If you’re interested in hiring crane rental services, there are a few essential points to keep in mind. First, constantly research the company thoroughly. Look at their customer service, physical location, and public reviews.

Also, decide whether you want a bare rental or an operated and maintained rental agreement. Bare rentals are usually cheaper upfront, but labor and maintenance expenses will fall on you.

What is a Crane?

A crane is a machine that lifts and moves heavy objects, like the building materials used to construct urban skyscrapers or the trusses on rural barn roofs. Many parts go into creating the large equipment you see on construction sites, each performing an important function.

A crane uses simple machines to multiply force, like a pulley (where the wire rope wraps around multiple rope-guiding wheels or blocks called sheaves) and a lever (the boom). These devices allow the crane to maneuver loads suspended in midair.

The main body of a crane, the cab, has large, toughened glass windows to give the operator a good view of the load they are lifting. The boom can be either a lattice structure or a telescoping one that extends and retracts using power from hydraulic cylinders. Most cranes also have a hoist and wire ropes to create lift. Many cranes are mounted on tracks instead of wheeled, giving them more excellent stability and speed on rough terrain than a mobile crane.

How to Rent a Crane

The first step to renting a crane is finding a trusted, local company with a solid reputation, the Crane Rental in Florida. You want to look at the size of their fleet, visual condition, public reviews, and the number of years they have been in business.

Renting is often cheaper than purchasing a crane because it doesn’t require ongoing maintenance costs and storage space. You should also know how much weight you need to lift, as this will determine what type of crane you need (e.g., walk behind, carry deck, or tower).

Additionally, consider how far you will need to transport the materials to your job site. This will help determine if you need a rough terrain or crawler crane and whether a lift extension or telescopic boom is necessary. Finally, it would help to always draw up a site access plan before hiring a crane. This will ensure the crane can reach your location and allow you to calculate travel fees for an operator if needed.

Crane Safety

Crane safety is an essential issue that every construction or project manager should be familiar with. With proper procedures, such as equipment inspections, adherence to load limits and rigging requirements, and a strong culture of safety awareness, managers can be confident that their crews are operating cranes safely.

Before any lift begins, all personnel should carefully plan where the crane will be positioned (we call this a pick point) and be aware of any overhead obstructions, such as powerlines. It’s also a good idea to notify persons nearby with an air horn or audible alarm siren before lifting and upon completion of the lift to alert those who may not have the crane in their line of sight.

It is also vital to have a system in place to ensure that all required pre-operational documentation, such as the crane’s annual inspection and operator certifications, make their way into the hands of the person in charge of running the lift. To simplify this process, you can sign up for our Certs & Alerts notification system that delivers all your crane documents directly to your mobile device.

Crane Maintenance

Cranes are complex machines requiring consistent maintenance to be used correctly. When well cared for, cranes run at optimum capacity and can prevent costly repairs and lost production time.

Regular inspections help identify potential problems and allow for repair before they turn into serious issues that threaten the safety of workers and equipment on the job site. Cranes should be inspected according to a schedule that considers the environment, age of the crane, and frequency of use.

A visual inspection of the cab, boom, and jib to look for signs of physical damage like bending, kinks, or cracking. Also, all moving parts should be checked to identify signs of wear, such as rust or corrosion under attachments. Finally, a full electrical and power inspection should be completed to ensure all components are in working order. Also, complete technical preparation should be prepared for mechanical and electrical parts with a trend of breakage to ensure they are ready for the next repair period.