Innovative Rigging Helps Barnhart Tackle Rooftop Job

Barnhart was hired to install a 15,679-pound chiller through the top of an 11-story building in Little Rock, Ark. In order to get the proper setup for the crane, the team had to use a public street. This required blocking off several blocks in downtown Little Rock to reduce traffic.

The team used a 275-ton crane to lift the chiller to the top of the building where it was to be lowered through a roof hatch. But preplanning had determined that the chiller was larger than the opening on the roof.

Barnhart’s engineering team helped create a rigging system using a swing away jib that allowed the team to invert the piece so it could go vertically through the hatch. Then they used two 10-ton chain falls to level the piece out and set it into place with air skates and a motorized pallet jack. This innovative approach provided the customer with a unique and cost-effective solution.