This article is designed to help readers understand the comprehensive details about Crane Rental in Abu Dhabi. Constantly building in Abu Dhabi. Behind each of those cranes is a rental decision which construction managers make nearly every week, and the skyline over Al Reem Island to Khalifa Port is dominated by cranes. So if you’re looking for crane hire in Abu Dhabi, you understand that the stakes are much higher than “which company is the quickest to pick up on the phone. An unlicensed operator, unfilled paperwork or improper equipment can close your location in no time. This is the guide for what matters, without the fluff.
There Are Many Reasons to Choose Crane Hire Over Buying a Crane
Here are some of the reasons to prefer crane hire over buying a crane.
The price of a tower crane or heavy crawler crane is more expensive than most small businesses will be spending on equipment in 10 years. Then you have to add maintenance, storage, transport and a full-time operator and it becomes more of a liability than an asset. Flips turn that equation around. The machine costs you nothing until the project requires it and you give the headache over maintenance to the rental company instead of your own books.
This is particularly the case in Abu Dhabi, home to projects that last anywhere from just two days, installing precast panels, to a multi-year infrastructure project. The crane requirement for a contractor for a short marine job does not have to be the same as one for erecting a residential tower on Yas Island. In renting, you’re able to rent the machine that is required for the job, and then walk away after the job is done.
The Reality of Regulation That You Can’t Afford to Ignore
In fact, this is where crane renting in Abu Dhabi becomes serious, and truthfully, this is the area that most bloggers stay away from since it isn’t as interesting as a wonderful yellow crane.
The Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health System Framework applies to lifting activities in Abu Dhabi, which have been developed by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and the sector regulators in the emirate. This framework outlines the process for assessing, controlling and recording of lifting equipment and lifting accessories before they ever set foot upon a construction site. If a rental company is not able to provide you with paperwork related to this plan, it’s your sign to look somewhere else.
Adphc
The UAE Federal Labor Law No. 8 of 1980 and subsequent ministerial decrees mandate that the employers maintain all work equipment in good working order and safe condition in the workplace at the federal level. This is not a recommendation. This is the legal basis on which regulators will refer when inspecting a site.
Abconuae
Inspection is not a one-off affair either. All cranes and lifting equipment should be tested once a year or every 12 months and only EIAC accredited inspectors are allowed to do the testing. If you have a good crane rental company they will give you a valid inspection certificate when the crane arrives onto your site – not on the second request.
Al Waha Cranes
Similarly, operator licensing must be based on the same principles. In UAE, crane equipment can only be used by certified and trained crane operators, no matter the type or lifting capacity of the crane. The ability to operate a machine is not a desirable skill. The riggers and signal men are equally important, as they must be trained to know how to use crane signals, identify hazards and perform the lifts safely and effectively.
Al Waha Cranes
In addition to the rules that apply at the emirate level, crane equipment operating throughout the UAE must also meet more general standards. This is where several organizations come in, such as the city authorities that approve projects, the Civil Defense for fire and hazard concerns, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology for industry standards, and the GCC Standardization Organization, which prescribes industry standards across the region for lifting equipment. TUV, Bureau Veritas and Intertek are third party certifiers that are frequently added too, especially for larger industrial projects.
K2cranes
All of this is not intended to put you off from hiring a crane. It is designed to provide you with the correct questions to have before signing a contract.
There Are Different Types of Cranes Often Used for Rent in Abu Dhabi
There are different types of cranes often used for rent in Abu Dhabi.
Machines come in a variety of types and each type is used in a specific job; knowing these categories will save you from paying for jobs that do not use these machines.
Mobile cranes are the work horses of short term jobs. They can be wheeled in, quickly set up and are suitable for sites where the lift time is in days, not months. In smaller commercial structures, they are a popular choice for loading precast materials or installing steel beams.
Crawler cranes are not wheel driven, and therefore enable stability on soft or uneven ground. Crawler cranes are typically preferred for industrial applications, oil and gas projects, and long-duration construction.Crawler cranes are commonly used in industrial applications, oil and gas projects, and long-term construction.
Tower Cranes are the tall stationary cranes you would imagine in construction of high-rise buildings. They remain on location for the duration of the project, and generally are not just booked for a short time.
Rough terrain cranes are mobile and suitable for off-road operation, making them a valuable asset on locations without hard surfaces, including many coastal and desert locations in Abu Dhabi.
The right selection will depend the load weight, lift height, ground conditions and length of time the crane will be parked on your site. Before they give you a quote, a decent rental company will ask for all four.
Before Signing Any Rental Agreement, There Are Certain Things That You Need to Check
You don’t want to rush into a crane rental contract. Some up-front research can save you weeks of delay down the road.
Request the most recent inspection certificate from the crane and ensure that it was issued by an accredited third party inspector and not from the internal team. Check if the operator’s license corresponds to the type of crane you are renting as the licensing is usually specific to a particular type of crane in the UAE. Ask for proof of the safe working load and ensure that the actual lift weight of your project is not at the top of the scale but within the safe working load. Verify that maintenance logs and rigging accessories (slings, hooks, etc.) are kept up to date—this is a common source of incidents on site. Last but not least, define who will take care of the crane’s transport, setup and breakdown, since these expenses may be part of the final invoice and not in the initial quote.
All of these checks are not time consuming but if you miss them, then projects end up with stop-work notices.
The Factors Involved in Cost That Really Affect the Price
The price of hiring a crane in Abu Dhabi isn’t set in stone, and any individual offering you a price without asking any questions is likely just guessing. The most important one is the crane’s lifting capacity, as larger cranes are more expensive to operate and maintain. The length of the rental is also important, with the longer the rental, the better the rate will be per day. Location can also be a factor if the crane must be transported a long distance from the rental yard to your project. Most quotes include operator and rigger wages, fuel and normal maintenance for the period of hire. Do not settle for a fixed price, or a single price.
Defining the Right Rental Partner
Price is important, but it shouldn’t be the only factor. Having a company that is experienced with the regulations in Abu Dhabi’s construction, marine and industrial sectors will know the regulations and save you the trouble of learning them the hard way. Inquire about how quickly they can assemble their equipment, whether they have a wide variety of cranes under one roof, and what they do in the event of equipment breakdowns while the crane is in operation. If your provider is reluctant to provide any documentation and you ask for it, they are telling you something of great importance, albeit in an unspoken manner.
Final Thoughts on Crane Rental in Abu Dhabi
In Abu Dhabi, crane hire is both essential for jobs and subject to some regulations, a balance that needs to be maintained. It’s a good thing: It implies that those companies who abide by the regulations will also, in most cases, run their operations more safely and reliably. Don’t let the certification checks and licensing questions be an inconvenience, treat them like one of the due diligence questions you should be concerned about and you’ll spend much less time worrying about your crane, and much more time getting your job done.