Gantries make lifting and shifting easier

A gantry crane is made up of a bridge held aloft on two or more legs running parallel on rails. Gantries can range in size from small 1000kg versions for interior use to large 5000kg steel varieties and even much larger models, such as the one involved in Sydney's ANZAC Bridge maintenance.

The project required four 6-tonne pneumatic chain hoists, which were hired from Kennards Lift and Shift, to lift the bridge maintenance gantry from the ground to under the deck of the bridge. The gantry weighed almost 13 tonnes and spanned nearly 34m, highlighting the potentially unlimited size and weight of the device.

The gantry was pre-assembled on the ground and lifted into position in one piece.

If you are planning to use a gantry for your next job, make sure you know how to operate it.

Aluminium gantry cranes should only be used on solid, flat and even surfaces and should not be exposed to wind speeds over 10m per second. Smaller gantries should be moved by two people on each side of the frame, but care should be taken not to drive against obstacles as welded joints could break.