Does anyone have experience of tandem crane lifting. How can the risk be reduced to ALARP or to an acceptable level whilst using two cranes to lift one load. Gary

Bob We have employed a contract lift for this one off event; it is proposed to use two cranes to conduct four lifts of 4 tonnes each the cranes are 3 tonne cranes. it sits a little uncomfortable with me. The RAMS and lifting plan is not brilliant. I cannot find any specific guidence on the subject, I have called a meeting with the project manager and the crane company to resolve issues and hopefully satisfy my concerns. thank you for your response. Gary

They are both 3 tonne cranes according to the very basic lifting plan. I have started to question competence!

Have U gone out to tender via a formal system? If so the other bidders will also have info re their LP's in their presentations to U so evaluate them against each other; if there is a big discrepancy between proposals you may find out that U have chosen the wrong company to undertake the work [U may also find out that your company has gone for the cheapest price without other considerations!] If U have not gone out to tender I advise that U should have but it may be to late now to do anything! We would need to have more detail to give more indepth advice

I am not so sure either that this is a competent lifting contractor - the crane sizes seem rather small as it is possible one may take full load even momentarily. You need to be talking to a Lifting Contractor not a crane hire company which appears to be the case. Look again at the T&Cs ensure it is a Contract Lift rather than a CPA, Construction Plant Association, standard T&Cs. It is not uncommon for the two to be confused. Your responsibility is for certifying the ground on a Contract Lift - if you do more you are exposing yourself to full responsibility and merely wasting money. Bob

Gary Thinking a little more - are we to presume that these are long loads such as conveyors hence the small loading but need for two cranes - one at each end. The description is so vague that things do not properly weigh up. I have had lifting contractors moving 200tonne vessels and no issues with their methods so your comments baffle me. Are you sure the contractor is a lifting contractor not merely the installation arm or similar for the supplier? Are you sure precisely what your buying department have contracted? Bob

Hi All Thank you so much for your comments after our meeting on Thursday last week it transpires that the two cranes are 12 tonne maximum lift and not the 3 tonne as stated in the lifting plan. The risk assessment, method statement and lifting plan have all been updated since being challenged. The reason two cranes are being used as they are inside lifting machinery to a first floor a larger crane cannot get around the narrow internal traffic routes. The company is a crane contractor and have undertaken similar works. I feel much happier now that we are in possession of the full facts and having seen photographs of other contract tandem lifts they have undertaken. The company have now updated their Health and Safety systems since my challenge. Thank you all. Gary