Crane Hot Line is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
With 18 years of industry experience in rigging and crane operations, Seth Moore brings both a wide ranging and unique perspective to jobsites. With a career spanning a range of industries, Moore is now using what he’s learned to provide invaluable insight into best practices for operations across the U.S.
“I began my career in the industry in 2007 working alongside a family member in specialty rigging operations,” Moore related. “We primarily set up heavy and oversized loads that were being moved on self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT) equipment. That start gave me a fundamental understanding of how heavy objects can be lifted and placed correctly and safely.”
After that start, Moore took on a series of roles as a crane operator for some of North America’s largest crane rental and lifting companies. Working on a variety of machines, he performed lifts using Grove and Liebherr all-terrain as well as telescopic boom crawler models.
“I was trained and then certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) on large telescoping boom cranes,” Moore said. “That allowed me to work on any job where those skills were needed. For crane operators, having personnel who can operate a variety of equipment is an advantage.
“One of the most interesting crane jobs I was on was in the wind energy sector,” Moore continued. “I was the Critical Lift Supervisor when we used a Liebherr lattice boom crawler to rebuild turbine towers. That crane was used to take down every component, refurbish the tower’s concrete foundation pad and for reassembling the parts.”
Moore also related a rigging job that he said was a highlight of his career. “I was working with my brother on a specialty rigging crew,” he explained. “We had been certified to rig loads for helicopters and sent to Arizona where a series of dams were being built. On the job, we tore down heavy equipment, like dozers, by removing cabs, bodies and tracks, rigged the parts for lifts and then reassembled them.”
Today, Moore is putting his experience in crane and rigging operations to use overseeing complex lifting operations for BMS Heavy Cranes, a crane rental services provider who manages heavy lifting operations for wind, nuclear, solar, mining, construction, and oil and gas industries.
As Field Operations Supervisor at the company, Moore routinely manages crane activity from assembly to disassembly. “I’m responsible for overseeing and executing complex lifting operations using large hydraulic and crawler cranes,” he said. “The work takes me to jobsites all over the country, from California to New York and Montana to Texas.”
One challenge that Moore said he’d like to see addressed by the industry is training for new crane operators and riggers. “We’ve had this challenge for at least five years, maybe longer,” he stated. “Moving, assembling, operating and disassembling these machines can be dangerous if not done properly. While there are a lot of good training programs available, the industry is not developing the people who could be qualified as actively as possible.”
Moore is also an advocate for industry wide efforts, such as serving on the Catalyst Communications Network’s Advisory Council. “I’m passionate about delivering quality results, ensuring customer satisfaction and advancing my professional development,” he said. “Any opportunity to give back can help the industry’s safety and success.”
