Lifting machines has become one of the most indispensable parts of the renovation and construction industry, and we cannot imagine building a high-rise without using cranes. Crane is a versatile machine, and you can use it for various purposes. Cranes are available to be hired and you can find many crane service providers in your area.
However, if you have not hired a crane before, the process can look a little bit confusing for you as there are some factors that need to be considered before the final talk. In this article, we will talk about all those factors that you need to check before hiring a crane.
- Purpose: Before you think about hiring a crane service provider, you must be confirmed about your purpose or determine your need for hiring a crane. This means you need to ask yourself, why do you want to hire the crane service? The main task of a crane is to lift heavy weights and a crane can work at various levels and extent.
Many types of cranes are available out there for hiring but you must ensure your purpose or need first. Remember, the wrong decision can make you pay a heavy cost. Hence, you need to hire the crane as per your requirement or purpose, otherwise, it can be a devastating experience. - The Site: The site you are working at should be strong enough to hold a crane. In some cases, contractors hire heavy cranes without inspecting the site and witness mishaps thereafter. Unstable ground condition is not suitable to set a crane and you must be careful about this.
If you are planning to hire a heavy crane, you must invite the service provider or operators for site inspection so that you can avoid any mishaps in the future. Experts from a crane service provider will analyze the site ground condition to declare it safe for a crane.
- Load Weight: Lifting capacities vary from one crane to another, so you need to ensure the weight you want to lift with the crane. Starting from the light loads to heavy ones, different types of cranes are available out there, so you need to choose the one according to your load requirement.
Hiring a heavy lifting machine to lift the light loads will not be a good decision, as you will have to pay more than you need for a heavy crane. However, experts often suggest hiring a little bit heavier cranes than you need, as this will ensure safe lifting. For example, if you need to lift items weighing around 30 tons, it is better to bring a crane with more capacity.
- Insurance: Insurance is one of the most important factors you need to check before deciding. Whether you are planning to lift lightweight or heavy stuff, mishaps can take place at any time. Crane operation is a risky job and that is why you need to ensure that the service provider has sent an insured operator for the job.
The hire contract must include insurance coverage for the loss or damage of the crane or any other stuff at the site. Hence, before hiring a crane service provider, make sure the company provides insurance coverage.
- Experience: The efficiency of cranes often depends on the skill and experience of the operator. Hence, the company you have hired must have years of experience in the field. Look at the projects on which the company has worked previously. Talk to their previous clients if possible or check reviews online to learn about their reputation.
Also, you must make sure that the company has worked on projects like yours. A reputable company always works with trained and licensed operators who have the knowledge and skill required to execute different types of crane jobs.
These are some of the key factors that you need to look at when hiring cranes. Hence, hire a reputable and experienced crane service provider and get your job done without any unfortunate incidents.