Generac – Story of a Crane

This has been a long progression involving many people, with significant assistance from Josh and Todd as we worked through the process of pre-planning this installation and offering suggestions. Initially, when we were discussing putting a doghouse on the roof to lower the crane hook down through.

Overall, starting as early as December 2022, we had multiple discussions and site visits as foundations began to be installed. Once the structure was erected, we conducted another on-site review. When the Masons and IMP panels were installed, we had yet another walkthrough. Our final pre-installation discussion involved Superior Crane, Ideal Crane, PW Walsh, and others, taking place after the completion of the interior concrete paving and the west ramp paving so that we could physically measure paths of ingress into the building. This was done to ensure that we had the necessary space available to swing the long girders into the building and determine what would be required to lift from inside without the need for a hole in the roof.

These pictures are the result of those pre-planning meetings…

First Step

Back the truck up the ramp. These trailers are longer and adjustable in size. Create a site utilization plan for backing them in.

Second Step

Use small lift equipment to remove it from the trailer, which can then be employed to delicately move it through the 40-foot-long bi-fold door.

Third Step

Once the girder was inside the building, we brought in the larger crane and the ‘adjustment crane’ on the opposite side. A valuable lesson was learned: even the most meticulous planning can lead to unforeseen challenges. Unfortunately, due to the larger crane and the impact of the sloping roof, we encountered a 6-9-inch gap that the overall size of the boom and hook assembly couldn’t lift the girder high enough to clear. As a result, it had to be carefully set back down. We then took a moment to assess and create a new lift plan and calculations, utilizing a different, smaller secondary crane and position.

Fourth Step

The following day, the new secondary crane was delivered, and the two cranes were moved into position.  They were located closer to the center of the member to gain the extra couple of inches needed at the roofline and building structural members.

Fifth Step

We celebrated the successful placement of the first member and proceeded to the second member, hoping for a smoother and quicker process.

The Superior Crane field crews did a great job in working through all the nuances of the installation and the rapidly changing situations.

Matt Kerwin did an exceptional job working with the crane and rigging teams, ensuring the safety of the interior workers by keeping them out of the fall zone. He also coordinated with the exterior concrete workers to determine their work areas. However, the day’s delay in the crane lift issue had an impact on our ability to set up a planned pour, as we needed to keep space open for the truck to back in for the delivery.