Remote control helps make light work of lift at listed house

Once in place, the benefit of selecting a spider crane over a mobile crane became even more apparent with the use of its Bluetooth digital remote control.

Hird Managing Director Phil Hird said: “Our operator could set up the mini crane then get right up close and personal to the cornice stones that needed to be lifted and could control the lift from there.

“He had a perfect view of the load and the immediate surrounding area, adding to the safety and productivity of the whole project. Our client was definitely impressed by what was achieved.”

The Maeda MC815 spider crane has a maximum safe working load of 8 tonnes and a maximum working radius of 18.8 metres, at which distance it can lift 440kg.

This lift involved removing 10 sandstone cornice stones, the heaviest being 800kg, so they could be taken away for cleaning and refurbishment or be replaced.

Phil Hird said: “The success of this project demonstrates key benefits of the spider crane over mobile cranes which can sometimes be overlooked.

“Spider cranes take up a smaller footprint, can usually be set up within the worksite, not on the roadside under traffic management, as is often the case with mobile cranes, and are often more cost effective.

“They are also quick and easy to set up and can reach lift points at multiple locations through 360 degrees. However, if a spider crane does need to be relocated, that can be done quickly and safely.

“Spider cranes are idea for working on historical building sites because they can operate across low load bearing floors, both indoors and outdoors, and their precision reduces the risk of accidental structural damage.”