Back on a Phoenix job site, an old hand taught me a rigging check that stuck

I was setting up a mobile crane in Phoenix about three months ago for a bridge piece lift. This guy named Carl, who retired after 40 years, watched me for a minute from his truck. He came over and said, 'Always tug your slings twice before the hook takes weight, feels for a loose choke.' I do that double-tug on every pick now, and it's caught a few sketchy setups. What's one small habit you picked up from another operator that you still use?

3 comments

3 Comments

dylanh522mo ago

Carl's double-tug is smart, but I don't do a blind spot check before starting the engine. My first move is always to walk the full 360 of the machine and the ground it will cover. I found a broken bottle under a track once that would have been a real problem.

jenny_hall2mo ago

Check your blind spot before you even start the engine.

the_william2mo ago

Right on, @jenny_hall. That's a solid rule.