Got a tower crane load swinging like crazy in a 20 mph wind yesterday

We were setting a 12-ton HVAC unit on a roof in Cincinnati and the wind caught it. My spotter yelled it was moving 6 feet side to side. I remembered an old timer telling me to use the trolley to dampen the swing, not just the hoist. I inched the trolley forward against the swing's direction, then back, real gentle. After three tries, the load settled right down. Anyone got other tricks for windy high-rise picks?

2 comments

2 Comments

reese_hill3d ago

Read a rigging manual from a German company that suggested using two taglines at 90 degrees to each other. One guy pulls against the wind, the other just keeps his line snug to stop the rotation. Sounds simple but I guess it takes some practice to not get tangled.

linda_mason823d ago

Imagine the chaos if they pull at the SAME time, @reese_hill.