Cranes are powerful machines that are capable of raising and lowering heavy objects and moving them horizontally. They are useful machines to have on building or construction site. If you own, or have hired a crane then you may look to hire out or invest in other crane accessories.
Crane accessories add versatility and extra utility to your crane – we all know that to get the job done properly, you need the right equipment. Crane accessories can help your project run to plan, minimising the downtime. It’s likely that your local crane hire provider has a selection of crane accessories available at a small additional cost to the crane hire. If you’re interested in getting more out of your crane then here are the top 10 most common crane accessories for you to consider.
1. Brick or Block Cage
A brick cage is designed to transport pallets of bricks, or other loose products stacked on pallets using an overhead crane.
2. Rescue / First Aid Cages
This style of cage is used to move personnel or a first aid rescue away from a building or construction site. This cage has an outward opening door and will accommodate first aid personnel and a stretcher should someone have an accident and have to be taken offsite.
3. Rubbish Skip / Bins
Rubbish skips and bins can be delivered to and collected from the construction or building site. They can be filled with any waste that the crane has been used to transport and are much bigger than conventional or residential waste bins.
4. Concrete Kibbles
Concrete kibbles are designed to easily transfer concrete on site by an overhead crane. While being both lightweight and heavy duty, concrete kibbles can be operated on both sides for easy operation.
5. Pallet Forks
Pallet forks can be used to move a wide variety of materials and goods that are stacked on pallets around the construction site. This could be anything from steel frames and pipes to concrete blocks. They can also be used to unload materials when they have been delivered.
6. Loading Bays
Loading bays are areas of the building or construction site where goods and materials needed to carry out the job in hand are loaded or unloaded.
7. Flying Loading Bay
These are used to transport larger items that will not fit into a lift or stairwell on a completed building. Generally lounges, large tables, ornaments etc that need to go up multiple floors and in through the balcony or onto a rooftop terrace.
8. Forklift Slippers
Forklift slippers, or extensions, are designed to help extend the versatility of your forklift truck. They are attachments that fit over your standard fork tynes, which means you can lengthen the fork tynes. This is good for stabilization if you are lifting something particularly heavy on site. (It’s important to remember that this accessory is designed to help with stabilisation and is not designed for carrying the load).
9. Boat Slings
If you have hired a crane to lift a boat then you should definitely consider looking at getting a boat sling. This accessory is generally used with travel lift cranes, and help to minimize any damage to the boat’s hull when it is lifted.
10. Equalising Sheaves
An equalising sheave is the sheave found at the centre of a rope system. It exists to equalise the tension in the opposite part of the rope.
11. Spreading Bar
This is a steel construction that is available for hire in a range of sizes. Spreading bars are used for a variety of jobs, particularly large constructions projects. They are ideally suited to mobile crane operators. They can protect your load from rigging materials and ensure a maintained sling angle during your hoist.
If you’re looking to hire out a crane and want to make sure you maximise efficiency on site then it might be a good idea to consider what accessories you may need. Speak to one of the experts at Surf City Cranes who provide a wide range of crane accessories as well as first class crane hire.
