Moving Projects Forward: Omega Morgan’s Crane Services Removes Totem Poles from a Seattle Park

When the city of Seattle needed to repair a leaking roof in an underground parking garage, Omega Morgan’s Seattle crane division was there to help. Before construction on the garage could begin, two totem poles, which were anchored to the ground above the garage, would need to be removed. This task required tremendous care since the poles were four decades old and rotting. Kassel Construction, who was hired by the city to do the garage repair, knew that Omega Morgan’s Seattle crane services division was just the team for this delicate and important job.

SOLID GROUND FOR CRANE SERVICES

When Omega Morgan’s crane service crew arrived on site, the first step was to find a good location for their Tadano all-terrain 120-capacity crane. Initially, they planned to place the crane in the park where they were working, but the roof structure in the garage below didn’t allow for enough ground bearing pressure.

The next plan was to set up in the nearest street intersection, but that plan would interfere with activities in Pike Place Market. Soon, the team discovered their third and best option, which was to place their crane on a new street ramp that was not yet open to traffic. This solution was perfect since no permits were needed and the closed street provided plenty of space to park the crane, support vehicles, and the truck that would transport the poles off site.

SETTING THE STAGE FOR INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Once the crane was in place, the crew of eight – five Omega Morgan members and three from Kassel Construction – got to work. They began by sending one crew member in a man basket to the top of the largest totem pole. He attached rigging, then secured two-inch straps around the pole every five feet to compress the wood and keep it from splitting. When he was back on the ground, the crew attached the rigging to the Tadano’s crane hook for stabilization and began removing the pole’s anchoring system.

SAFETY AND CARE IN CRANE SERVICES

A new challenge arose when the crew discovered the first totem pole, which weighed 4,000 pounds, was not only bolted to the ground, but the bolts were epoxied and the pole was bonded with grout to the support structure.

Working carefully, the crew applied minimal percussive force to remove the bolts without damaging the soft cedar of the pole. After five hours of delicate work, the crew managed to safely un-anchor, lift, and land the first pole onto an Omega Morgan truck to be transported off site. The second totem pole had even more rot and required additional care, but the crew was able to complete the second removal in just over an hour.

A CRANE RENTAL COMPANY THAT PUTS SAFETY FIRST

This crane project required extensive care and precaution. Not only were the poles decaying and soft with age (which made them at risk of splitting), they were also 50 feet tall and weighed thousands of pounds a piece. As always, the Omega Morgan crew worked safely and went above and beyond to get the job done right.

In the end, the City of Seattle and Kassel Construction were pleased with Omega Morgan’s flexibility, their safety-first approach, and their ability to navigate challenges, enabling construction crews to move forward with the parking garage repair project.