Heavy To Move: Heavy Equipment To Move Heavy Things

Heavy equipment for construction purposes consists of several different types of machines and vehicles. When you need to move something particularly heavy, do you know what equipment you should be renting and using? Unless you own and operate a construction company, you probably do not. Here are some pointers on which pieces of equipment to rent and when to use them for heavy lifting:

Boom Cranes

Boom cranes are the primary go-to equipment vehicles for lifting all things heavy. There is almost nothing these cranes cannot lift, and what they cannot lift, a hydraulic crane can. You need a crane operator's license to use one of these, and you have to show your crane operator's license to the rental company before you can pay for and rent a boom crane. If you personally do not have a license to operate one of these machines, consider hiring a licensed crane operator prior to renting the crane. The crane operator you hire has to accompany you to the rental company to show that you have someone who is qualified to operate the rented crane. 

Excavator

Excavators do more than just move dirt. They can move small boulders, too. They can (with additional attachments) jackhammer through bedrock and asphalt, grasp things with claw-like precision before lifting and carrying them around, and swivel and pivot in several directions if you rent the crawler type. 

Dump Truck

Dump trucks are huge, and with good reason. They are designed to haul massive amounts of dirt, rock, and debris as though the loads were feathers. If you are doing any sort of digging, you will need a dump truck to haul dirt and soil away. If you are tearing down a house or building, or building something new, you will need a dump truck to haul away the excess. The driver of a dump truck has to have a commercial driver's license, so if you do not have a CDL, you will need to hire someone that does. 

Forklift

Forklifts can be rented too. These heavy equipment vehicles are not necessarily heavy themselves (although you probably would not want one rolling over your foot!), but they can lift and move several hundred pounds. They are mostly used in warehouses, although you could just as easily use them on a construction site for moving stacks and pallets of supplies from one area of the construction site to another. 

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