D & F SUPERCRANES LTD
Crane Hire in the South West
Crane Hire Services
Having been in the Crane Hire business for over 25 years, we have attended to all types of lift requirements from small recovery jobs to large scale commercial projects and a professional crane hire service is guaranteed every time.
We are based in Whitestone, near Tedburn St Mary, Exeter, Devon and cover south west England including Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Cheltenham but we can also go further afield.
Contact Darren Gorrett today to discuss your crane hire requirements on
07976 572993
Deciding What is Required
I need a crane - what are my options?
When requiring a crane lift the client has two options: a). CPA conditions or b). a Contract Lift
Planning a Crane Lift
Crane lifts are potentially dangerous activities and there is much to consider when planning them. This includes ground bearing pressures, load integrity, slinging methods, duty charts, types of accessories, personnel, environmental factors, contingency plans. This is a highly specialised skill and we strongly advise using a trained, competent and accredited professional to undertake this work for you.
If choosing standard CPA lift hire then the client is simply hiring a crane and potentially an operator. The risk and responsibilities remain with the client. In a contract lift the crane supplier is fully responsible.
CPA Conditions
The client is responsible for providing a method statement which has been provided by a trained and competent 'Appointed Person'. The client must then ensure that the operation is supervised according to BS 7121 and that trained and competent personnel are on hand to provide slinging and signalling. The client is responsible for any damage or accidents that may occur. Apart from the financial cost of any damage or injury the client would also have to prove to the Health and Safety Executive that they had done everything in accordance with rules and regulations. Fines for failure to comply can amount to several hundred thousand pounds.
Contract Lift
Under a contract lift agreement the crane company take all the responsibility and risk. All the client has to ensure is that they have given correct information regarding the items to be lifted and the ground conditions.
The client must have adequate public liability insurance in place to cover this. It is the contractor's duty to undertake all planning, method statements and risk assessments as well as supervising and managing the lift.
What is a crane supervisor?
British Standards 7121 state that a competent and trained person must be present who is responsible for supervising a lifting operation and ensuring that operation stays within the safe system of work developed by the Appointed Person in his/her method statement. Whilst the Appointed Person will always be ultimately responsible for safe lifting supervision of the lift itself can be delegated to a suitably competent 'crane supervisor'. This person is likely to have completed the CPCS Crane Supervisors' accreditation. S/he will be responsible for ensuring that any lift is set up and carried out as detailed in the method statement and risk assessments.
Compliance with Standards, Rules & Regulations
Anyone involved in the planning and executing of crane operations should have knowledge of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment regulations (LOLER ) 1998, Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER)1998 and British Standards 7121 (Code of Practice for crane Safety). These are the rules and regulations that govern the crane industry and they must be adhered to at all times.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
Crane operations are considered safety critical as the consequences can be severe in terms of environmental, structural and health related damage. For this reason the Health and Safety Executive has provided a very stringent framework within which people must operate and is rigorous in its application of this framework. Penalties for not complying with legislation range from unlimited fines to imprisonment.
Health & Safety Risks
Another factor that must be taken into account is the financial cost of a crane accident. Fines for accidents leading to a death can be upwards of £300,000 and could lead to imprisonment. Replacing a damaged crane can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
How do I know someone is trained and competent?
The Construction Plant Competence Scheme is the largest and most comprehensive card scheme to prove the competence of people working with plant in the construction industry. Most places of work now require their Appointed Person to be CPCS certified.
It is through the competence of the Appointed Person that accidents and injuries are minimised.
What is the appointed person responsible for?
The Appointed Person should be confident that he or she has determined a safe system of work before they sign off a lifting operation.
The Appointed Person can never delegate their responsibility even if they are not present when a lifting operation is occurring.
They can however delegate their duties to a competent Crane Supervisor.
In order to comply with British Standards and LOLER 98 regulations, all lifting operations must have been planned by a competent Appointed Person and that person is ultimately responsible for the safe execution of all lifting operations.
All our Operators are fully trained and hold the relevant CPCS Certificates.
Heavy and Long Reach Crane Hire
If you have a load to lift or move and transport then you need a Crane Hire company that has a reputation for quality service, experienced staff and the latest equipment. At D & F Supercranes we have Cranes for Hire that have a lifting capacity up to 85 tonnes and a reach of up to 31 metres. We also have two 58 tonne lifting capacity vehicles, one of which also has a winch.
Together with fully qualified, professional staff, who are experienced at tackling a wide range of Crane Hire jobs with safety and no fuss.
We have undertaken a wide range of lifting and transport projects over the years that we have been in the Crane Hire business. We have an extensive fleet of our own cranes that are fully serviced and maintained in excess of the legal requirements and we strive to provide a professional quality service on every job that we undertake.
No matter what time or object is involved we have probably tackled it before!
If you are looking for HIAB Crane Hire and lifting services, then D & F Supercranes can help, ring Darren on 07976 572993
Contract Hire Services
A hirer who wants a lift to be undertaken but does not have the relevant expertise should ask D&F Supercranes to undertake a contract lift.
Confused about the different types of personnel you require to perform a lift?
Well don't be. At D & F Supercranes Ltd we have the crane lift staff that are required for any type of lift. We can supply all the necessary personnel to ensure your crane hire requirements are carried out in a professional manner and most importantly meet current health and safety regulations.
For all Contract Lifts we supply the:
Appointed Person – responsible for carrying out the site survey and planning the lifting operation. He will have overall responsibility of the lift and will prepare a Method Statement, Risk Assessment, Lifting Plan and hand this over to the Lift Supervisor to carry out the works on site. The AP must select an appropriate crane, chose the correct accessories, determine the personnel level and outline their specific roles. In order to comply with British Standards (BS7121) and LOLER regulations, an AP must be trained and competent. Any changes on site must first be authorised by the Appointed Person prior to commencement of works.
Crane/Lift Supervisor – British Standards 7121 state that a competent and trained person must be present who is responsible for the lifting operations on the day with overall authority under the Appointed Person. He will be responsible for ensuring any lift is set up and carried out as detailed in the method statement and risk assessments. This person is in charge whilst the Lifting Operation takes place from start to finish.
Slinger/Signaller - responsible for directing the lorry loader and attaching the loads. Whilst not in control of the Lift Supervisor, Slinger’s are very useful where lifting is being performed blind - ie on rooftops or rear of properties with the aid of Two Way Radios.
Contract Lift Hire
Under this standard agreement, the crane and all personnel required, (lift supervisor, crane operator, appointed person, banksman, slinger) and accessory equipment are the responsibility of us, the crane owner, together with all the insurance implications.
As part of our service, we will provide site visits, general crane consultation, tailored method statements, risk assessments, crane, personnel and accessories.
You can leave everything to do with the lift to us, from the planning stage through to lift completion.
You will have a dedicated team of Crane Operators, Slinger/Banksmen, Appointed Persons and Crane Supervisors to ensure a smooth, safe and timely operation.
If you would like friendly professional advice or would like to discuss your crane hire requirements in more detail, then please contact Darren on 07976 572993 who will be happy to help you.