When you are undertaking crane rigging you need to be cautious as you can easily hurt yourself and others on the site. You can also easily damage the crane leading to you incurring heavy loses as you have to fix the crane. The cool thing is that there are plenty of things you can do to be safe. Some of these things include:
Hire the right machine
Everything begins here. There is no way you are going to have a safe rigging project if you have the wrong machine. If this is the first time you are renting a crane you should know that there are plenty of cranes in the market that you can go for. The cranes come in different sizes and are ideal for different applications.
Before you head to the stores to rent the machine, first ask a professional to visit your site and inspect it. After this, he/she will let you know the right machine that is ideal for your application.
In addition to the crane, you also need to pay attention to the slings and hardware. Every load has a different rigging and safety requirements, and different hardware has different capacities for size and weight.
Just like with the crane, you should ask a professional to help you in identifying the right hardware for your application. As rule of thumb, ensure that the rigging equipment is of high quality and in good condition. The last thing you want is the sling breaking when you are lifting the load.
Handle and take good care of the equipment
Renting the right crane and sling equipment isn’t enough—you also need to take good care of it. Every day, before you undertake the rigging, you should inspect the machine and the slinging equipment and confirm that they are in good shape.
If you notice a problem, regardless of how minor, you should fix it immediately. Once you are done with the day, you should clean off the sling and machine. You should note that if you fail to clean the equipment, it will rust and within a short time, it will stop working.
In addition to cleaning, you also need to lubricate it in order to ensure optimum performance.
Operate the machine properly
You will rent the right crane, maintain it properly, but if you don’t operate it properly, it’s bound to develop problems.
For optimum safety and peace of mind, ensure that the machine you are using is operated by a qualified and experienced rigging expert. The good thing is that most companies will supply you with a crane operator when you rent a crane.
If you have to hire the operator by yourself, you should take caution and ensure that you hire the right one. as rule of thumb, ensure that he/she is experienced. He/she should also be certified to work in your local area.
In addition to the crane operator, you also need to hire the right assistant. This is the person who will direct the operator during the lifting. The rule of thumb is to ensure that the assistant is highly experienced with hand signaling and can effectively communicate with the operator.
Pay attention to the load weights
Plenty of accidents and property damages have been reported as the crane tips over or the weight falls. This is because the crane operators lift more than the crane can handle.
When you are hiring the crane, you should get to know the maximum weight that the crane can carry. As rule of thumb, never lift the weight that is more than the crane can handle.
Work with properly maintained cranes
As mentioned above, the success of your rigging project begins with the type of crane that you hire. Ensure that the crane rental services DC takes good care of its machines. The last thing you want is the machine grinding to a halt in the middle of your project.
When hiring, ask to see the maintenance records. For your project to always be in progress, you should hire the cranes from a company with plenty of machines. This way you have peace of mind that in the event one of the machines stops working, you can easily get a replacement.
