Crane Rental Tips and Advice to Consider Before Renting Machinery
Before you consider crane hire, there are many aspects that you will need to understand especially the issue of liability. A crane is a potentially dangerous device. Most of the time, the crane owner will be supply a crane supervisor that will be responsible of everything pertaining to the lift. The crane owner should be insured for the loss of the crane or equipment if there is negligence on the part of the owner as well as for loss or damage to third party property. Most crane hire contracts will stipulate that the hirer will be liable for any negligence, unstable ground conditions, bad information about the lift, and inadequate conditions for crane operation. Before you consider crane hire, you should definitely make sure that you are insured.
Lifting a load using a crane is always a high risk operation that has inherent risks. Always have a plan to ensure that the work gets done safely and ensure that you are properly insured against all of these risks. If you do not feel that you have the proper competence to carry out a lift, instead of crane hire perhaps a better option would be to contract a crane company to carry out the lift. Most crane hire agreements will make the Hirer responsible for the equipment and the operator as soon as they arrive at the site. However, make sure to check where this liability starts. Most crane hire contracts will make the Hirer responsible as soon as the crane leaves the nearest public highway, so events occurring on access roads will usually be the responsibility of the Hirer.
You should also prepare a method statement and a risk assessment for your lift and follow all BS7121 guidelines. You or the person you appoint to carry out the operation should understand all aspects of the load, conditions on the ground, heavy loadings, and crane capacity. It is also important to have an expert assess the exact equipment you will need for your operations and that you have the proper test certificates. Personnel involved in the operation should be vetted carefully to ensure that everyone is competent for their duties.
Your insurance should cover damage or loss to the crane as long as it is under your control, including road damage. It should cover loss or damage to the goods being lifted. You should also have insurance to cover all loss of revenue while any damaged or lost items are replaced or repaired and possible injury of the crane operator or other parties involved in the lift.
Resources:
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