Cranes are highly versatile pieces of heavy-lifting equipment. Aside from being commonly used in construction, they have many applications in non-construction industries, such as manufacturing, transport and logistics, waste management, aerial photography and cinematography, agriculture, and more.
If you need to rent a crane for an upcoming project, you should prioritize crane safety to avoid accidents and injuries that cranes can cause if not used correctly. The responsibility for ensuring safe crane operation falls on you and the company renting out your crane.
Read along to learn more about each party's responsibilities for ensuring crane safety and minimizing liabilities.
Your Crane Rental Company's Safety Responsibilities
The company that rents out crane equipment to you is generally responsible for the following:
- Ensuring your crane is well-maintained correctly, in good working condition, and safe to operate.
- Providing any additional safety hardware and accessories, including lifting and rigging tools, such as wire ropes, hooks, blocks, bolts, hoists, pulleys, and more necessary to ensure safe crane operation.
- Providing qualified crane operators who are trained and experienced in the safe operation of the crane — this applies if you decide to hire a crane with the complementary personnel needed to operate it safely.
- Providing any technical assistance you may require if you run into any safety-related issues with your crane.
Your crane rental service provider may also take up any other safety responsibilities specified in their service agreement.
Your Crane Safety Responsibilities
As a crane renter, you also have a role in ensuring the safe use of the rented crane on your job site. Your key safety responsibilities include the following:
- Following proper safety protocols and all applicable regulations and standards for crane safety.
- Using the crane within its rated capacity and operating limits.
- Identifying and mitigating potential safety hazards to create a safe work environment for the crane operator and other workers.
- Using crane operators trained and experienced in the safe operation of cranes — if you decide to hire your crane without the company-provided operators.
- Providing safety training and supervision for non-operator crane crews.
Understanding your responsibilities as a crane renter and your crane rental company's responsibilities is essential for ensuring safety during crane operations. That said, make sure you carefully read and review the terms and conditions included in the service agreement before signing it.
If you'd like more information about this, contact a company in your area like Sentry Steel Service Company.
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