The Civil Engineering Contractor July 2019 | Page 41

information from a site visit is analysed and reviewed by the in-house engineering team who will be able to look at various lifting and handling options and then recommend to the customer the most appropriate solution based on cost efficiency, project time frame and most importantly safety. By doing a full risk assessment of the lifting and handling requirements, Johnson Crane Hire is also able to flag any potential areas of concern so these can be proactively addressed. All factors such as physical limitations on site including working in confined spaces, restricted access to the site, overhead obstructions and ground conditions are taken into account. This process would include engineering drawings, CAD studies and detailed handling and lifting methodologies. Once the best solution has been established, this is discussed in depth with the customer www.civilsonline.co.za to ensure that the proposed solution will meet the project objective. Where customers are not fully aware of all the lifting and moving options available to them, they might make assumptions about the most practical route to take. The benefit of Johnson Crane Hire’s upfront engineering is to go beyond these assumptions to set out the alternatives now available, in the light of the project’s priorities. “Experience has shown that often the customer may have a particular lifting solution or preference in mind, however without the necessary insight into what handling and lifting options and equipment are available, it is not always feasible to make a fully informed decision. Leveraging specific expertise and experience will allow Johnson Crane Hire, through its thorough assessments, to analyse this data and look at options that may be quite different to what the customer had in mind,” explains Yaman. “A practical example is where, following an assessment, the company was able to offer a solution to a customer where a much smaller crane could be used by locating it in a strategic position; this mobile crane solution was far more cost- efficient to the customer, yet still fulfilled all of the handling and lifting needs on that project. This was possible due to the team’s understanding of what was required, and what was possible to accomplish using available methodologies and equipment,” he says. Alternative solutions handling Handling and lifting has changed significantly over the years as other equipment and technology options have become available. In addition to having access to a range of mobile cranes, there are also other options which can be used on their own or as CEC July 2019 | 39