Metal Construction News, May 2018

Correct storage handling and the manpower count are important when installing oversized metal panels Photo courtesy of AEP Span Nathan Libbey division III manager at Best Buy Metals Cleveland Tenn says oversized panels usually require special crating or multiple forklifts to offl oad or load Mike Wallace president of Quality Metal Crafts LLC Rogers Minn says the crates need to be reinforced to withstand the additional weight and also be built in such a fashion that makes loading and unloading a simple process for when the material arrives on site Larger tarps may be required to ensure oversized panels are kept dry on the job site Rodney Hiller sheet metal superintendent at Queen City Roofi ng and Sheet Metal agrees that in addition to bigger equipment like lifts cranes vacuum lifts and panel rollers a key to handling oversized panels is limiting the times you must move them Also Make sure you have plenty of manpower when handling oversize panels he adds Trent Tyler steel supervisor at Chief Construction Grand Island says a spreader bar and rigging should be used when handling or moving panels at the job site This will help eliminate diffi cult Riess Construction and Oversized Panels Long panels can sometimes hang over the rear of the truck and sometimes dedicated trucks are necessary driving up freight cost Properly sizing cranes or forklifts with spreader bars is very important No fun showing up to a site to unload and not having the right equipment then buckling a bundle of roofi ng or siding trying to get by with the wrong rigging or equipment Having a large and most importantly fl at lay down area is key Have enough manpower and the right size boom or scissor lift to keep backs from being stressed and guys safe Oversize spreader bars and even trailers can move panels around job sites Sometimes we use a jib on a forklift and pick up the panels from the end if the panels are too wide to navigate smaller sites Rob and Mike Riess Riess Construction Plymouth N H maneuvers through diffi cult corridors he says Bundle placement while stored or in preparation for installation is important to minimize handling Installation begins once the bundles are broken and it is more diffi cult to move single panels without damage and caution is advised One example an architectural vertical rib standing seam panel will need to be stood on its side secured face to face with another panel while lifted with a wide spreader bar and rigging When picking bundles with lifting straps it is advisable to use fl at plates in conjunction with your rigging to prevent crushing the corners of your material Hiller recommends having a good game plan before you start your job and defi nitely having a morning huddle with the crew who will be handling and installing the panels before starting on that day It is important to let the crew know the importance of these oversized panels not being damaged during the project he says Explain to them the costs of the panels and how hard it is to get replacement panels You cant just expect the May 2018 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS 45 www metalconstructionnews com