How to Properly Prep Your Site for Crane Arrival
You have checked all the permits and certifications, dotted the i’s, and crossed those t’s. But completing the required paperwork and signing a contract is only the first step of many before a site is ready for crane delivery.
You need to ensure the crane can be delivered to the site, positioned correctly, and that the terrain and layout around it allows for safe operation. In this article, we will walk through the steps you need to take to properly prep your job site for the arrival of your crane rental.
1. Determine Site Access
Positioning cranes on site can be a delicate balance of safety and being close enough to complete work. One often overlooked aspect of using a crane is getting it on-site in the first place. Review the roads the crane will be transported on, the gate or entrance to the worksite, and any area where you may need to set up or transfer crane parts if it isn’t a mobile crane.
You need to make sure that any bumps, rises, and turns won’t impede the crane from moving into or around the site to where it will be placed.
2. Prepare Stable Ground
Before operating a crane onsite, you need to look at the area where it will be working. OSHA standards for crane operation layout numerous hazards to look out for and what precautions to take.
Cranes should sit on firm ground that has been graded and drained for stability. While outriggers add significant balance, they cannot make up for overly rough or unstable terrain underneath the crane. An unstable setting may cause a crane to tip over.
Tipping is the third most common cause of crane accidents and injury. We have more information on stability and tipping if you are interested.
3. Mitigate Safety Hazards
You want to make sure your crane site is close enough to perform lifts but far enough that you don’t risk hitting structures or workers and won’t need to risk using a side-pull. One of the most significant hazards to make sure you mitigate is if you are working around power lines.
If electricity to a line can be powered off, you are required to do so. While it is safer for lines to be unpowered on construction or maintenance sites, this is often difficult or impossible due to the length of time work will take place and the needs of residences and businesses in the area.
The minimum clearance for any power line is ten feet, but the higher the voltage, the greater the clearance required.
Make sure dangerous areas are clearly marked out and communicated to your team so that the crane doesn’t go into unsafe areas and that workers don’t wander into the danger zone as well. Review these designated areas and the crane itself daily before you begin lifts.
4. Have a Pre-Site Inspection
Once you have the physical site itself prepped, make sure to have key management, crane operators, and site supervisors review the area for any other potential issues. It can be challenging for general contractors to memorize every safety standard, so pull in experts in the area.
If you are renting the crane, the rental company may provide pre-site inspections with certified personnel.
5. Plan for Inclement Weather
Construction is a year-round affair, meaning crews and machines are often required to work through less than ideal conditions. Severe storms, winds, or rain can often pop up with little notice throughout the year, exponentially increasing the risk of damage or injury on work sites.
Make sure you know how to mitigate inclement weather risks on non-ideal days and when it is time to call off any site work due to weather. Depending on your project's timeline, you should try to work in the potential for days where crane work cannot be safely completed into your work schedule if your area is prone to severe weather.
6. Prepare Your Existing Personnel
Communication is critical for anyone on a worksite. Take steps to train workers who will be nearby the crane site in standard OSHA hand signals for crane operation.
Knowing this essential communication tool reduces confusion when machinery is being operated, a time when hearing may be difficult, or view lines are blocked. Any time you improve communication, you also improve safety.
Full-Service Crane Rental in the Carolinas and Beyond
No matter the job, using the right tool makes all the difference. Make sure you select a crane that fits your job site requirements for the safest and most effortless experience.
With over 40 years of moving and operating cranes, Parker’s Crane Service has the expertise you need for safe, reliable crane operations no matter the season or weather.
We pride ourselves on safety and our Zero Accident Philosophy and conduct many detailed safety measures when performing a job to ensure that no project carries unnecessary risk. We perform the following for every single job we take:
- Pre-Lift Job Assessments
- Daily Risk Assessments
- On-site Hazard Analysis
- Routine Management Audits
With a fleet of well-maintained hydraulic truck cranes, we offer not only the best equipment, but can also help with site installation, maintenance, and operation. Our crew is OSHA and MSHA compliant to ensure your site and crew safety.
Contact us today If you’d like more information on how we can help you with your current or planned job.