Tomorrow I’m starting my first ever lorry loader job. Agency text me earlier and said are you 100% sure etc and I just replied saying yeah. Turns out they were double checking as I’ll be the only driver (didn’t read the whole text). I’m meant to be working weekends here for a reasonable amount of time.
Now I only recently did my hiab course. And I’ve only ever used one type of crane (and only for a day). And the thing was the man told me how to put legs in and out etc. But I’m not 100% sure I can do it on my own. If it’s the same crane I can - but if it’s not the buttons might be different. On my course I was told you will always get a handover - but I won’t be getting that.
So wondered if any experienced hiab man would mind me asking a few questions tomorrow if I am a bit stuck.
You´re a bloke. It´s a crane. There´s buttons to press. You´ll be fine .
steviespain:
You´re a bloke. It´s a crane. There´s buttons to press. You´ll be fine .
Pretty much how I’m viewing it.
Worst case scenario I have to resort to youtube.
My last crane was a remote operated Fassi & you’re not going to be able to get it working unless you know exactly what to do.
I remember my early days on agency working the builders merchants, every crane is different & even if you think you can operate it there is always something that can catch you out.
DO NOT leave the yard until you’re confident you can operate that crane 100%. IME there is always someone there who can operate it & show you even if the regular driver is on holiday & you’re his replacement. Failing that, every crane will have a sticker with the name & number of the co’ that services it, give 'em a ring.
DO NOT leave the yard unless you’re 100% confident you can get the crane out & back in again.
Many types of lorry loaders and many ways of setting up. For example all four of my outriggers can only be extended and unfurled by the remote control box.
You should aways be shown if you haven’t used the loader you are using before you operate as the damage you can cause includes human damage!
08:20. Saturday.
Not heard any screams yet. Must be doing ok.
There’s more to know than what could be typed on here .
Don’t be fooled by the load chart ,an Hmf will lift only what the chart says where it says ,for example other cranes in a verticle boom and horizontal dipper position will lift what it says on chart ,an Hmf will not do this ,the most weight can only be lift with both in line .
When go lifting in the quarry I can be in the same position all day , I’ve had the computer settings altered as before if a load was left suspended and you switched off you can’t restart the crane until the arm is weightless , however if A 9 mm spanner is use on spools then levers can be used to over ride a little bit and even adjust legs when crane is raised but that then knocks the remote out until ignition is turned on n off and pto too .
Punchy Dan:
There’s more to know than what could be typed on here .
Don’t be fooled by the load chart ,an Hmf will lift only what the chart says where it says ,for example other cranes in a verticle boom and horizontal dipper position will lift what it says on chart ,an Hmf will not do this ,the most weight can only be lift with both in line .
When go lifting in the quarry I can be in the same position all day , I’ve had the computer settings altered as before if a load was left suspended and you switched off you can’t restart the crane until the arm is weightless , however if A 9 mm spanner is use on spools then levers can be used to over ride a little bit and even adjust legs when crane is raised but that then knocks the remote out until ignition is turned on n off and pto too .
Fully agree with you on the HMF’s, we have 3 on railway work and they are more fussy than the HIAB’s, even the 2 Palfingers aren’t as bad. Very rare the HMF will lift what it says at all, I don’t like having the dipper fully straight all the time, I like a little manouver room with it. Have had to ‘bully’ them a little to get some stuff off the back of the truck (mainly putting steel masts in at the side of the track so once vertical well with in lift capacity for the radius that they are going, just awkward to get off the bed and upright). The HIAB’s are a lot better in that respect and will lift the weight at the radius stated regardless of arm position
steviespain:
You´re a bloke. <…>. There´s buttons to press. You´ll be fine .
A lot of women might disagree with that! 
CHeers for advice.
Going very very bad. I’ve broken stuff and someones stolen my Tom Tom.
Will post back later.
Sent home in disgrace Was meant to be a 3 month contract working every weekend. Instead I was asked to leave halfway through the first day.
Will write a report once I’ve spoken to the agency!
So I cba writing the whole thing. But here is the summary:
-
My phone ran out of battery and my alarm didn’t go off. So i got there 45 mins late. Not a great start.
-
No one in the yard to show me how to use the crane. And I was told I needed to get out asap but was given number for bloke who usually drives it. Turns out wagon is rear wheel steer… Never used that before either. And I didn’t know how to adjust the suspension so I felt like I was going over bombs when I hit a bump on the road.
-
Get to first drop. Spoke to bloke on phone. After a long time I managed to use crane. Except this was a HIAB and I learned on an Atlas crane. So it was all different. I never used slings on my course… And I tried picking some cement posts up using grab. They dropped on the truck and all broke.
-
Whilst this was happening I thought someone blagged my satnav - but I’d put it in my bag. So not all bad.
-
Get loaded and go to my second drop. Get there with Mr Grumpy… Complaining about the company etc. One plasterboard broke when I used slings because of how it was loaded. I apologised and he just kept going on about how he wouldn’t use company again. Also said I should get some training as I was crap on the crane. Bit of a muppet really.
-Last drop. All went well. Or so I thought.
Get back to the yard - second drop has called and said that there was ‘loads of damage’ clearly trying to get a discount. Explained. And customer after that called saying I’d crashed into their car!!! Now I know I didn’t crash into a car and fortunately it’s one of these trucks that looks like a bus and has about a million cameras.
But I was sent home. Was told I’m not needed tomorrow. First time I’ve been dropped mid shift. But I’ll get my 8 hours and I’m off to spoons now as I don’t need to work tomorrow.
Certainly was my last shift at a builders merchant. I have a lot more respect for the hiab men - but I shall not becoming one of them. Give me a fridge or a curtainsider anyday.
sammym:
So I cba writing the whole thing. But here is the summary:
-
My phone ran out of battery and my alarm didn’t go off. So i got there 45 mins late. Not a great start.
-
No one in the yard to show me how to use the crane. And I was told I needed to get out asap but was given number for bloke who usually drives it. Turns out wagon is rear wheel steer… Never used that before either. And I didn’t know how to adjust the suspension so I felt like I was going over bombs when I hit a bump on the road.
-
Get to first drop. Spoke to bloke on phone. After a long time I managed to use crane. Except this was a HIAB and I learned on an Atlas crane. So it was all different. I never used slings on my course… And I tried picking some cement posts up using grab. They dropped on the truck and all broke.
-
Whilst this was happening I thought someone blagged my satnav - but I’d put it in my bag. So not all bad.
-
Get loaded and go to my second drop. Get there with Mr Grumpy… Complaining about the company etc. One plasterboard broke when I used slings because of how it was loaded. I apologised and he just kept going on about how he wouldn’t use company again. Also said I should get some training as I was crap on the crane. Bit of a muppet really.
-Last drop. All went well. Or so I thought.
Get back to the yard - second drop has called and said that there was ‘loads of damage’ clearly trying to get a discount. Explained. And customer after that called saying I’d crashed into their car!!! Now I know I didn’t crash into a car and fortunately it’s one of these trucks that looks like a bus and has about a million cameras.
But I was sent home. Was told I’m not needed tomorrow. First time I’ve been dropped mid shift. But I’ll get my 8 hours and I’m off to spoons now as I don’t need to work tomorrow.
Certainly was my last shift at a builders merchant. I have a lot more respect for the hiab men - but I shall not becoming one of them. Give me a fridge or a curtainsider anyday.
Anybody who comes on here to slag the fellow will never have had a stint at a builders merchant. I reckon it’s the toughest job on the road. Apart from the obvious need to know how the Hiab works you need to know how to sling and also how to nip with the brick grab. On top of that you have tight roads down housing estates doging badly parked cars and customers that blatantly lie about damage to get refunds or compo.
Fair play fella I did it for a year and that was my limit.
Your mistake was starting without having a proper brief on the lorry and crane.
Wow, that does sound like a ■■■■■ day mate, sorry to hear it.
You´re a bloke. It´s a crane. There´s buttons to press. You´ll be fine .
I am obviously an idiot. Soz man.
Waddayermeen!!! It won’t fit ■■? T bin wagon gets in !! Wish I’d had a £ every time I’ve heard that
You have my sympathies - getting dropped in there with basic training with equipment and esp on a building site which is never good. Never fancied trying to use those cranes as they look far too complicated, but wouldnt be so bad in a fulltime job where you have an experienced user to learn off.
Did similar with a moffet and caused loads of damage to goods (inc broke the moffet). Agencies should know better and builders merchants should insist on people with x months experience.
Enjoy the spoons and chalk it down to experience. Oh and in my experience, most builders are grumpy gits. 
sammym:
So I cba writing the whole thing. But here is the summary:
-
My phone ran out of battery and my alarm didn’t go off. So i got there 45 mins late. Not a great start.
-
No one in the yard to show me how to use the crane. And I was told I needed to get out asap but was given number for bloke who usually drives it. Turns out wagon is rear wheel steer… Never used that before either. And I didn’t know how to adjust the suspension so I felt like I was going over bombs when I hit a bump on the road.
-
Get to first drop. Spoke to bloke on phone. After a long time I managed to use crane. Except this was a HIAB and I learned on an Atlas crane. So it was all different. I never used slings on my course… And I tried picking some cement posts up using grab. They dropped on the truck and all broke.
-
Whilst this was happening I thought someone blagged my satnav - but I’d put it in my bag. So not all bad.
-
Get loaded and go to my second drop. Get there with Mr Grumpy… Complaining about the company etc. One plasterboard broke when I used slings because of how it was loaded. I apologised and he just kept going on about how he wouldn’t use company again. Also said I should get some training as I was crap on the crane. Bit of a muppet really.
-Last drop. All went well. Or so I thought.
Get back to the yard - second drop has called and said that there was ‘loads of damage’ clearly trying to get a discount. Explained. And customer after that called saying I’d crashed into their car!!! Now I know I didn’t crash into a car and fortunately it’s one of these trucks that looks like a bus and has about a million cameras.
But I was sent home. Was told I’m not needed tomorrow. First time I’ve been dropped mid shift. But I’ll get my 8 hours and I’m off to spoons now as I don’t need to work tomorrow.
Certainly was my last shift at a builders merchant. I have a lot more respect for the hiab men - but I shall not becoming one of them. Give me a fridge or a curtainsider anyday.
LOL. Sounds about right
Working the BM’s has seen some of the best days of my working life & I can relate to everything you describe. I could write a book. 
The trouble is they teach you the basic operation of a crane with ideal parameters e.g lots of space on flat level hardstanding all done according to the book in reality you will be stuck in mud , snow or ice up to the diff , tipped up or down at a jaunty angle to offload any type of product . Not to mention squeezing up next to 360 excavators, dumpers, etc with no room to get past them.
We do anything from concrete chamber rings and slabs concrete rocker pipes to 6 metre full packs of various diameters of poly pipe weighing well over a ton a pack . If it’s not slung in the middle within a couple of inches either side , it up ends itself especially when wet and very slippery , then there’s the matter of lifting pallets of cement and dry pavior sand when the cross members have a knot in them or indeed rotten due to being left in the yard in puddles of rain for weeks on end, as soon as they are grabbed in the correct position and lifted they just give way and collapse. The pitfalls are endless . The water utility sites we deliver to are extremely remote and tight, they do not have any postcodes just a vague country lane address then good old Google earth. Sending someone out with no experience or at the very least with a buddy driver is madness. I ve been doing this for 8 years and learn something new everyday.