One Of The Most Challenging Heavy Equipment Jobs Is Crane Operations

Heavy equipment on building sites is not confined to those that move earth. One of the most important, and most challenging jobs, is that of a crane operator. The crane itself is often fairly straightforward to use, however there are so many variables to consider it can make life quite interesting – especially if you 20 floors up and trying to lift materials from the ground.

There are obvious factors to consider when operating a crane. Weight is the most important. If it is too heavy, the crane is most likely going to tip. However, what is too heavy? A weight lifted today may be too much tomorrow. When your on top of a building, the variable that can affect the operation of your heavy equipment is weather – particularly wind.

Wind creates many difficulties for a crane operator. The first effect felt is that of swing. As the wind connects with the materials being lifted, you can get a swinging effect. This can put immense pressure on the crane itself and has been known to cause a crane to topple. In windy conditions, the load may need to be reduced by half to handle the situation.

The second effect is one of spin. This can put strain on the crane’s wire rope. Fortunately, modern fittings now take of most of the problems caused by spin. However, if the load has insufficient clearance, or there is swing accompanied with the spin, the load can make contact with the building sides causing a lot damage.

Sound scarey? It should if your not trained properly. However, with the correct training you will learn how to deal with sorts of situations. You will learn what is safe, and what isn’t. When you should stop altogether until weather conditions improve. Crane operators is a career that can be very challenging, yet very rewarding.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools have a training course dedicated to cranes. If your looking for a career as a crane operator, why not request our free brochure on crane operator training.