Saved a pick from a bad sway this morning

I was working a mobile crane at a construction site near downtown Detroit yesterday. We were lifting a steel beam about 12 feet long and the wind picked up out of nowhere. The load started swinging way more than I liked, maybe 3 feet side to side. I had to set it down quick on a flatbed before it hit anything. Took me about 15 minutes to get it stable again with tag lines and a slower boom down. My spotter said "that was close" and we both laughed it off. Has anyone else had to abort a lift because of sudden wind like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

theas284d ago

Always better to set it down and sort it out than let the wind make the call for you.

wendy_lee484d ago

Sounds like life reminding us that being ready to pivot beats trying to muscle through lol.

fiona_hunt714d ago

Remember those tag lines need to be free of twists or knots before you start, or they can actually make the sway worse in gusty conditions. @theas28 is right that setting it down is the smart move, but even a quick pre-lift check of your tag lines can save you that 15 minute headache. Do you usually run them out straight before the lift starts?