75
MARCH 2014
ACT
LIFTING
SITE REPORT
worked closely with the client.
“We were focused on a professionally
managed, timely and safe assembly,”
Erwin explained. “Our client and the
project owner were a pleasure to work
with.”
Precise assist crane placement and
personnel handling was done with pre-
engineered processes, which included
consultation with Manitowoc Cranes,
so that assembly safety was the highest
priority. The entire job was completed
with zero incident or injury, Erwin said.
When the first phase of the work is
completed, the Manitowoc 888 with
Ringer and luffing jib will be disassembled
in the air, once again. The disassembly will
be performed with less room and tighter
site conditions. Additional components
will be removed in the air, as well.
Four times
Once disassembled, the Model 888 with
Ringer and luffing attachment will be
moved to the second phase of the project,
and then reassembled. In total, Essex will
assemble and disassemble the Manitowoc
888 Ringer with luffer four times during
the project duration.
The Manitowoc 16000 with luffing
attachment and the Manitowoc 999
are performing Phase Two bag house
construction in advance of the Manitowoc
888 Ringer with luffer. The client reported
that the Manitowoc 888 and Liebherr
LR1300 operated smoothly and efficiently.
components. More than 90 percent of
the assembly was performed as it was
delivered, which required expert logistics
planning and engineering, Erwin said.
“The added bonus for our client was
the use of the LR1300 for bag house
construction while the 888 was being
assembled,” he said.
The most difficult process was yet to
come – the 180-foot luffing attachment
with luffing strut and straps were
assembled outside the courtyard and were
installed in the air at a 180-foot elevation.
With the LR1100 disassembled inside the
courtyard and relocated and reassembled
outside the courtyard, the two Liebherrs
were positioned and rigged to raise the
luffing jib.
The Essex rigging team worked at a 180-
foot elevation to connect the luffing jib
and at a 225-foot elevation to reeve the
luffing boom hoist rope and connect the
luffing straps. Essex provided custom-
built cable winders and processes to
complete the reeving in a timely manner
and without incident.
With this very difficult step completed
safely and on schedule, the Essex riggers
continued with installing the eight-part
load block on the luffing jib.
The combination of 225-foot main
boom and 180-foot luffing jib gave KBR
the ability to work with 190,000 pounds
and stay well within the crane’s capacity
chart.
“The highly qualified five-man Essex
rigging crew are NCCCO Signal and
Rigger certified,” said Erwin. “Three
of the riggers are also NCCCO Lattice
Boom Crawler Crane certified operators,
including a Three-Star NCCCO operator.
The team included riggers with over 100
years of rigging experience.”
Erwin set up operations onsite
through the completed assembly to help
manage the Essex rigging team, and the
centralized Essex Logistics Management
The Liebherr LR1300 begins raising
the Model 888 Ringer luffing jib.
The Essex Liebherr
LR1300 and LR1100
perform a tandem pick
to erect the 180-foot
luffing jib in the air.
“Our client, KBR, and Essex worked
together as partners to complete a difficult
but safe and efficient assembly,” said
Erwin. “My time onsite allowed me to
manage the assembly operation and work
closely with the KBR team.”
Stacy Creekmore, KBR’s project
manager, admitted that the task of rigging
the crane in the air was difficult.
“We gave Essex Crane a difficult
assignment of rigging up the 888 Ringer
in a confined space,” said Creekmore.
“With safety being the highest priority,
they completed the assembly successfully
and on schedule.”
“The performance of our people and
equipment exceeded our expectations,”
said Erwin.
■
The Liebherr
LR1300 lifts the
Model 888 Ringer
67B head section
into the courtyard
for assembly.
