C.J. Shaughnessy hoists Magni into jobsite

When Chris Shaughnessy, president of C.J. Shaughnessy Mobile Crane Service, took the job of replacing balconies at a Cambridge, MA apartment complex, he knew there was only one machine for the job: a Magni telehandler. Shaughnessy rented a Magni RTH5.25 Smart rotating forklift from Empire Crane Company along with a 6-ton capacity hook attachment.

C.J. Shaughnessy Mobile Crane Service used its Liebherr LTM1200-5.1 to hoist a Magni telehandler up and over into the apartment complex jobsite.

The entrance to the apartment complex was only wide enough for passenger vehicles so the Magni couldn’t be driven in. Instead, Shaughnessy used its 2017 Liebherr LTM1200-5.1 to hoist the 37,985-pound Magni into the jobsite.

Rapid mobilization

The crane was set up on a busy roadway adjacent to the apartment complex. It was rigged with 132 feet of boom at a radius of 90 feet with 159,000 pounds of counterweight.

The telehandler was rigged to the crane using a four-point synthetic, endless sling system positioned in basket configuration under the outriggers. In addition, the Liebherr AT was set up on 6-foot by 8-foot engineered steel crane mats manufactured by Greenfield Products.

The lift was completed in approximately four hours, from start to finish, including the hoisting of other equipment into the tight parking lot.

C.J. Shaughnessy Mobile Crane Service is based in the Boston area and does business throughout the eastern Massachusetts region.

Once in place, the telehandler had only 16 feet between the balcony edges and a retainage wall on the opposite side. With outriggers fully extended, the telehandler has a width of 14 feet – leaving only an extra foot of clearance on either side of the machine. Compared to other telehandlers, no other machine has a smaller footprint with the capacity and reach.

“It was just the perfect fit,” Shaughnessy said.

The job itself was to fully replace 8,000-pound, 30-foot long precast, prestressed decking for the balconies. With only 9 feet of clearance between balconies, workers needed to use the 6-ton hook attachment to comply with OSHA regulations.

“We had to come down to a middle pick-point spreader bar to gain height on these balconies,” Shaughnessy said.

Shaughnessy’s operator found the remote control operation useful. A remote control unit comes standard with every Magni unit.

For a video of this project please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v= NZNOuXptXbI&feature=youtu.be

“My operator loved the remote control,” Shaughnessy said. “He was able to be up placing the decking with the guys as they were rigging them in and out of place. It controls the machine very smooth, possibly smoother than when you’re in the seat.”

This was the company’s first time using a Magni and “it was awesome,” he said. “We’ve actually found many more uses for it since then. For us, I can definitely see it on rigging jobs. It could replace larger equipment in tough-to-reach areas,” Shaughnessy said.

Versatile option

Justin Melvin, general manager of Empire Crane’s New England branch, said renting Magni telehandlers is a good option for crane service companies like Shaughnessy.

“They’re so versatile that whenever they’re in a tight space or need extra reach (that doesn’t require a large AT), they can just give us a call and we’ll have it ready,” Melvin said. “The best part about it is that they’re easy to learn and have numerous safety features.”

CJ Shaughnessy Mobile Crane Service focuses on providing carefully planned hoisting and rigging services in eastern Massachusetts. Their services include, HVAC air conditioner hoisting and delivery, highway and bridge crane services, landscaping and arborist support, boat launching, lifting and storm salvage, trucking and site delivery and more. Planning and safety are the guiding principles of the company.

For a video of this project click here