees On Crane Operation

Cranes can cause accidents at your site. An easy way to avoid such events is by training your employees on how the crane operates. For example, they should wear reflective jackets and helmets to ensure they are visible to the crane operator. Additionally, they should not attempt to interfere with the crane's controls. Finally, the crane should not be used during poor weather. 

Consider Rigging Services

Since your employees do not have the technical expertise required to operate the crane, you should hire riggers to assist the crane operator with crane operation. The riggers will signal the operator when to lift and lower the loads. Besides, they will inform the operator about the various site risks. It could be an oncoming truck, a person standing on the crane's blind spots or low-lying wires. Riggers also help out with crane inspections and maintenance. 

When hiring a crane, examine your needs, inspect the crane for mechanical issues, train your employees. The rule is that you should work with experienced and accredited crane hire companies that prioritise the needs of their clients. 

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