If you own or operate a large warehouse or docking outfit, you’ll know the vital importance of cranes for the smooth and safe running of your business. Without cranes, which are safe and secure for use, you, your staff and your products could be in danger. For most manufacturers or importers, cranes are usually obtained through hire arrangements from companies like ours! If you’re new to the industry and you don’t know quite what you need, hiring a crane can be a daunting challenge. To help you navigate what you need for your crane hire, we’ve created a guide containing some of the main things you need to keep in mind.
Which Crane Hire Is Right For You?
One of the very first things that you’ll need to know when hiring a crane is which type of crane to opt for! You’ll need to have a pretty concrete idea of the type of goods or equipment you will be handling, how much space available and the kind of load capacity you require. If you know what it is you need to lift, it’s much easier to get a clear understanding of the kind of cranes you might need. Here, we’ve provided more information on just a few of the cranes available on the market.
Single Girder or Double Girder
When choosing a crane for hire, you’ll have to decide whether a single girder or double girder operation would fit your needs more.
A single girder crane uses one girder bridge beam, two runway beams and two rails. The hoist system to lift the load is located on the bridge beam between the runway beams. These types of cranes are cost-effective for those who require light-medium load-lifting power. Single girder cranes are simple and effective for many requirements. With less material, these cranes are more lightweight as they use less heavy-duty rails and other supportive materials.
Double girder cranes, on the other hand, provide a more heavy-duty solution. If you are looking for a crane with no maximum span requirements, a double girder solution would be best for you. These cranes can carry much more and at greater heights. They are more expensive than a single girder crane, however, walkways and maintenance platforms can be added for longer use so they may stand up to more wear than a single girder crane.
Underslung
Underslung cranes are often seen in warehouses where floor space is a priority. The tracks that underslung cranes run on are found on the roof of the building, with no need for verticle columns from the floor. Underslung cranes can’t carry quite as much as standard single or double girder cranes, however, they are quieter, more reliable and smoother. For smaller warehouses with lighter loads, underslung cranes are a perfect choice.
Heavy Duty
Heavy-duty, Goliath or Semi-Goliath cranes are some of the strongest cranes available on the market; often used for large projects and very heavy loads. These large, rail-mounted, floor-travelling cranes are designed to cope with much larger loads than standard single or double girder cranes for jobs that need a bit more oomph!
Are Your Staff Sufficiently Trained?
It’s of vital importance that your staff are sufficiently trained to use any of the cranes you require for your business. Without adequate training, you can find you, your business and your staff in seriously hot water! The British Standard Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Cranes, which is part of the Health and Safety Executive, is a set of recommendations which guides the safe use of cranes across industries. These regulations ensure that all employees operating cranes abide by an agreed-upon code of practice to improve safety.
During a staff training programme for crane operation, employees will learn about the importance of sticking with load capacities and seeing the signs that would lead to accidents. Without this kind of rigorous safety training, serious accidents could take place. As well as damaging stock and your business, this could have serious health implications for any members of staff unfortunate enough to get be the victims of an accident. Health and safety should always be the most important concern when working on a construction site or warehouse and ensuring your staff are properly trained, will improve compliance.
Do You Have The Necessary Height-Safety Equipment?
As well as ensuring that all of the relevant staff at your site are properly trained, it’s also essential that you have the right safety equipment for the heights you are working at. If working at great heights, it’s always advised that you invest in height safety equipment, like safety lines, restraint equipment and fall-arrest gear. Training will also help to ensure that drop zones are always clear. Combining the proper equipment with adequate training provides the best level of safety for all staff and protects your business.
Service, Maintenance and Repairs
When choosing a crane hire company, it’s always worth asking your provider whether they can also perform regular repair and maintenance work, depending on the length of the hire. You never know when things are going to go the wrong way and a faulty crane could lead to costly downtime for the business. As well as this, a crane that requires maintenance could be a health and safety hazard.
By choosing a crane hire company which also provides servicing, repair and maintenance of the cranes they supply, you can rest assured that someone is waiting in the wings if the worst should happen. You’ll be able to arrange a call-out at the earliest possible opportunity to get your business up and running again. By setting out a maintenance schedule at the very beginning of the rental period, you’ll be able to reduce the likelihood of any downtime by always ensuring that the crane you hire is in the best possible condition. This may also help you to ensure that your business is operating as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Looking For Crane Hire Across South Wales? Look No Further Than Crane & Lifting Services Ltd
Here at Crane & Lifting Services Ltd, we’re one of the oldest and most well-renowned crane hire companies across South Wales. All of our professional crane experts are highly qualified, highly experienced and have been trained by some of the best in the business. We ensure that all of our engineers remain compliant with the latest best practice and regulations. Staying ahead of the curve means that we can provide an excellent service to every single customer we work with. As well as supplying high-quality crane hires, we also always endeavour to provide the best customer experience possible.
Whether you need to find a crane for hire for your next project or your crane requires routine maintenance or repair works, we can help. Whichever style of crane design you need, we can provide you with all of the advice to ensure you make the right choice for your requirements. With service across the UK, we can help you with your project wherever you are!
To find out more, you can contact us today. We have offices located in Cardiff, Bristol, London, Swansea and Aylesbury. Our head office can be found at Crane & Lifting Services Ltd, Unit 7 Atlantic Point, Atlantic Trading Estate, Barry, CF63 3AA, you can call us on 01446 700 945 or email us at admin@craneandlifting.co.uk