A crane driver drives and operates cranes, performing safety checks, setting up and assembling the crane, and connecting boom sections. They need a commercial driver’s license and set up stabilizers to prevent tipping. Tracked cranes require loading and unloading onto flatbed trailers.
A crane driver typically drives the crane to and from the job site. In addition to driving the crane, the crane driver is usually the crane operator when the crane is on site. The operator is responsible for all pre-operation safety checks as well as crane setup and assembly. The crane driver is generally instructed in the safe operation of the crane while traveling to and from work, as well as when the crane is on the jobsite.
Most cranes come with large wheeled or crawler vehicles that are equipped with a large boom. Tracked vehicles are typically transported to and from the job site on a flatbed trailer, while wheeled versions are routinely driven to and from the job site on public roads. Being large, construction-type vehicles, the crane driver usually needs a valid commercial driver’s license to operate the crane legally on the roads. When the crane is on the job site, the crane driver must set it up to work as a stationary machine.
Often the driver is required to connect boom sections together to get the boom size needed for the job. This is often a multi-person task due to the heavy weight of the large steel components. Once the boom is in place, the crane driver is responsible for setting up the stabilizers that keep the crane from tipping over as it lifts its payload. Large hydraulic cylinders are deployed from the vehicle chassis and supported by large metal or wood plates or blocks to help distribute the crane’s weight over a large area. Generally, the entire crane is lifted off the ground and suspended on hydraulic cylinders and bearings while in use on the jobsite.
With a tracked version of the crane, the driver is usually responsible for loading the large machine onto a flatbed truck trailer and then driving it to the job site. Once on site, the driver unloads the crane and continues with the same basic boom assembly, if needed, and positioning the crane at the lift location. The crawler crane can usually use a large counterweight to compensate for the weight of the boom and its payload. Once on site, the counterweight is typically transported to site in a separate truck and attached to the crane by the driver and several assistants.
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