August 2013
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
64
equipment
THE SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION
of a safety
driven heavy lift is determined by careful, sys-
tematic planning.“A complete understanding
of the nature of the lift, the risks involved,
and any limitations is critical to the success
of a heavy lift.
The planning process begins with a site
inspection followed by a more intensive on-
site visit by Johnson Crane Hire’s technical
heavy lift team.This allows the team to verify
measurements and dimensions. Once the
details are acquired, a CAD rigging study, in
2Dor 3D, is undertaken,”PeterYaman, general
manager of Johnson Crane Hire, says.
Johnson Crane Hire use LICCON software
to simulate the lift.This software is specific to
individual cranes and allows Johnson Crane
Hire to confirm that they have specified the
crane correctly for the lift. It confirms that the
capacity is correct and verifies the counter-
weight needed. In addition it will simulate the
ground pressure that the crane generates in
various scenarios.
The next step involves determination
of the required load bearing capacity. This
information is relayed to the customer who
can then ensure that the site is prepared to
accommodate the high loadings generated
by cranes. Once the rigging study is complet-
ed, a method statement and risk assessment
is undertaken.
With South Africa’s largest fleet of mobile
cranes, it is critical that Johnson Crane Hire
is able to select the crane best suited to the
application. By interpolating all of this impor-
tant information prior to the lift and leverag-
ing its past experience in the field, Johnson
Crane Hire is able to precisely pinpoint the fit
for purpose crane in each situation.
The recent investment of R1-billion in
anequipmentexpansionprogrammeensures
that any crane deployed to site will be the
latest technology.
A strong relationship with primary sup-
plier Liebherr as well as with Tadano and
Grove, has resulted in a top-quality fleet
primed to enhance safety and productivity.
In order to provide and uninterrupted
service to its clients, Johnson Crane Hire
runs a well-equipped workshop manned
by a mechanical team with strong technical
knowledge of cranes. Each crane in the fleet
undergoes regular, scheduled inspection
and maintenance in accordance with the
requirements of the Occupational Health
and Safety Act.
Johnson Crane Hire’s teamof 40mechan-
ics report directly to four field service fore-
men. These service foremen travel between
the company’s branches to provide training
and conduct evaluations of the standard of
work undertaken by the branches.
When required, on-site repairs are con-
ducted by experienced field service techni-
cians. A fleet of 32 fully equipped two-wheel
and four-wheel drive service vehicles are sup-
A holistic package
Heavy lifts are the source of numerous safety risks. The ability to execute
a heavy lift in a safe, yet time sensitive manner is achieved through a
combination of procedural excellence, experience, expertise and
top quality resources.With 36 years of comprehensive experience
in a multitude of industries and applications, Johnson Crane Hire
has earned its stripes as a heavy lift specialist.
ported by four operational mobile workshop
service trucks.
Underpinning the company’s reputation
is a teamof potential crane operators receive
a solid grounding at the company’s training
school inVanderbijlpark.“All would-be opera-
tors are appointed as crane assistants for a
period of 12 to 18 months and form part of a
crane support crew. In this environment they
begin to learn about safety and gather basic
knowledge about crane operation and site
management. From this group we select the
candidates for operator training.”
●
The successful execution of a safety driven heavy
lift is determined by careful, systematic planning.
The planning process begins with a site inspection followed by a more intensive on-site
visit by Johnson Crane Hire’s technical heavy lift team.
With 36 years of comprehensive experience
in a multitude of industries and applications,
Johnson Crane Hire has earned its stripes
as a heavy lift specialist.
