Bringing a new industrial crane onto a project takes a lot of planning. You will have to prepare both the site and your crew for the presence of the crane. You will also have to make sure the crane operator is ready to take on their duties. Here's a few tips for preparing your site before your crane's arrival.

Make Sure Your Safety Measures take Cranes into Account

Before a crane ever arrives on site, you should make sure you update your fall protection and other safety guidelines to include cranes. Anyone who will work closely with or around the crane will require some training or refreshers.

Check the Local Laws

Just because you now have a crane doesn't necessarily mean you're allowed to bring it to your site. Always check the local laws to see if they have ordinances regarding the operation and movement of industrial cranes.

Some places may even have rules on what hours you're allowed to operate a crane. Don't skip this step if you plan to bring a crane on site.

Have a Clear Plan of Action for Your Crane

Have an explicit plan ready for when your crane and crane operator arrive on site. The crane operator should already know what they're doing and how they should do it. Work with your crane operator ahead of time to assess the situation. Figure out how to work the crane into your operation efficiently and with little hassle.

Make Sure There's a Staging Area for the Crane

Your crane will require a space all its own for inspection and preparation for the day's operations. That space will also work for post-operation inspection and tear down of the crane. You will need a large enough space for these things, but that space also needs to lead to areas where the crane will go to work.

Clean Up the Crane's Path

Make sure there's no obstructions between the crane and where it needs to go. In addition, you should clear a space around anything the crane will need to hoist, whenever possible.

The cleaner the path and area of operation, the more efficient the crane can work. Do it ahead of time if you want your crane to go to work for you with no intermediate downtime.

Ask for Help

If you haven't spent much time with industrial cranes, speak with professional crane operating services about what you should and shouldn't do. If you don't have a trained crane operator, such services can typically help you fill that role.

Just keep in mind that bringing a larger industrial crane on site isn't like bringing on other construction equipment. You have to know what you're doing, and plan heavily for the crane's use.

Share