Moving oversized machinery is a feat on its own, it can be extremely challenging, and it’s one of those tasks that can be hard to perform. With that in mind, it’s very important to hire the right machinery movers, and then pursue the move effectively, while also saving both time and money. Machinery moving, especially when it comes to oversized machinery, that requires a lot of planning and attention.
What is seen as oversized machinery?
Machinery movers will see as oversized machinery any machinery that’s over 8.5 feet wide, 14 feet tall, 48-53 feet in length and over 80000 pounds in weight. These machines are difficult to move around, and transporting them becomes an obvious challenge. But once you manage everything and ensure that the machines are moved effectively, results will be very good. And that’s totally a thing that you need to take into consideration here.
Always perform pre-planning
You can’t move oversized machinery without adequate planning. Otherwise, you will end up dealing with all kinds of problems. The most important thing here is to identify the load weight and dimensions, and also narrow down the disassembly options. You also want to plan the timeline accordingly and engage everyone for large machinery moving processes like this. Adequate pre-planning will be very useful, it can eliminate problems, and it will lead to a much more consistent result in the end.
Perform route assessment
Naturally, when we talk about oversized machinery, that means it might impede traffic in the case of tunnels, bridges or roads with limitations. You need to plan the route accordingly, and you also need to narrow down if there are any limits. If there are, then you must adjust the road and in doing so, it will provide a much more consistent result and better outcomes every single time.
In this case, you can leverage technology, take into account all the obstacles, and use route survey teams. Checking the traffic patterns so you can avoid any intense traffic, that will also help quite a lot, and it’s something to take into consideration when possible. The more you prepare for this, the easier it will be to not deal with downsides and better handle the situation at hand.
Get the necessary permits
When we talk about machinery moving like this, you will most likely have to deal with permits. Overweight/oversized permits need to be issued by the authorities, and you need to get those before the machinery movers reach states/regions with limits where you need a permit.
In some cases, temporary road modifications are necessary, and you might even need to hire escort vehicles that will help guide the team to destination without any concerns. And lastly, police escorts might also be needed, that’s valid when we are talking about some very large loads.
Invest in the right equipment
Moving oversized machinery will also require you to get the best possible equipment. You can’t move very large stuff without taking adequate care of it, and that’s a thing you have to keep in mind. Depending on the machinery moving you need to do, you might need step-deck trailers, multi-axle modular transporters, extendable flatbeds, lowboy trailers or anything of that nature. Hydraulic lifting systems might also be necessary, depending on the use case.
Prioritize safety
That’s why it helps to use machinery movers, because whenever you move large stuff, there are many things that will go wrong. Your focus is on preventing that, and if it’s done right, results can be very good. You only want to hire qualified operators, perform a ground stability check, use the right rigging solutions, and having spotters on site will help quit a bit.
The same thing is valid when it comes to getting clear communication as well. What matters here is to focus on safety, not on speed. The oversized machinery tends to have sensitive parts, and if you’re not careful, you can easily damage it.
Additionally, it helps if you use the right load securing methods. In this case, you need to follow the regional or DOY securement regulations. And not only that, it’s important to use multiple securing devices, if you can do that. Distributing the weight evenly will also help a lot, and it’s something you want to adjust as much as possible. Doing check on-route will be great, and if you can use edge protectors, that will also help you stay away from possible problems. Simple safety adjustments like these are great, and they will provide you with better results in the end.
Train your personnel or hire machinery movers
It’s extremely important to have people qualified for moving oversized machinery. That’s crucial, otherwise any mistake can end up costing you a whole lot of money. The most important thing in these situations is to train the drivers, but also the equipment operators as well. Escort personnel should also receive adequate training, and the same thing is valid when it comes to everyone having emergency response training. Since you never know what issues can arise, it pays off to get emergency response guidance and training. It will make it easier to tackle problems, and it’s just the better approach you can focus on.
Communication is key
Since we are talking about complex machinery moving, it makes a lot of sense to focus a lot on coordination and communication. Having CB or two-way radios will always help, and you also want to have a central command structure as well. Pre-tip briefings will help you quite a lot, and the same thing is valid when it comes to getting the right digital tools. All of these will streamline communication, they will provide better value, and in the long run, it’s something that you will appreciate more than expected.
Think about environmental conditions
When you move oversized machinery, it’s possible that the weather might not be ideal. And you really have to find the best way of tackling this problem. Thankfully, it’s not as difficult as you might imagine. But in general, you will need to narrow down the potential weather conditions and prepare accordingly. Having a contingency plan for these problems is always helpful, and it will only make the process easier to manage. With that being said, handling oversized machinery during bad weather is always a challenge, but if you’re prepared beforehand, it’s definitely easier.
Use technology to make machinery moving easier
Tech can be very useful when it comes to moving any oversized machinery. GPS tracking will provide you with immediate info when it comes to the location of all vehicles involved. Telematics can be great for offering data on braking, tire pressure, load stability and other important things like that. Plus, you can also use drones for site surveys and route inspections. Add to that simulation software, and it clearly shows that moving machinery becomes a lot easier as long as you have the necessary tools by your side. It’s always a challenge to do all of this correctly, but manage it rightfully, and the results can be excellent.
Having regulatory compliance
Yes, complying with the local regulations is crucial, and that’s why you want to get a permit, as well as do all the other things required to move large items legally in that space. In general, you will have to know the weight and dimension limits, and you also need insurance coverage. Driver hour restrictions might also be a thing in that region, depending on the situation.
And yes, customs clearance is important, if you need to move the item internationally. It always depends on the matter at hand, but understanding the requirements is crucial, and it will only make things better in the end.
Always establish a contingency plan
You can’t expect everything to work as planned. Sure, it might, but a lot of the time, unforeseen issues can arise. You always want to have a contingency plan that you can fall back on, if there are any issues. Most of the time, you want to have an alternate route, a disaster recovery plan, but also breakdown protocols in place. They are not mandatory, but these protocols will help you save a major headache, and you don’t have to worry about any concerns going forward.
Post-transport review
Once you finalize the machinery moving process, you want to do a debrief session, analyze the KPIs, but also ensure that everyone is dealing with any concerns effectively. It’s always important to protect the machinery, but also train everyone to be certain that the machinery is used wisely.
Conclusion
As you can see, oversized machinery moving can be challenging, and it certainly needs a lot of preparation. But if it’s done correctly, you won’t have a problem moving the machine adequately, and ensure that there are no downsides or issues. That’s why it’s very important to follow the steps and guidelines shown above. Not only will that make things easier, but you can also establish a proper emergency plan, just in case things go wrong!
