tree care work to secure the safety of crew members, they can still inflict serious damage or injury if not used properly. Daily and quarterly inspec- tions are essential to ensure a crane is operating properly and safely. How oen and how hard you use a crane will impact its maintenance needs and costs over time. Insurance companies usually re- quire proof that operators are prop- erly trained and certified, while some states require licensing. Proper training ensures crane oper- ators can effectively communicate with and protect crew members on the ground. It teaches users how to correctly check a tree's weight to en- sure the crane is positioned proper- ly. Good training also educates users how environmental factors such as an area’s temperature can affect how a crane is used. "Warming up the machine the right way and making sure the system has the chance to acclimate to the envi- ronment properly" are examples of important techniques only good train- ing can provide, says Hans Tielmann, owner of New Jersey Crane Experts, which provides crane certification, simulation training, and safety gear. Training can take as little as three days to two weeks before an aspiring crane operator is prepared to take a test that incorporates theoretical and practical components. Tielmann also points out that certification oen depends on the "specific type of crane you are using and what it's mounted on." Adding a crane to a company’s equip- ment fleet is an excellent way to pro- tect employees and take on new busi- ness. It also offers business owners a flexible option should they want or need to contract out their cranes during slower months. With proper training and mainte- nance, cranes can serve as a mighty partner to tree care companies looking to expand their reach.
Cranes 101’s Jay Sturm leads a mobile crane inspection class developed specifically for experienced crane operators and fleet mechanics to conduct on-site inspections.
place cuts, which allows for the tree to be quickly and easily transported straight onto the truck. Orloff explains how his crew once worked on a site with 40 maple trees where "you could spend weeks." With a crane, they were able to get the job done in just six hours, which allows him to take on more jobs. Crane technology has improved to the point where you don't even need to get out of the crane. "Some of the new equipment are all- in-one machines,” says Sturm. “They have an articulating crane boom that has the grapple-saw attached to it. And then they can drop that tree straight into a chipper." RESPONSIBLE CRANE OWNERSHIP While cranes efficiently streamline
justify buying one, Orloff suggests that businesses need to run the crane at least four times a week. For most business owners, contracting or renting a crane is the perfect way to serve customers without paying for ad- ditional insurance and training. While there are no right or wrong answers, Sturm suggests businesses consider investing in their own crane when it becomes “an imposition to have to schedule the crane and operator at the job at particular times." Some business owners add a crane to their fleet as a way to expand their oper- ations and create new revenue streams. Traditionally, tree care teams include climbers who need time to cut off smaller branches or set up rigging. Cranes allow this work to be com- pleted in a fraction of the time. Crane operators can tell the crew where to
10 | ArborTIMES Fall 2023
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