Working at height is dangerous, and when you add machinery and large construction cranes into the mix it becomes hazardous if the correct safety measures and precautions are not followed properly. If things go wrong, it can lead to injuries, fatalities and damage cost to buildings and materials. But, what are the most common crane hazards and how can you take measures to prevent them? 

In our latest blog, we outline the three most hazards. It is important to be aware of crane hazards and the ways in which you can avoid them.

 

3 Most Common Crane Hazards

Falling loads

This is one of the most common hazards when working with cranes. A falling load can result in serious injury, fatality or structural damage to a building or property, leading to significant time and money costs. There are a number of reasons why a load can fall from an overhead crane – operator incompetency, slipping, mechanical failure, and two blocking.

Electrical hazards

A large number of crane-related accidents involve the metal part of the overhead crane coming into contact with a power source (such as a high-voltage power line). This means an increased risk of the crane’s hoist line and boom touch in energised power lines – anyone who is directly touching them is most likely to be electrocuted. This can result in multiple deaths and injuries. It is crucial that a risk assessment is carried out before starting work.

Crane overload 

A large majority of crane failures also occur as a result of somebody overloading the crane. If you exceed a crane’s operational capacity, then you will likely subject it to structural stresses that cause irreversible damage. Ways in which you can overload a crane include: swinging or suddenly dropping loads; hoist loads beyond the cranes capacity; using defective components; dragging loads; side-loading a boom.

 

Contact

If you’re interested in hiring cranes or lifting equipment, we pride ourselves on building customer relationships and providing an excellent service. With over 40 years of experience within this industry so we are able to provide knowledgeable advice on equipment and crane safety. Get in touch by calling 0800 026 6985 or you can fill in our contact form and we’ll get back to you shortly.

In this blog, we discuss the difference between crane hire and contract crane hire and the advantages. When you’re planning a lift, it is very commonplace to hire a crane and an operator to work on your instructions on the site.

 

The difference between crane hire and contract lift hire

Standard crane hire is simple; if you don’t require the services of a crane operator or appointed person then you can just hire the crane. However, this means that the crane will be your responsibility whilst on your site.

Whereas contract lift hire is when you hire a crane with the assistance of a crane operator and fully-qualified appointed person. This means that all aspects of the lift are the responsibility of the crane hire company rather than the customer. The appointed person uses their expertise to draw comprehensive lift plans and guides you through where to rig the pedestrian crane or mobile crane. The crane operator ensures that it is safe to carry out the lift.

 

What does an appointed person/ crane operator do?

Typically with contract lift hire, an appointed person will take care of a number of different things. Firstly, they will ensure that the mobile or tower crane has been maintained, services, tested and certified. They will also look after any additional lifting equipment and carry out a thorough site survey. 

A crane operator can offer expert advice and recommendations both before and during the lift, as well as drawing up a detailed plan of action. Alongside this, they will conduct a full site ground assessment to enable the crane is rigged safely.

Furthermore, if the lift requires road closures they will be the ones in communication with the police, as well as taking care of risk assessments.

 

What are the advantages of contract lift hire?

The crane hire company will take on these responsibilities:

• Plans the lift with a suitable crane and designated an appointed person to supervise the lift
• They take on the majority of risks and responsibility, including legal liability in the event of an injury to the driver or property damage that could occur front the lifting operation 

 

What are the advantages of crane hire?

You are responsible for how you handle the lift, selecting the most appropriate model of crane for the lift as well as responsible for arranging any signalling. Alongside this, you are also responsible for supervising the lift while it’s in operation. It is important to provide an experienced and trained Appointed Person during the process.

 

Contact

If you’re interested in crane hire services we have a wide range here at NMT Crane Hire, please contact our team by calling us on 0800 026 6985, or filling out our online enquiry form.

If you are in the position where you require a piece of heavy haulage to be transported, you may be asking yourself whether it is better to purchase the transport equipment yourself or to rent it. In this blog, we will discuss the key advantages of renting heavy haulage vehicles and why it can be preferable over outright purchasing one.

Cost

If you are a business owner and are in the predicament of deciding if renting or buying a heavy haulage vehicle is right for you, the biggest argument for renting is perhaps the amount you could save on costs. Heavy-duty vehicles can be extremely expensive to buy, not to mention the addition of maintenance and upkeep, fuel and obtaining the necessary permits. 

All of this together can create a substantial financial burden, so when you consider how often you are likely to use the machine, it is likely to be way more cost-beneficial to rent rather than buying.

Experience 

When you hire a heavy haulage truck to move your large cargo, you are most likely going to be giving a professional, experienced truck driver to help with the transportation. The advantage of this is that an experienced heavy haulage driver is more likely to be able to move your goods from one place to another without any hitches.

An experienced heavy haulage driver will be comfortable moving hundreds of tonnes of cargo and will be more likely to keep to the strict timescale that you require. This, in turn, will ensure that your company operations run smoother, having the appropriate materials and machinery delivered to suit your schedule. 

Receive The Best Equipment

Another key reason for renting heavy haulage equipment rather than buying is that you are more likely to receive the best equipment for the job if renting from a hiring company. Rather than you and your company having to make a long term investment in a piece of machinery that may not be able to complete some of your required tasks, you will get an up to date vehicle ready for the job.

Similarly, you will not need to rely on a single piece of equipment to carry out all of your heavy haulage needs. When contacting a company about hiring a vehicle, you can give them details about the specifics of the job, meaning they can provide a vehicle tailored to that task.

Contact NMT 

If you would like to find out more information about heavy haulage and the equipment used, or would like to inquire about hiring one or more of our vehicles, please contact us by filling out our online enquiry form or by calling us on 0800 026 6985. You can also visit our heavy cranes page for more information.