Small town job in Bakersfield taught me why you always check the swing radius twice

Was on a mobile crane job last month setting HVAC units on a strip mall roof. Site was tight, parking lot still half open. I set up, leveled out, started picking. Second unit I felt this weird bump through the controls. Looked down and saw I had maybe 6 inches of clearance between the counterweight and a light pole. Nobody said anything about it on the walkthrough. Now I walk the whole radius before I even start the outriggers. You guys ever catch something in your blind spot that almost went bad?

2 comments

2 Comments

cameron77028d ago

Did you have to buy a new pair of pants after that one? Honestly, I did something similar once with a forklift and a low-hanging sprinkler pipe. The pipe won, and I spent the next hour explaining to my boss why there was water everywhere. You think you've checked every angle, but then reality taps you on the shoulder with a loud crunch. Now I'm the guy who walks the whole perimeter like a paranoid mall cop before lifting anything. It's embarrassing but way better than the alternative.

young.emma28d ago

Had a buddy who backed a rental box truck into a low concrete overhang at a loading dock. Heard the crunch and just sat there for a solid minute before getting out to look. The whole roof was peeled back like a sardine can and he had to call the rental company himself since he was too embarrassed to tell his boss. Now he's the guy who measures everything twice before moving an inch.