Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Weekend Rigging - Months in the Works

A large rigging project can be an immense undertaking. While the lift itself may only take a day or two, it is the culmination of weeks or even months of intense preparation and planning.

Large rigging projects are almost always done over a weekend during daylight hours. Early on, the rigging team must sit down with the client and other involved parties to first choose a date for the lift that leaves sufficient time to receive the equipment and/or materials to be rigged and to secure all of the necessary permits from local, county and state authorities. A permit may be required by the FAA depending on the project’s proximity to an airport, and many towns require local police be notified. Early project planning also includes visits from the firm’s crane engineer and rigging team to assess the jobsite and project details. The gathered information will be used to determine the size, type and reach of the crane and where it will be positioned, as well the quantity, weight and dimensions of each piece to be lifted. The rigging plan should include strict measures to avoid all electrical lines and other obstacles that may endanger or interfere with the project, as well as travel paths for each load.

With safety as the top priority of every lift, rigging team members conduct multiple meetings with job safety and security personnel in preparation for the lift. Work areas must be cordoned off, streets and parking areas barricaded, and police or security personnel may be needed to direct traffic. 

Delivery logistics for the crane and the equipment to be lifted can be quite challenging in and of itself. On a project R. Baker & Son recently completed, for example, the crane and its various parts were shipped to the jobsite on twenty separate flatbed tractor trailers. Crane assembly (which required the services of a second crane) took an entire day, and the air handler sections slated for installation on a third-story roof arrived on five additional tractor trailers. These loads, as on all projects, had to be marked, staged in order, and readied before the day of the lift. 

When the day finally arrives, the crane operator and all rigging personnel must be in position bright and early for work to commence – weather permitting. Foul weather – high winds in particular – can be a cause for postponement until the next day or two. If the weather is good, all of the extensive preparation should result in a safe, smooth, and successful project. 

R. Baker & Son - All Industrial Services
190 Boundary Road
Marlboro, NJ 07746
732-222-3553
http://www.rbaker.com