Hot take: I think pre-lifting your load is safer than floating it off the ground

I've been running cranes for 15 years now and I see most guys around here floating the load an inch off the ground before a full lift. Back in 2012 at a job in Portland, I watched a 4-ton steel beam swing loose because the operator tried to float it on uneven dirt. The crane tipped just enough to scare us all. I switched to a slow, controlled pre-lift to clear the ground by 6 inches, hold for 2 seconds, then go. Never dropped a load since. Has anyone else tried this on an actual job site, or is floating still the standard for you?

2 comments

2 Comments

maryadams9d ago

Oh man, you had me at "crane tipping" (that's the stuff of nightmares for me). I tried the pre-lift thing once and ended up holding my breath so long I nearly passed out, which is pretty funny since I'm just a weekend warrior who lifts tree trunks in my backyard with a borrowed hoist. But seriously, I get what you're saying about that 2-second hold - it gives you a chance to wiggle the load and check your gut feel before committing. My neighbor's still a floating guy though, and he's dropped three logs in the last year (one hit his truck, oops).

the_tara8d agoMost Upvoted

Three logs in a year" - is your neighbor still talking to you after the truck dent?