Today’s boom trucks empower sign companies to achieve safer, more efficient installations without compromising on time or quality. Photos courtesy BIK Boom Trucks
By Carly McHugh
Safety, precision, and timely completion are all key elements of a successful sign installation.
While some projects can be easily executed at ground level, others might require a bit of a boost—which is where high-reach equipment, such as a boom truck, comes in handy. Today’s boom trucks provide versatility and increasingly advanced technology, to empower sign companies to achieve safer, more efficient installations without compromising on time or quality.
For more on the benefits of using these machines in the field, Sign Media Canada spoke to Nathan Ivan of BIK Boom Trucks. He highlighted some of the features modern-day boom trucks offer to help promote safety on the jobsite, and why sign shops should consider adding one to their fleet.
Sign Media Canada (SMC): What are some common challenges or safety concerns associated with sign installations, and how can boom trucks help address or mitigate them?
Nathan Ivan (NI): There are a lot of different aspects to sign installation and so many different pieces of equipment. Some sign trucks have bigger baskets, which are about 1,524 x 1,016 mm (60 x 40 in.). They’re able to fit two people, up to 226.7 kg (500 lb), and there are also a couple of different options for lifting a sign. There’s a standing winch that can be assembled within the basket to pull the sign up, as well as forks that installers can pull out and bring up with them.
Sometimes, project teams will still put two people inside the smaller baskets, which is a big safety concern. If the boom is wobbling and the truck isn’t levelled, there’s the potential for someone to fall off or the truck to be unstable.
SMC: Which safety features are particularly beneficial for sign installation projects, and how do they cater to unique challenges on the jobsite?
Bigger baskets can safely fit two people, up to 226.7 kg (500 lb), and provide a couple of different options for lifting a sign.
NI: Of course, with a bigger basket, there’s more stability. There are also higher rails within the basket—which mitigates the risk of flopping over—as well as more places to attach a harness. Additionally, there are stabilizers for the truck itself, which serve a similar purpose to an A-frame. They don’t extend out and go down, they go down on an angle, which doesn’t take up as much space. The stabilizers go out maybe 25.4 or 50.8 mm (1 or 2 in.) away from the truck, to help reduce the risk of someone accidentally hitting the forks or the stabilizer legs. As a result, whoever is going up to install the sign will have the proper footing to complete the job safely.
SMC: How can project teams effectively plan and co-ordinate the use of boom trucks for sign installations, to maximize time efficiency while maintaining a strong emphasis on safety protocols?
NI: The best way to do this is by maximizing the space on the truck the team is using for their installations. Is there room on the deck for toolboxes and equipment? Will the signs be placed on the boom truck or on a trailer?
The installations themselves can be done by one person on each site. As previously mentioned, you don’t need a lot of space, since the stabilizer legs don’t go out very far. They’re very manageable to set up and easy to operate.
