Many Hands Make Light Work: A Construction Blog

Mobile cranes are essential in construction sites where contractors need robust and flexible equipment to hoist and move heavy items. This extract proposes a few questions to ask a mobile crane hire company when renting the crane. Hopefully, it will ensure you rent the right crane. 

What Are The Crane's Specifications?  

Mobile crane hire companies will often have a wide variety of cranes on hire. Therefore, they will inquire about the terrain of the site, the weights you intend to lift and how high you will lift loads. This information will help the company recommend a suitable crane. However, you should go the extra mile to assess the safety features of the crane, cabin comfort and its compatibility with attachments such as slab tongs and burden beams. 

What Guarantees Does The Company Give?

Most clients will forget to make this inquiry. However, it is an essential part of the mobile crane hire process since it gives insights into the condition of the crane. Typically, reputable companies will offer free repair and maintenance services should the crane develop mechanical problems while at your site. However, you will bear these costs if you were negligent when using the crane. For example, you could damage the hydraulic pump if you overload the crane. 

Do You Provide Operators? 

Some mobile cranes, such as telehandlers, have a straightforward operating mechanism. As such, you might opt to operate the crane yourself. However, you should consider asking for an operator if you require sophisticated mobile cranes such as folding boom, crawler, or rough terrain mobile cranes. For long-term hire, ask the company to provide an operator who can handle other tasks at the site. For example, some crane operators can easily drive excavators and graders. It will help prevent downtime at the site. 

What Are Your Restrictions? 

Most hiring companies will have strict terms and conditions. For example, they will expect you to take responsibility for the crane's security. As such, you must ensure that the site is well protected from buglers who would want to steal some of the crane's parts. Besides, you must ensure that the crane operates in a safe environment. Look out for risks such as underground sewer and water lines, low-lying electrical cables and unstable soils. It is a sure way to avoid crane accidents at the site. The rental company will also require regular updates if you intend to extend the hiring period or take the crane to a new site. 

When hiring a mobile crane, examine the crane's specifications, inquire about the company guarantees, ask for an operator and assess the company's terms.