As Australia enters a new construction boom this year it is no surprise we are seeing the effects of this boom in our daily lives. Big cranes are going up across city skylines, thousands of workers in neon coloured safety vests flood the streets after work and big machinery traverses across windy roads to new destinations every day. The use of these big machines is fascinating and they are able to do huge amounts of work in short periods of time but they can also be surprisingly delicate if you do not handle them with care. A major way these machines can break is during incorrect transport and this is also unsafe for other users on the road. Here are some important things you need to know when using machinery transport.
Reliable Contractor
If you do not work for a company that has its own methods of transportation you need to find a reliable contractor to do this moving for you. There are many options on the market and prices will differ from state to state but you should be looking at two things. Firstly the company should have the correct trucks with the right weight capacity and experienced drivers that can do the job properly. Secondly you should ask your more senior colleagues about the company you are looking to employ and see if they have any knowledge on them. You might find out that a company that looks fine on the surface has a bad history of customer service.
Securing Your Machinery
Even if you hire an outside company to move your heavy machinery you should be on site supervising the loading of your heavy machinery. Take your time, ensure everything that needs to be strapped down is, double check the important locks and look at how old the restraints are and if they can actually hold the load. It helps to have a checklist and to get someone to go over the whole procedure with you. Do not, in any circumstance, try and load more than is comfortable onto any given truck. It is better that the equipment all gets to its destination slowly, in two trips, rather than not at all because it has fallen off or the transport has broken.
Supervising Transport
Following along behind your convoy of heavy machinery can be very helpful in ensuring a safe transport. Firstly you can tell if the machinery is starting to come loose much more accurately than the transport driver and can warn him before disaster strikes. In the event of a disaster you should also have all the necessary documentation and roadside assistance information ready to go. Remember this machinery is extremely expensive and an integral part of your construction sites, you need to make sure you are doing everything you can to make sure it stays in operation.
