Construction sites are busy environments that utilize a variety of machines and equipment. Crane rigging plays a crucial role in construction and other project and must be done safely because this is also the part where the risk of accidents taking place is the biggest. We are going to discuss some common rigging equipment challenges and how to solve them.

Ignoring Inspection Of Lifting And Rigging Equipment

It’s a great time for the construction industry. Back in the day, it would take a lot of time for the team to complete a project considering they didn’t have access to the technology that we have today. Modern equipment is a lot more effective and efficient. However, ignorance remains the same.

While the lifting and rigging equipment is to be transported to a new site, the relevant authorities make sure everything is packed and loaded properly. However, when it is time to leave, everybody is in a hurry and there are a lot of things one can easily miss out on.

Expecting the other team to manage the shortcomings comes with a lot of risks. It could be that the team is new and not trained enough to handle extremely heavy loads. In this case, you should make sure the gear is inspected before it leaves for its new destination. Ensuring you have everything in your inventory and properly maintained not only helps you save time but also complies with the industry standards.

At the same time, once the rigging equipment has arrived on site, you should inspect it at that time as well. The reason is that sometimes you might not be able to check the equipment if it is being directly transported from one location to another without any break.

On top of that, the new crew will be dealing with a rigging box that was packed by a previous crew who wanted to dodge the bullet. It is often that such equipment is unsafe to use. To tackle this situation, you can also bring a third-party inspector to the job site. Anything with a defect, crack, or damage should be kept separate and fixed before it can be used again.

Construction Sites Not Having The Rigging Gear Needed

This is one of the most common rigging equipment problems that every project has to experience. Because the equipment is moved from one location to another and the previous team did not put much effort into loading everything properly, the new team will have to start with what was brought to them from the last job site.

As a result, the rigging box would not have everything required for rigging. The best way to ensure the rigging equipment is properly loaded is to keep track of the rigging inventory as it is being used or at the end of the project before the equipment is sent to another site.

Furthermore, you have to keep in mind that not every job is the same. Some jobs require complex lifting and it might be that you do not have additional equipment such as a furnace lid, refinery module, or a power plant turbine. For choosing the correct rigging equipment, you or the rigging equipment supplier must know about the type of lifts the contractor has to perform.

To deal with this challenge, it is important to communicate with the company offering its rigging equipment and services and determine the project’s needs and preferences. Even if the estimates are near to being fully correct, certain situations can demand additional equipment due to external factors influencing the process.

New Construction Employees Need Rigging Training

The construction industry sees a consistent hiring of experienced and skilled labor. With the industry booming, the need for specialized individuals is ever-increasing. However, there is a greater need for employers to ensure the existing and newly hired individuals are properly trained.

Lifting heavy loads may seem easy and simple from the outside but carries a lot of risks. At the same time, you have to keep in mind that construction sites have a lot going on at the same time, and teams work together to get the job done.

That said, even a minor mistake can cause a significant amount of damage in terms of lives and property. Therefore, part of the responsibility of ensuring the labor is thoroughly trained lies on the contractors as well. Because the industry is booming, it is also evolving.

Therefore, new practices and techniques are being introduced that make construction tasks a lot safer and easier. However, if the employees are not trained for this, they are most likely to use the old-school methods that will most likely get them in trouble.

Similarly, you must rent cranes from crane services VA that have many types of cranes and they have a track-record of maintaining their cranes well. Moreover, they must be introducing new crane models that are more efficient and safer.

The Weight Of The Load Is Unknown

Not knowing the weight of the load before being lifted can turn into a serious mistake. Some states have strict regulations requiring contractors to weigh each load before it is attached and lifted. While it may sound easy, the process is not always that simple.

In any case, it comes down to the skills of the rigger. This is because it’s the responsibility of the rigger to note the weight of the load and use the rigging equipment and techniques accordioning. As part of the process and industry standards, each load must be marked according to its weight. If that is not the case, the rigger should first find out.

To fix the issue, the rigger can go through the shipping documents or use an industrial scale to measure the load. This will help the rigger have a clear idea about the weight about to be lifted.

Lack Of Maintenance

Lack of maintenance is usually a case of voluntary ignorance. Rigging equipment is specifically designed to move heavy loads. Keep in mind that the equipment has to perform throughout the day, sometimes in multiple shifts which takes a toll on the components.

With time, leakages, cracks, or damages might occur, which is normal in such cases. However, what is more important is maintenance. Dealing with heavy loads is a serious task and requires the equipment to be at its optimal working condition.

Therefore, the contractor should not only ensure the equipment is fully maintained but also the rigging company. Once the equipment reaches the site, the contractor should ask the team to perform a walkaround inspection.

If there are any unusual signs or symptoms, they should be documented and fixed before the rigging equipment is used. In case of an accident, you can land in serious trouble if someone plans to sue you.

Conclusion

The key is to be prepared for the unexpected and make sure the team is properly trained to handle the rigging tasks. A part of that also includes maintenance and inspection, which goes a long way in terms of ensuring security, safety, and effectiveness. A construction project must be safe so you have to manage everything with planning that includes hiring rigging services DC that have skilled and experienced taskforce.