Fee for Critical Lift Plan

Ten hour minimum, with credit toward future jobs if not spent on this pick design.

Do you have a special rider on your insurance for this particular project? Is this work out of the ordinary for you? I would discuss this with your underwriter.

If you think that this work is higher risk than your other projects I would factor that "increased risk" times your deductible and add that in to your fee.

Check and double check.
Check factors of safety required by OSHA or ASME standards applicable.
Check into wind loading- try to get crane manufacturere to confirm allowable wind loads, not normally shown on crane load charts.
Check how load weight was figured- how approximate as compared to the percent of crane capacity.
Check into soil bearing issues if appropriate.

I'm not an insurance expert- but typically on a contractor's insurance, they are asked to list the project owner, consultant, etc. as "also insureds"- see if it does anything to get yourself listed there.

All,
Thanks for the help. The project has taken a few turns so the hours are more proportional to the risks. The boss has taken care of the insurance issue.

Jike, we are a small structural engineering firm. We often check lifting on products (precast concrete) that we design but this is the first "critical lift" that we have been asked to do.

A.) Be absoulutely certain you have insurance and that you have enough, both O&E and generally liability. Most standard design firms do not have O&E covreage for this type of work. General liability should be substantial; 10 million would be a minimum, with 30 to 50 million more reaistic.

B.) Be sure to review, with design engineer present, with the contractor's project manager, superintendent and crane operator. Have a third party review it.

C.) Buy Shaperio's book "Cranes and Derricks" 3rd ed.

D.) Temporary construction is different from standard structural engineering.