Hi All,
So I’ve got a job lined up which pays slightly better, but the commute goes from 45mins drive each way to a 4min walk. Also start time goes from 4am to 7am so pretty happy with that.
However, I just need to get my HIAB so will be looking to book myself in soon as I can. I know nothing about lorry mounted cranes, apart from the fact the one I will be using is a brand new one with a remote control.
Any tips or suggestions or helpful tips for me will be much appreciated.
ALWAYS LOOK UP 
as power lines + crane can kill you as HV electricity can jump gaps
Firstly make sure the course you book covers you for what you’re going to be operating Not all courses cover you for the remote and if you pass using a crane with levers only it won’t cover you for the remote.
Depending on what you are going to be doing you will need to make sure that the attachment is correct eg brick grab, hook, clamshell.
If it’s an ALLMI course they have weight restrictions upto or over 20 ton per metre.
When on the course listen carefully to the health and safety part because as someone else already said drivers have been killed or badly burned because of electricity.
Don’t take chances and don’t do anything you think is remotely unsafe because if it all goes wrong you will carry the blame.
Before you start your job make sure you’ve got a good waterproof jacket and trousers as well as good quality gloves and a hard hat liner that goes down over your neck and over the collar of your jacket is priceless.
Get yourself a good pair of safety glasses because even fairly new hydraulic hoses can fail and the fluid comes out under extreme pressure.
When working forget about speed and concentrate on smoothness, speed will come eventually.
Muddy K:
Hi All,So I’ve got a job lined up which pays slightly better, but the commute goes from 45mins drive each way to a 4min walk. Also start time goes from 4am to 7am so pretty happy with that.
However, I just need to get my HIAB so will be looking to book myself in soon as I can. I know nothing about lorry mounted cranes, apart from the fact the one I will be using is a brand new one with a remote control.
Any tips or suggestions or helpful tips for me will be much appreciated.
Surely…
The firm you’ll be working for can put you through the relevant course? At the very least, point you in the right direction.
45 minute commute to a 4 minute walk is worth thousands over time and way less stress too. Well played!
Muddy K:
. Also start time goes from 4am to 7am so pretty happy with that. ..
… is worth thousands over time and way less stress too. Well played!
As well as looking up, don’t forget to look down. You need to find firm level ground as a base to park the vehicle, get the legs out and use pads. On wet ground it’s worth putting some plastic underneath the mat, this will stop it creating suction, sometimes if the ground compresses you can have the pad pushed into the ground and it can be very difficult to get out.
Avoid manhole and service covers or other ground that could give way underneath you.
When unfolding a crane, (more so on levers) unfold it so it is not avoid your head when it opens (use other side) as they have a tendancy to collect water when folded and dump it on your head.
When folding them back up, do so from that side so you can make sure that it goes away without causing damage to the various pipes and bits that will surround it in it’s stowed position.
It’s best to get into a routine for setting up and putting away so that you don’t forget things.
Regarding the pad being stuck in the ground, I’ve got a short length of rope that I wrap around the pad handle and onto the foot of the crane leg. Pull it tight and when you lift the foot back up the pad comes with it.
To the O.P. make sure you do a quick walk round the truck before you leave your drop as things like pads, slings and ratchets being left behind will annoy the boss.
yourhavingalarf:
Muddy K:
Hi All,So I’ve got a job lined up which pays slightly better, but the commute goes from 45mins drive each way to a 4min walk. Also start time goes from 4am to 7am so pretty happy with that.
However, I just need to get my HIAB so will be looking to book myself in soon as I can. I know nothing about lorry mounted cranes, apart from the fact the one I will be using is a brand new one with a remote control.
Any tips or suggestions or helpful tips for me will be much appreciated.
Surely…
The firm you’ll be working for can put you through the relevant course? At the very least, point you in the right direction.
45 minute commute to a 4 minute walk is worth thousands over time and way less stress too. Well played!
Thanks for the tips people.
The firm is booking me onto their recommendated training provider, which is a 2day course. But il be paying for it via wage deductions.
It’s a local family run business literally 300 metres from my house. Don’t even need a second car anymore either so am well chuffed.
Regarding the hardhat which comes down at the back, any links or recommendations as Im not 100% sure what this looks like. Never ever wore a hardhat tbh.
The post about doing a walk around after I’ve stored it away - 100%. That’s the kind of guy I am. I double check the tail lift and the back doors and side steps in my current role. Or to check if the truck is “locked and loaded” as I call it to myself. (yes I talk to myself but that’s a different matter)
The liner I’ve got looks a bit like a French Foreign Legion hat with war flaps and clips inside the hard hat itself, it’s brilliant for keeping your ears warm in winter and stops rain going down the back of your neck.
I think ScrewFix and Arco sell them.
It’s all a matter of putting your training into practice every time you operate, remember the test lifts and getting into a routine.
Crane work is interesting and keeps you focused as no two lifts are ever the same.
What kind of work is it you’re going to be doing?
Dunky123:
The liner I’ve got looks a bit like a French Foreign Legion hat with war flaps and clips inside the hard hat itself, it’s brilliant for keeping your ears warm in winter and stops rain going down the back of your neck.
I think ScrewFix and Arco sell them.
It’s all a matter of putting your training into practice every time you operate, remember the test lifts and getting into a routine.
Crane work is interesting and keeps you focused as no two lifts are ever the same.
What kind of work is it you’re going to be doing?
Il have a look on the Screwfix/Toolstation websites over the weekend. I have a flappy russian hat that I wear in winter and it’s awesome. It even has a facemask that clips on that is also fake fur lined on the inside. Suppose I could just wear that with a normal hard hat on top in the wetter/colder months.
The firm is mainly fencing, concrete posts and gravel/soil bags. Most of it is on pallets I think.
Stay smooth. Plan your lifts to have as little movement as possible, I’m doing wag and drag stone walling bricks, take packs from front of wag put right next to where they were and work back then back of drag and work forward. The little you have to slew or extend/retract the better, all that takes time.
Get a routine for dropping sides, outriggers out, crane off, outriggers in, sides up, this is where you will save most time, no unnecessary walking back and forth because you forgot something.
As said before, look up and always be aware of your working area, people will walk in under your crane and you need eyes in the back of your head.
Always use pads, even if you think you are on a firm surface, easy to sink into some type 1 or tarmac that looks and feels solid under foot but put a couple of ton on a little leg and youre in it.
Dont be afraid to say no. Site managers, forkies and homeowners will tell you that the other driver put it in there, drive in and you are up to your axles and spinning your wheels or damaging something trying to reach too far. If you think its dodgy, dont tip it.
One of these has been great with the cold/wind/rain https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portwest-S585RERM-Winter-Coverall-Regular/dp/B00J4■■8LS/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=KgqiM&pf_rd_p=4d619998-507a-44d3-b580-1c7fc24282f7&pf_rd_r=FTM1G3MZ2J6MW19ZTMNT&pd_rd_r=07893139-b958-4cf0-b70a-7d76ecd7c39f&pd_rd_wg=a4FVt&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_atf_m&th=1
I also use these when its cold and wet, brilliant gloves, furry lined and can get them off amazon in different sizes https://www.ansell.com/gb/en/products/activarmr-97-681
It’s worth having a hard hat with ear defenders built in, not only does it protect your hearing but it helps the hard hat stay on your head when you’re constantly craning your neck back and looking up in the air. Speaking of which - decent sunglasses are a must too as you’ll probably spend a lot of time looking into the sun.
Never ever lift over cars, not even when other drivers tell you it’s the only way to do that particular drop, IME not every hiab driver has the problem solving skills to work in cramped conditions where the crane has limited movement.
Keep your eyes peeled and watch out for members of the public who don’t see your working area as something they should walk around 
and beware of customers dictating where they want you to drop the goods, you’re in charge of the working area and keeping everyone safe, and some people seem to think your crane has an unlimited reach.
Ask the employer what their policy is on (the inevitable) burst hose: do they have someone specific who looks after them, or do you need to have Pirtek on speed-dial?
Zac_A:
It’s worth having a hard hat with ear defenders built in, not only does it protect your hearing but it helps the hard hat stay on your head when you’re constantly craning your neck back and looking up in the air. Speaking of which - decent sunglasses are a must too as you’ll probably spend a lot of time looking into the sun.Never ever lift over cars, not even when other drivers tell you it’s the only way to do that particular drop, IME not every hiab driver has the problem solving skills to work in cramped conditions where the crane has limited movement.
Keep your eyes peeled and watch out for members of the public who don’t see your working area as something they should walk around
Ask the employer what their policy is on (the inevitable) burst hose: do they have someone specific who looks after them, or do you need to have Pirtek on speed-dial?
Good advice there re the burst hose policy. I have some sunglasses already and they are always in my day bag for work. A must for me as my eyes start to leak in direct sunlight sometimes. Will look into if I can get sunglasses/safety glasses hybrid.
Used to shouting at pedestrians already. I’ve only been driving a truck for 3 weeks, but all of them in Manchester city centre.
Remember having to give about 4 people a verbal warning within a 1min.
Am off loading a heavy pallet on a manual pumptruck with the truck parked uphill and a high chance of the pallet running away from me. Even though the tail lift has barriers, I know the pallets gonna run away from me a little due to gravity, and it could easily tip over or through the gate at the end of the tail lift.
I tell one person watch out. They move away. I look around and another pops out. With 2 others walking behind him. The others don’t hear me telling the one off in front of them. I repeat myself 4 times to 4 different people all walking within 10 metres of each other. Swear down, bunch of blind deaf and dumb people around these days. Behind Manchester Piccadilly train station, they don’t care about anything just what music to play on their airpods.
Safety first policy is a must with me. I take my time, a slow and steady pace. But I think I will enjoy this HIAB role though, but it will keep me alert and on my toes/swivel on my neck
Ive got safety sunglasses, think they cost about£10 from Arco made by Dewalt I think.
Talking of hardhats, I have a wide brim hard hat like the Americans wear. It is good when it’s raining as the rain doesn’t run down my neck or when it’s sunny the wide brim keeps me shaded. Good or bad people tend to remember me because of it.
Its a Portwest PS52 you can buy them on ebay for less than a tenner and they are CE marked.
Zac_A:
It’s worth having a hard hat with ear defenders built in, not only does it protect your hearing but it helps the hard hat stay on your head when you’re constantly craning your neck back and looking up in the air.
or just get one with a chin strap 
Depends on the truck you’re using I guess, but the ones I had were noisy enough that I was wearing ear defenders for work even before the company supplied a hard hat with them built in. Plus we were subject to annual hearing tests, and I was always really pleased to discover my hearing was comparable to someone 35 years younger than I was.
Just a quick thanks to everyone with your posts.
Passed my course today with flying colours and thoroughly enjoyed it. Made the odd mistake but learnt from it, had a great instructor and am now looking forward to working with HIABs.