Excavator hire | Tips & advice

Excavators come in all sizes and choosing the right digger for the job is essential so someone looking to hire an excavator should spend some time researching the options.

Here, Clark & Kent Plant Hire Services can help with free advice on choosing the best excavator for the job in hand. Operators at Clark & Kent have years of experience of all type of excavator work, from small backyard trenching to major construction projects such as the Olympic Park rebuild for the London 2012 games.

The range of excavators available for hire can include many types of mini or compact diggers, diggers with long reach arms, wheels or skid steer machines and zero swing excavators, to name just a few.

Machines can also come with many attachments that can include buckets, augers, compaction plates, rippers and more.

Excavators can be hired to much more than move earth or dig trenches; other tasks can include loading dumpers and trucks, building demolition, tree grubbing, lifting materials, laying or compacting material and even transporting other equipment.

If you plan to hire an excavator, it could be worth your while to talk to an experienced plant hire specialist from Clark & Kent first as their experts can discuss the job and recommend the most suitable machine for your needs.

Many factors come into play when matching excavator hire to the task in hand; it is not just about the advantages of one machine over another.

Elements to consider when choosing an excavator can include the site location and geography of the land, access and egress, the composition of the soil and even the prevailing weather conditions at the time of operations.

Some assessment will also be needed of the area to be worked, the slope of the land, draining issues and how the work will be conducted in what may be a hectic and fast-changing environment.

Safety issues should not be overlooked, and any excavator operator will need to check the on the proximity of overhead or underground electricity cables as well as water, oil or gas pipes before starting work.

It is essential that excavator drivers are fully experienced and adequately trained in using diggers on all sorts of construction sites.

Excavator drivers at work, for example, must always ensure they have proper clearance for tail swing, especially in confined spaces or when other site personnel are in the area. It may even be necessary for a zone to be barricaded to prevent anyone from going within the working radius of a machine.

Other health and safety issues when working with excavators include making sure that no excavator bucket or other attachment is swung directly over personnel, work huts or vehicle sheds.

Checking the worksite conditions and determining a safe position for the machine are other vital safety factors. Operating an excavator on a gradient, for example, should always be avoided and downhill travel should only ever be undertaken with extreme caution, especially in confined areas or when other people or machines are in the vicinity.

The government's Health & Safety Executive has some very sound advice on excavator safety.

Construction projects can have very demanding timescales and a hold-up at a crucial time can be very costly. One of the first things to check when hiring a machine is to make sure that the plant hire firm has the excavators you need when you need them and can guarantee delivery on the dates that fit in with your construction schedule.

Fortunately, Clark & Kent not only have a wide range and number of excavators for hire they are also based in the heart of Britain close to the motorway network so the company can transport plant hire equipment anywhere in the UK, speedily and efficiently.

On top of that, Clark & Kent offers full-service support throughout the excavator hire period to ensure there is no time lost. Skilled engineers can be on hand or replacement machines delivered to keep downtime on the work site to the very minimum.

Clark & Kent has years of experience in plant hire for all types of projects, from small-scale domestic jobs to major works involving large international construction companies. Here are just some of the things you can expect with excavator hire from Clark & Kent.

Reliable -- You can trust our knowledge just as we respect your needs. We give 100% to every project from start to finish
Flexible -- We listen to our clients and respond to their plans in a professional but friendly manner.
Performance -- We continually set performance goals to help build and preserve strong relationships with partners, contractors and clients.
Innovative -- We welcome change; embracing modern techniques and equipment is one of the keystones of our philosophy.
Adaptable -- We strive to improve our knowledge of all aspects of groundworks services to ensure we can adapt and apply our skills in new areas.
Approachable -- We value clear communication and integration both within the company and with clients, partners and contractors.