Remember when you had to signal the whole lift with just your hands and a radio?

Back in my first year on a site in Omaha, we used hand signals for everything, and the radio was only for the big moves. Now, my rig has a camera system with four views and a digital load chart right in the cab. The switch came about five years ago when the company got a new contract that needed more precise picks in tight spots. I still know the old signals, but I sure don't miss squinting through the rain. Do you guys still use hand signals much, or is it all tech now?

3 comments

3 Comments

betty_perry241d ago

Yeah the tech is cool but what happens when it glitches? We had a brand new crane last year, the whole screen went black on a rainy Tuesday. Had to fall back on hand signals for like two hours. Does your digital chart ever just freeze up mid-pick?

phoenix_martin401d agoMost Upvoted

Oh man, that sounds like a rough day! Did the rain get into the system somehow? We had a similar scare when our main monitor just started flickering like crazy during a big lift. Turns out a power strip was half plugged in from someone cleaning. It's wild how the simplest thing can take down the fanciest gear.

paige1661d ago

Our digital chart froze for 45 minutes straight last Thursday. The whole crew was just standing there staring at a spinning wheel on the screen. It's a bad feeling when the expensive tech just quits on you.