4 Things To Consider When Comparing Crane Operators To Hire For Your Construction Project

When it comes to hiring a crane operation company like American Equipment Inc to assist you with your construction project, it's important to consult with a few different providers so you can compare the options and ensure that you're hiring a company that meets all your needs and expectations when all is said and done. Here are a few things to consider when comparing your prospective options:

Licensing and Vetting

One of the most important things to consider when consulting with various crane operation prospects is the licensing and vetting of all service people who will be working at your construction site on behalf of the crane company. Ask each company you consider hiring to provide you with a written outline of how they vet their employees and what types of qualifications each of them is required to possess as a crane operator or technician. Each state and county has their own specific laws about licensing for crane operators, so check with your county officials to find out what requirements your crane operators should have, and make sure anyone you think about hiring has those qualifications.

Safety Training

Unfortunately, 90 percent of all crane accidents are a result of human error, so it's important to make sure that the company you hire for crane operations takes safety seriously. Make sure that any service provider you consult with and consider hiring requires their team members to attend safety training classes on a regular basis throughout the year and that they have to demonstrate their skills at least annually to prove their ability to safely function on the job site.

Ask each prospective service provider to provide you with a list of the types of training their employees are required to go through, their duration, and the kinds of certification, if any, accompany said training. You can then compare the information you get from each company to determine which one is likely to provide you with the safest and more qualified crane operation crew.

Overtime Policies

Another thing to think about when choosing which crane operation company you ultimately want to work with is overtime policies. There may be one or more days during your construction project when some work needs to be completed before anyone can go home, even if it means paying your employees and your crane operation team over time. Because you don't get to choose the overtime rates of your service providers your crane operation company provides, it's essential to find out beforehand what each potential company's overtime policies are before committing to working with them.

While some companies may charge you a specific hourly rate for each service provider onsite who has to work overtime, others will charge you a flat fee for any days where overtime is necessary. Some companies may even include a certain amount of overtime in their basic fee package to take advantage of. The only way you can effectively estimate the costs of your overall project is to learn what you can expect to pay for any overtime that you foresee needing.

Labor Guarantees

What happens if your crane operation crew doesn't finish a project in the timeframe they said they could, and it results in the need for overtime which wouldn't have been necessary otherwise? What if a crane operator accidentally skips a step when completing a project and their task has to be redone? Mishaps like these shouldn't become a financial burden for you because the blame would ultimately be on the service provider you're contracting with.

So, make sure that the company you contract with offers labor guarantees. When they say they can complete a project within a specific amount of time, they should be willing to provide overtime or revamp services if it becomes necessary due to a problem on their end. Ask each potential company you consider hiring to provide you with tier labor guarantees in writing so they can be included in your work contract upon hire.

Share