Frequently Asked Questions

The 3-3-3 rule is a quick safety habit some operators use: take three seconds to start a movement smoothly, hold steady for three seconds, and take three seconds to stop — keeping loads from swinging through sudden acceleration or braking. It's a rule of thumb, not a regulation, and it never replaces a proper lift plan, load chart and the operator's judgment. On any Kranes lift, NCCCO-certified operators follow the manufacturer's load chart and OSHA 1926 Subpart CC practice, with the rigging and ground conditions verified before the load leaves the ground. If a load starts to swing, the operator stops and lets it settle before moving again.

"Crane services" covers everything around getting a load lifted safely beyond just the machine: supplying the crane (sale or rental), providing certified operators, planning and engineering the lift, rigging, and the ongoing maintenance, inspection, certification and parts that keep a crane compliant. As the nationwide supplier, Kranes covers all of it — sales, rental, service and parts — from one request. You describe the job; we provide the crane and the certified support to complete it, then keep it running afterward. That includes inspection records, certified operators and a written quote that spells out every part of the scope before the crane mobilizes.

Both run a hoist along a bridge, but the support is different. An overhead (bridge) crane carries its bridge on runway beams fixed to the building structure, so it clears the floor entirely and reaches the highest hook positions. A gantry crane carries the same bridge on freestanding legs that run on floor rails or castors, so it needs no building steel and can work outdoors, in yards or anywhere a runway can't be mounted overhead. Overhead cranes suit permanent in-bay production; gantries suit flexible, portable or outdoor lifting. Kranes supplies, installs and services both. Both are covered by OSHA 1910.179 when used in general industry.

The "10-foot rule" is the common name for keeping cranes, loads and rigging a minimum distance from overhead power lines. In general industry, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.333 sets 10 feet for lines up to 50 kV, plus 4 inches for every 10 kV above that. For cranes used in construction, OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1408 is stricter: if any part of the crane, load line or load could come within 20 feet of a power line up to 350 kV, the employer must de-energize and ground the line, keep a 20-foot clearance, or use the voltage-based clearance table. Every Kranes lift plan checks for overhead lines, and certified operators keep the required clearance throughout the lift.

The 5 P's are a planning maxim — Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance — and in lifting they stand for the discipline of working out the load weight, the crane and rigging, the ground and access, the people and their certification, and the hazards before anything is hoisted. A good lift is decided on paper first. Kranes applies the same principle to every quote: we confirm the load, the radius, the site conditions and the certified crew up front, so the crane that arrives is the right one and the lift goes as planned. Skipping any of the five is where most lift problems begin.

Daily boom-truck rates depend on the crane's capacity and reach, whether a certified operator is included, the rigging, and how far the truck travels to your site. A boom truck is usually the most economical option for medium lifts spread across a route — setting HVAC units, signs or roofing material — because it drives itself to the job and loads from its own deck. Tell Kranes the load, the lift height and the access, and we quote the right deck and crane rating for the day or the project. Every quote is itemized and arrives in writing within 24 hours.

It depends entirely on the model and, crucially, the radius — a boom truck lifts far more close to the truck than at full extension. Capacity is read from the crane's load chart, which accounts for boom length, angle and outrigger setup, not a single headline number. Common boom trucks range from a few tons up to higher-capacity articulating and stiff-boom units. Kranes matches the boom truck to your heaviest pick at its working radius, so the machine that arrives can actually make the lift safely. If the heaviest pick is far from the truck, a larger boom truck or a mobile crane may be the right call.

For a crane lift, the safe answer is usually more than one: a certified operator runs the machine while a qualified signaller or rigger directs the load, especially when the operator can't see the landing zone. Solo operation is only appropriate for simple, fully-visible picks within the operator's qualification. Kranes supplies certified operators and, where the lift calls for it, the signaling and rigging support to do it safely — the crew is sized to the job, not the other way around. For construction work, OSHA 1926 Subpart CC sets when a signal person is required. On complex lifts, a rigger and a signal person are part of the crew.

A gantry crane is a lifting bridge carried on two freestanding legs that straddle the work area and run on floor rails or castors — essentially an overhead crane that brings its own supports instead of relying on the building. The name comes from "gantry," an old word for a raised frame or platform that spans a space. They're also called portal cranes, and smaller adjustable versions are known as portable or A-frame gantries. Kranes supplies adjustable, portable and full-span gantry cranes for yards, workshops and any bay without overhead steel. Gantries can be fixed or mobile, single- or double-girder.

All of it. Kranes is the nationwide crane supplier across four lines from a single request: sales (buy a crane outright), rental (operated or bare, by the day, week or project), service (maintenance, repair, inspection and certification for any make), and parts (wear and electrical components, including for obsolete units). You don't get routed to a third party — you tell us the job, we send the quote and we fulfill it directly. That single point of contact is the whole idea: one supplier behind every lift, coast to coast. It also means one set of inspection records and one point of accountability for the whole lifting program.

Kranes serves the United States coast to coast — from Phoenix, Houston, Los Angeles and Chicago to New York City and the job sites between them. Because we're a nationwide supplier rather than a single local yard, one request covers wherever your job is. If you're searching for crane service near me or comparing crane companies in your city, Kranes is the direct option that quotes and fulfills the work itself rather than passing you to a third party. For remote or northern locations, mobilization and scheduling are built into the quote so the right crane reaches the site on time.

Yes. Crane rentals can be supplied operated — with a certified operator — or bare, where you provide your own qualified operator. For operated work, our operators hold NCCCO certification for the crane class, plus any state or city license the site requires, and the work is documented to OSHA and ASME B30 so your records stand up to an audit. When you request a quote, tell us whether you need an operator and any site-specific safety requirements, and we include the right certified crew. Signal persons and riggers can be added where the lift calls for them. Operator certifications are available for review before the crane mobilizes.

Most quotes go back within 24 hours. Send the essentials — the equipment or service you need, the load, the location and the timing — by form, email or phone, and our team prices the right crane, rigging and certified operation and returns a clear quote. Urgent or emergency lifts are flagged and handled faster. The more detail you give up front (capacity, lift height, radius, site access), the more precise and final the quote, with fewer surprises on the day of the lift. Each quote is itemized, so you can see exactly what you are paying for. Repeat customers can send a short request and get a faster turnaround.

For cranes used in construction, OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1412 sets three layers. A competent person must visually inspect the crane before or during each shift it is used. Each month the equipment is in service, that inspection is repeated and documented. At least every 12 months, a qualified person must carry out an annual/comprehensive inspection, with disassembly where required. Repaired or modified equipment must also be inspected before it goes back into use. Overhead and gantry cranes in plants follow OSHA 1910.179, which divides inspections into frequent and periodic intervals based on how exposed each component is to wear. Kranes schedules inspections around these intervals and keeps the records on file for your audits.