Riding The Crane Hook

[roseyweb]

Done a few crane jobs in my time but not for the last few years, 

Use to be brilliant being dropped in the top, chain up slide down and pop bits off, 

 

Just been told by our local tree friendly crane firm we can't do this anymore, is this something many other people have came across as late? 

 

Personally i can't see the problem with it 

[eggsarascal]

I asked this same question when I needed to get on a factory roof a couple of years ago. The General consensus was it's down to the Crane company/operator. Don't know if things have changed mind.

[Steve Bullman]

I've had a couple of companies flat out refuse it before.  Others have no problem with it at all.  Can't see how it can possibly be more dangerous than lifting a 4ton stoggle mind

[Treerover]

I know in the past it’s been down to the company or even the driver on the day, but I’ve no idea where things are these days or what the official stance is .
I hope they still do let you ‘ride the hook’ as I’ve got my first crane job for possibly 8 years plus coming up, and I was looking forward to that wonderful luxury , as you say, of being hoisted over canopy with a crows eye view and then just descending descending and descending for each lift with the most minimal of thrutching !!!

[MattyF]

I’ve found that drivers will try and scare the shit out of you if you ask to ride the hook ...but Nothing quite beats the feeling of being hoisted up to the cranes full height in a few seconds whilst you ponder over the tree below which is usually a big monster hence the crane in the first place ! .... makes the rest of the day go easier any way as your never at that height again.

[Steve Bullman]

It’s a real test of your faith in your gear being suspended 100ft from the ground with nothing beneath you 

[john p]

It’s the only way to travel! Your paying £700 odd quid for the pleasure of it being on site, the least they can do is drop you in!

[monkeybusiness]

I think it largely comes down to LOLER tbh. A crane isn't necessarily designed for lifting people (although some are equipped for that specific work, but with dedicated man baskets) so for a start don't need to be subjected to 6 monthly inspections. 

Crane hire and contract lifts are two very different ways of booking/paying to have a crane on a job. If you go for basic crane hire, you are essentially responsible for the entire job (draw up the lift plan, specify the crane, blah blah blah) - if the crane tips over/the load falls etc then you should have the insurance in place to cover the issue (the crane company will seek damages from you for a start, before the householder who has a crane through their roof wants their house rebuilding at your expense etc). If you have basic crane hire then you may be able to ride the hook, as it is on your head (providing the driver is willing). 

If you go for a contract lift (which you really should, unless you know (and can defensibly prove you know) what you are on about) then all of the risk/insurance falls to the crane company. For the simple reason that the crane/lifting chains etc aren't designed and tested to lift people they are likely to refuse to lift you unfortunately.  

[benedmonds]

I am not sure about the contract lift bit. I know the crane companies sell the contract lift and some firms use fear to ensure you pay the additional fees.. but is a competent crane operator going to lift something they think is dodgy...? And could they really blame the tree cutter as they signed a bit of paper?  Has it ever happened.?

[monkeybusiness]

It'd be the hirer's (ie the tree firm's) fault/responsibility if the crane tipped over if it wasn't a contract lift, whether the driver said it was fine or not. 

The crane driver has no say so as to how big/heavy a piece of timber is - once the climber has fixed the chains, wherever he decides to make the cut determines if the crane falls over or not. The driver can't necessarily control what the climber attaches to the crane, and as it isn't being picked up off the floor (whereby the lift can simply be abandoned if found to be too heavy) once it is cut it is instantly a suspended load, hopefully within the crane's capacity! 

Likewise if you go for crane hire and the ground gives way, it will fall to your insurance (who may subsequently pursue you for damages if you aren't qualified to draw up lift plans). 

You are correct in that it is unlikely a driver will purposely make an unsafe lift. Tree dismantles are too much of an unknown quantity to save a couple of hundred quid on the cheapest hire possible though IMO. If you've ever heard the crane alarm going off (even just a little bit) then you are sailing very close to the wind - you should never hear that noise if the lift is planned and undertaken correctly.