With the introduction of new construction crane standards and certifications, there are some key tips that people sitting these tests need to remember when taking the signal person test.

1. Understand crane operations and limitations

When a signaller understands what crane operations, limitations and results may occur when certain signals are given to direct a crane operator, then they can use this information to carry out tasks and direction more effectively. For example, if a crane is about to be put into an overload condition then a signal person needs to signal the gain or loss of capacity to the crane operator quickly and clearly.

2. Special assignments as a signal person

As a signal person, it is important to understand each of the different signals and what they mean. For example, the ‘blind pick’ relay signal is assigned to lifts being made in a prohibited zone, or during lifting activity that uses a suspended personnel platform.

3. Present the hand signals correctly

When signalling the movements must be standardised and performed clearly so that they are easily understood. This is key so there is no room for misinterpretation. No allowance should be made for lazy hand signals.

4. Give voice signals in the correct format

When carrying out signals there is a set format that must be followed: function and direction; distance or speed; function and stop.

5. Understand what to do when there’s a failure in the communication process

All signals are continuous, whether that be via hand or voice, therefore this means that when an unplanned event occurs to the signal person they should give a ‘stop’ or ‘emergency stop’ signal. This allowed for the event to be sorted and the load moved on without causing an incident. There may be times when the operator cannot see or hear the signals, suspecting an unplanned loss of contact has occurred. At this point, they should stop moving the crane and load until they regain communication and the situation rectified. It is integral that a signal person also knows what to do during an unplanned event.

Contact

If you would like any more information on crane safety, or you would be interested in learning more about the services NMT Crane Hire provides, please get in touch with one of our friendly team members by calling us on 0800 026 6985, or fill out one of our online enquiry forms.

Deadline for CPC Traning Approached: Are Your Drivers Ready

Most of us are not aware of the fact that there is CPC training for heavy vehicle drivers to take. Many times, it has so happened, that we have actually gasped when we see a very huge vehicle or lorry being driven on the highway, and have pondered how is this driver able to manage and drive such a big vehicle so efficiently. Well, this is the magic of CPC Training.rnrn Continue reading “Deadline for CPC Training Approaches: Are Your Drivers Ready?”

What Is Heavy Haulage and When Do You Need It

The grand statue of a tower crane is a symbol of sheer height, yet the whole process of constructing and transporting a crane to a new site is synonymous with size. For a big piece of machinery like a crane, you need an accommodating delivery service that can transport the largest objects both safely and efficiently. Heavy haulage is a specific industry that has been tailor-made for oversized objects such as cranes; the industry is an essential piece of the puzzle in sculpting our skyline.

What is Heavy Haulage?

The classification behind heavy haulage stretches further than the size of your object. There are a number of categories that diagnose your load with specific speed limits and weight restrictions. Category 2 and 3 vehicles, which is where the majority of heavy haulage vehicles reside, are limited to 40 mph on motorways and 35 mph on dual carriageways, and depending on the precise weight of the vehicle, you may need to be granted permission to transport the goods.

Heavy Haulage Weight Restrictions

With loads exceeding a gross weight of 78 tonnes, you will need to inform the Highway and Bridge Authorities with at least 2 clear days of notice. The same goes for loads over 147 tonnes, except in this case, the notice period is extended to 5 days and the Police must also be informed. There are a number of categories that require notice and special permission, so to familiarise yourself with all these guidelines, take a look at the Special types enforcement guide.

Despite the rules and regulations, heavy haulage is not an exclusive industry. Although this method of transportation is mainly reserved for agriculture, construction and in the delivery of static homes, there is a reason why so many companies opt for one big haul over multiple journeys with smaller lorries. Although the premium of heavy haulage may exceed the costs of smaller delivery options, the cost of multiple trips will soon add up to one higher than a single, larger service. This method is also less time consuming, and allows all the parts of a crane, for example, to be delivered in a more timely fashion, speeding up the entire construction process. Heavy haulage is only an option to consider if your use of a crane conforms with a CPA contract, where you will need to provide everything but the crane for your build.

If you are in the process of constructing all the parts to your latest build and need a crane transported to your site, you can call on the services NMT Crane Hire to deliver the goods. Just contact us on 0800 026 6985 or you can use our online form to leave us a message.

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The Science Behind Power Cranes

If you have marvelled at a tower crane and asked yourself “how do those things work?” don’t worry, you are not on your own. A feat of engineering, tower cranes have been at the forefront of construction and innovation for centuries, yet knowledge of their mechanics and their functionalities are still reserved for experts and practitioners. To shed light on this industry, NMT Crane Hire study the science behind tower cranes.

Foundations For Tower Cranes

One of the most important aspects in ensuring a crane strays upright is making sure a suitable foundation has been laid. Like any building or skyscraper, a foundation needs to be sewn in order to secure the structure and to prevent any mishaps. Typically, a foundation for a tower crane will be secured with cement (again, like a building or skyscraper) and in certain cases, steel beams will be used for added security to the structure. The usual formatting of a crane’s foundation will consist of the base of the crane being attached to a concrete pad via large anchor bolts. Following on from this step, the pad will be connected to the steel beams, which are reinforced with concrete pillars. This foundation gives the crane a wider base platform, and as it is secured with concrete, this significantly reduces the chances of any tower crane toppling, even in extreme conditions. Modern-day cranes and their foundations are built to withstand winds of up to 145mph, meaning they should comfortably deal with category 4 hurricanes and storms.

Counterbalancing

Another vital component of a tower cranes structure is the counterbalance. Evidently, tower cranes are not built to just stand up and look pretty; they are responsible for manoeuvring large materials at great heights. When operating heavy materials at height, one of the main concerns is the risk of toppling, and that is why tower cranes are usually fitted with a counterweight. However, the equation for working out how much weight is needed for a specific load is far more sophisticated than one would think. Here is the equation in full to help you determine the appropriate counterbalance weight for your crane:

Step 1: Determine the amount of weight being applied to one end of your crane

Step 2: Measure the distance between the weight and the pivot point

Step 3: Multiply the amount of weight by the distance between the two points

Step 4: Measure the distance of the opposite side of the level (the space which is available for the counterbalance.)

Step 4: Divide the total applied torque (the force which causes the rotation) by the distance of the counterbalance weight.

How Heavy Can They Lift?

As mentioned in the equation above, the amount of counterbalance required depends on the weight of the materials. As cranes are required to lift high and to lift big, just how heavy can they haul? The maximum unsupported height for a crane is around 265 feet, but this height can increase if the crane is attached to the side of a building. With that in mind, the typical tower crane offers a lifting power of around 19.8 metric tonnes. As previously explained, this amount of weight changes depending on the height of the crane, the conditions in which the crane is lifting and a number of other variables, and with a number of safety concerns, it is important to air on the side of caution when deciding how you load your tower crane.

NMT Crane Hire are experts in the field of crane hire, so if you wish to find out more about all of our services, contact us today on 0800 026 6985 or leave us a message via our online contact form.

When we think of a crane, we picture a loud, urban landscape with a lanky, yellow structure manoeuvring large objects high into the sky. For the most part, this is the environment cranes are resigned to. Yet, sometimes, these pieces of machinery disregard stereotypes to leave us picking our jaws up off the floor.

Outside of the construction sites, cranes have created some spectacular, death-defying moments from base jumping to conducting scientific research on the moon. So, besides from constructing a building, what can you do with a crane?

Hold A Protest

In total Jackass fashion, stuntman Steve-O revolutionised the traditional ‘peaceful sit-in’ by clambering up a 100ft crane in protest of SeaWorld. Recording the whole ordeal on Facebook, Steve-O and his small, inflatable Orca grabbed headlines all around the world with one of his most dangerous stunts yet. A subsequent night in jail seemed worth it for the cause, however, as the hashtag ‘#SeaWorldSucks’ trended worldwide, forcing the Orlando aquarium to halt their Orca breeding programme.

Steve-O and the Jackass crew have performed hundreds of meaningless stunts over the last 15 years, but this may just have been their most significant.

Test The Limits Of The Body

David Blaine has pushed his body right to the very edge on multiple occasions to wow his audiences, yet one of his oldest stunts is still his most famous. Back in 2003, the American magician and illusionist imprisoned himself in a plexiglass box for 44 days, with only 4.5 litres of water a day to keep him company. Suspended by a crane on the doorstep of Tower Bridge, Blaine pushed the limits of the human body right to the very edge, drawing huge crowds for each of the 44 days.

As Crane uses go, this is one of the most extraordinary.

Explore Space

For as long as science as a concept has existed, mankind has strived to push the boundaries of exploration and research. This desire for knowledge eventually lead scientists to the moon back in the 60’s and ever since then, a number of tests and research projects were carried out to further our understanding of our neighbouring planets.

The invention of the lunar crane has long been a major tool when studying the moon, collecting rocks and gathering materials for scientific research. In terms of the most meaningful crane uses, researching the solar system has provided scientists with a greater understanding of our galaxy.

Make A Hit YouTube Video

The internet is littered with videos that make you laugh, cry and cringe. But when two Russian free climbers ascended the crane atop of the Shanghai Tower, it created a video which will make any viewers’ palms’ instantly sweaty. With no harnesses in sight, these two daredevils stroll along the 650ft high crane without a care in the world. The resulting footage has become one of the most watched videos on the platform, racking up an impressive 62 million views.

While cranes have their uses, none of the others are as perilous than this. But hey, anything for a like, ey?

Fuel Your Inner Adrenaline Junkie

What is the one thing you need for base jumping? Height! (And a parachute, you’ll need one of those too). Cranes offer the perfect platform for anyone looking to base and bungee jump, and NMT have recently provided a 700-tonne crane for the annual World Base Jumping competition.

If you fancy yourself as a stuntman/daredevil/lunatic, then base jumping off a 90ft crane offers the perfect platform to get your kick.

Build The World’s Tallest Building

Ever since the crane was invented, humans have had a desire to build taller and taller and taller. The end result is the 2,700ft monument that looms over the Emirati desert. The building is so tall that crane operators live in their cranes for a whole working week, as the time it takes to descend the tower would leave them with only a few hours before they make the climb again.

The desire to build bigger is one of the purest crane uses there are, and who knows? Perhaps in a few years, architects will construct a building even taller than the Burj Khalifa.

Film A Blockbuster Movie

Cranes may not be synonymous with movie sets, but they have been used to capture some of the most iconic shots in film and TV history. Construction work and industrious work may be the most common of crane uses, but these huge pieces of machinery also offer a certain degree of subtlety and creativity when needed.

If you are in the process of filming the next Oscar-nominated flick, or if you need a crane for any one of these projects, contact NMT Crane Hire today to speak to one of our operators.

How much Can a Mobile Crane Lift?

On any construction site, mobile cranes are brought in to do all the dirty work. They are synonymous with lifting objects of any shape and size way into the sky, but their strength mustn’t be underestimated either. But just how heavy can they lift?

Some cranes can lift over a 1000 tonnes without breaking a sweat, but mobile cranes provide a more dynamic service than the big, robotic brutes that deadlift up and down all day. Although mobile cranes and tower cranes are far more versatile and maneuverable, they also have to roll up their sleeves and help shift some weight.

Before we start detailing specific load charts, let’s add in some context for comparison. In the construction of buildings, the typical tower crane can lift an unsupported weight of around 20 tonnes, depending on the conditions, while still being able to move the object around with relative ease.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that tower cranes are used in the construction of buildings, however. In most cases, mobile cranes are restricted in the height which they can lift, but the weight often puts tower cranes to shame.

Across the NMT Crane Hire site, there are a number of mobile cranes used for a variety of jobs.

The nimble city mobile cranes are quick and comparably featherweight in comparison to other mobile cranes, but you will still be able to lift weights of 13-70 tonnes with these machines. When dotting about to different locations and lifting respectable amounts of weight, city mobile cranes do just the trick.

In a complete contrast to the city cranes, when working on treacherous ground, all terrain mobile cranes prove to be a sturdy alternative. With a lifting capacity of up to 160 tonnes, all terrain mobile cranes also double the load chart of a mobile crane, while still being firmly locked into position.

So far, we have looked at mobile cranes which can be used for the quick and easy tasks, and mobile cranes which can cope on almost any surface, but for those jobs which require immense lifting power, it is time to call in the big guns. Our heavy crane selection can lift anything from 200 to 700 tonnes, while still being fully mobile. Although this weight cannot be lifted to the height of a tower crane, sometimes height has to be substituted for unrivalled lifting power.

Depending on the type of work which is being carried out on your site, lifting power isn’t the only criteria to consider. Follow the links to the individual pages for every type of crane listed above to find out more about their specifications.

To speak to one of our advisors, contact us on 0800 026 6985 or use our online form to request a callback.

NMT supplied their 700 ton Terex for a complex lift,which involved aerial rigging the 36 metre luffing jib at a site in Snetterton,Norfolk.rnrnAlthough it was a awkward set up and involved a 250 ton crane as the rigging crane,the crane was ready to work in less than 8 hours.

NMT used a 220 ton and 250 ton crane to tandem lift a ship, built especially for the latest ‘Alice through the Looking Glass’ film.  The same two cranes were also used to light the set.  The ship was constructed on site, filmed and then loaded onto transport to be moved to a new location.  A great piece of engineering.Well done to all concerned.