Background
A wind energy contractor was repowering an existing wind farm in North Dakota. The work depended on a large crawler crane, which had to be assembled on site, used to change out turbine components and then disassembled, all within a few weeks.
The Challenge
Repower work gives very little notice and no slack. The contractor needed a telecrawler operator immediately and a rigging crew experienced in assembling and breaking down large crawlers, all willing to work seven 10 to 12 hour days a week in a remote location. OSHA 10 and a site orientation were required before anyone could start, and the crew had to be there on time or the crane would arrive with nobody to build it.
The Solution
Advastar recruited the operator and the rigging crew together so their start dates lined up with the crane’s delivery. The operator was screened for wind farm and heavy industrial seat time and a current NCCCO certification. Riggers were screened on verifiable crawler assembly and disassembly experience, with NCCCO or NCCER rigging credentials preferred, and references were checked. Mileage, per diem and the 7×12 schedule were settled before anyone travelled, and site orientation was booked in advance.
The Outcome
The operator and a six-person rigging crew were in North Dakota within a week of the request. The crawler was assembled, used and taken down on schedule, and the contractor has since asked Advastar to supply crews for two further repower projects.