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PSA: I used to think hand signals were just a backup, but a close call last spring changed my mind.
I was on a site in Tacoma with a new spotter, and my radio cut out right as I was swinging a 12-ton load over a crew area. I couldn't hear him, but he threw up the stop signal clear as day. If I'd been waiting on that radio, it could have been bad. Now, I make sure EVERY spotter and I go over the basic signals before the lift starts, no matter what. It takes two minutes and it's saved my bacon twice since. Anyone else have a story that made them double down on the basics?
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hollyl256d agoTop Commenter
Gotta love when the old school stuff saves your butt. Bet that spotter felt like a superhero. Classic case of the basics being the best backup plan.
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quinna896d ago
My old man was a mechanic and drilled the same thing into me. He'd say the fanciest tool in the shop is worthless if you forget how to use a basic wrench. Your story is a perfect example of that principle in action, where the simple, practiced thing works when the advanced system fails. It's a lesson that applies way beyond a job site.
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gibson.avery6d ago
Oh man, that really hits home. @quinna89, your dad sounds like a smart guy. It makes me wonder, where do you see that happening the most these days outside of fixing things? Like, is it with people relying too much on GPS and forgetting how to read a map, or something else entirely? Feels like that basic skill idea is everywhere once you start looking for it.
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