Crane drivers have had to adjust to a new way of travelling, the arrival of a new kind of vehicle, new technology and a new culture.
Some of the new tasks they have had more experience in, and are adapting to: • Operating heavy machinery that is used to carry heavy loads, such as for construction or industrial purposes.
• Moving heavy machinery.
• Operating machinery on heavy machinery, including for moving large quantities of materials.
• Using hydraulic lift systems to move heavy machinery over a steep slope.
• Handling a crane’s wheels and stabilising its structure.
• Driving a crane on a road, bridge or road tunnel.
• Working with a crane that is designed for the vertical movement of equipment, such a large crane.
• Operating on a level surface, such the ground, the ground surface or a river or river channel.
• Building a crane in the same way as a car or truck.
• Being on a crane at night.
This article was written by Paul MacLean.
He is an engineer with the Dublin Bus Transport Association, based in Dublin.