Using a 3-Ton Spider Crane to Install Switchgear: Key Planning Considerations

Start with the complete access route

The crane is 0.8 m wide, 3.5 m long and 1.85 m high in its stated overall dimensions. Its rubber tracks and hydraulic travel drive help it reach work areas that may be inaccessible to larger lifting equipment. Before delivery, measure the entire route—not just the narrowest doorway—including turns, thresholds, overhead services, floor openings and the space needed to position the machine.

Check the route against the switchgear dimensions as well. A crane that can enter a room may still lack sufficient clearance to move, rig and place the load.

Verify the lift at the required radius

The published specifications list a maximum working radius of 10 m and a maximum above-ground lifting height of 10.8 m. These figures describe reach limits; they do not establish the permissible load at a particular radius or confirm that both limits can be achieved together.

• Confirm the switchgear’s transport weight, lifting points, centre of gravity and dimensions with its manufacturer.
• Include slings, shackles and any lifting beam in the total suspended weight.
• Measure the radius from the crane’s operating position to the load at pickup, throughout movement and at final placement.
• Obtain the load chart for the exact crane configuration and verify rated capacity across the planned lift path.

Assess floor and outrigger support

The crane has a stated self-weight of 2.7 tonnes and uses manually extended, three-section outriggers with independently adjustable hydraulic support. For an indoor installation, verify that the travel route and operating floor can support the equipment and the loads imposed during lifting. A structural assessment may be needed where there are suspended slabs, trenches or concealed services.

Allow room to extend every outrigger in the configuration required by the lift plan. Confirm ground bearing capacity, suitable support beneath the outrigger feet and the ability to level the crane. The published travel gradeability is not an approval to set up or lift on a slope.

Match power and controls to the electrical work area

Plan the installation sequence before the crane arrives

Identify where the switchgear will be unloaded, where the crane will stand and how the load will be guided into position. Keep personnel clear of suspended loads, establish an exclusion zone and coordinate the work with site electrical safety procedures. Any work near energised equipment requires controls determined by the responsible site team.

For a proposed installation, share the switchgear weight and drawings, access measurements, target placement position, floor information and required working radius with the Onchtech team. These details provide a practical basis for reviewing the crane configuration and requesting the applicable load chart before equipment is selected.