Critical Considerations when Hiring a Tower Crane

Attempting to build a skyscraper without a tower crane would be asking too much from construction workers. While boom cranes have come a long way in terms of reach, they cannot handle the lift requirements of skyscraper projects. You need a tower crane since it is specifically designed to lift significant loads to greater heights. Due to its sheer size, it is more cost-effective to hire a tower crane as opposed to buying one. However, it would help if you made a few considerations when renting a tower crane.

Tail Swing -- Building a skyscraper in a city can be tricky because of the surrounding environment. Buildings, power lines, and trees in the immediate surroundings present obstructions to tower crane operations. Therefore, contractors must first consider the minimum tail swing radius of a tower crane based on the obstacles around a construction site. For instance, a construction site that is surrounded by other skyscrapers requires a tower crane with a short tail swing radius. It ensures that a tower crane is a safe distance away from obstructions. On the other hand, you can rent a tower crane with a significant tail swing when building a skyscraper in an open field with no obstacles.

Lifting Speed -- Tower cranes are typically used to lift hefty loads to extremely high points. Therefore, the hook line speeds required for such heavy lifting must be slow enough to prevent erratic swinging, especially on windy days. However, you might also need to lift lighter building materials using a tower crane to save time, especially during delays in the delivery of heavy building materials. In such cases, you need a tower crane with fast lifting speeds. Therefore, it is advisable to hire a tower crane that supports different speed configurations for various applications.

Construction Site Terrain -- Tower cranes are typically fixed and only moved once a construction project is complete. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the terrain on which a tower crane will be installed is stable enough to hold the equipment for the duration of a construction project. Stability is critical, especially if you consider that tower cranes lift some of the heaviest construction materials in the construction industry. Therefore, a mounting base must be as secure as possible. If you are working on less stable ground, request for assistance from a service provider -- most have in-house experts to assist customers with set-up of tower cranes.

To learn more, contact a crane hire company.


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