Crane Service
Critical Lifts
High-value, multi-crane, restricted-clearance, or otherwise complex lifts — engineered, supervised, and executed by a dedicated lift director.
Some lifts get one chance
A vessel that took 18 months to fabricate. A turbine rotor on a remote site. A transformer in a live substation. A reactor module in a constrained refinery space.
Critical lifts get a dedicated process — and a dedicated lift director — because the load, the location, or the consequences don’t tolerate the routine pick.
Our critical-lift process
1. Pre-engagement
- Customer scope review and load identification
- Site visit if access permits
- Definition of critical-lift criteria per customer / regulatory requirements
2. Engineering
- Crane selection and configuration
- Boom, jib, and counterweight loadout
- Ground-bearing analysis with mat or pad sizing
- Rigging design with sling-angle and capacity calculations
- 2D and 3D lift plan with elevation, plan, and sequence views
- Stamped drawings where required
3. Pre-job
- Crane and rigging inspections logged
- Signal-person and lift-director assigned in writing
- Pre-job briefing with full crew and customer site safety
- Go/no-go criteria documented (wind, visibility, ground conditions)
- Communication protocols (radio channels, signals, escalation)
4. Execution
- Lift director chairs the pick — sole authority
- Continuous communication on dedicated channel
- Stop-work authority for any crew member
- Post-pick inspection of crane, rigging, and load
5. Post-job
- Lift documentation archived
- Lessons-learned review
- Customer-facing closeout package on request
Multi-crane lifts
Tandem and tailing lifts add coordination complexity. We run synchronized load charts, designate primary and assist crane operators, and assign a single lift director for the whole pick. Coordinated lifts of 800+ tons combined capacity are routine.
When to engage us
For any lift you suspect might be a critical lift, call us before the pick is scheduled. The cost of bringing engineering in early is small. The cost of finding out the night before that the lift plan won’t work is enormous.
Plan a critical lift › or call 24/7 dispatch: 405-373-2979
Frequently asked questions
What makes a lift a 'critical lift'?
A lift is typically classified as critical when any of the following apply: load exceeds 75% of crane capacity, multi-crane (tandem or tailing) lift required, load is irreplaceable or high-value, lift is over occupied space or live equipment, or specific customer/regulatory designation. Each customer site may have its own threshold — we'll align with yours.
Do critical lifts require a dedicated lift director?
Yes. Critical lifts run with a designated lift director who is the single point of authority on the lift. The lift director chairs the pre-job briefing, signs off on the rigging plan, and has the explicit authority to stop work.
How is a critical lift different from a standard pick?
Engineered lift plan with stamped drawings (where required), ground-bearing analysis, written rigging plan with sling-angle calculations, pre-lift inspections of crane and rigging, dedicated signal-person and lift-director assignments, written go/no-go criteria, and post-lift documentation.
How long does critical lift planning take?
Typical planning runs 1–4 weeks depending on complexity. Multi-crane vessel sets and rotor lifts on the high end, single-crane high-value picks on the low end. Plan early — short-notice critical lifts compress everyone's safety margins.
24/7 Dispatch · Nationwide
Tell us what you need to move.
One call covers the crane, the haul, and the logistics. We’ll spec the crew, the equipment, and the route — and put a written quote in your hands.
Request a Quote 24/7 Dispatch Lines
- Crane & Rigging405-373-2979
- Heavy Haul405-506-1850
- Bulk Logistics405-506-1869