by Kyle Clayson and Katherine Marr
Marr Crane & Rigging’s 70-ton Liebherr crane hoists a prefabricated unit.
Marr Crane & Rigging has been working on a complex and demanding project at the Amgen Next Generation Labs at One Kendall Square in Cambridge, Mass. Working for J.C. Cannistraro’s Prefabrication Division, Marr was responsible for trucking pre-assembled modules of pipe from Wilmington to the crane yard for storage and then to the layover area for the job site, to hoist them into the fifth and sixth floors of the lab.
Due to the length of the units (20 ft. to 30 ft.) and that they were being floated through a glassed-in area, preparation was critical in terms of understanding the safety protocols of the project. It was imperative that project personnel from Marr Crane & Rigging attend various meetings with J.C. Cannistraro, Suffolk Construction (GC), and the owner, Amgen, to determine best practices for executing the work. Additionally, given the sensitive nature of the project due to the exposed glass on the floors and the necessary security of Amgen’s human therapeutic and bio-technology products, Amgen arranged for their safety director to be on-site to facilitate and oversee the work.
A prefabricated unit is drifted into the 6th floor of Amgen Next Generation Labs.
Beginning in late November, Marr spent three weeks hoisting the units into their respective floors utilizing a 70-ton Liebherr crane. The first crane mobilization involved the expertise of five crewmen. The challenge was drifting the units into the building without damaging the glass above with the ball of the crane. The crew addressed this by wrapping the ball in protective foam and using a 20-ft. drop chainfall at the front of the units to lower them carefully onto the floor and into the building.
Over the course of the project, Marr was able to hoist an average of 12 units into the lab per day — far exceeding the expectations set forth in the project timeline.
Kyle Clayson is a Sales Representative, Marr Crane & Rigging. Katherine Marr is the communications coordinator for the Marr Companies of South Boston.
