That job in Miami where the wind almost took the load

I was on a high-rise in Miami last August, setting HVAC units on a roof. We had a 15 ton unit rigged and a gust came through the alley between buildings, must've been 40 mph. The load started swinging maybe 4 feet side to side before I could set it down. Ever since then, I watch the weather like a hawk and I always have a hand signal guy posted on the windy side. Anyone else had a close call with wind that changed how you approach a lift?

2 comments

2 Comments

quinn58218d ago

Man, that's the kind of thing that sticks with you. I've been there too, had a load catch a crosswind on a hospital job in Chicago and it felt like the whole crane was gonna tip for a second. It's one of those moments where you realize how fast things can go sideways. Since then, I always have a dedicated spotter on the ground reading the wind with a flag or something, not just relying on the crane anemometer. That gust between buildings is no joke, it funnels like a wind tunnel. Glad you set it down safe, that's all that matters in the end.

taylorm8918d ago

Get a handheld anemometer too, they're like 30 bucks and way more accurate than guessing or relying on the crane's sensor which is usually up higher where the wind is different. I started carrying one after a similar scare and now I check it every time before we hook up, especially in urban canyons where the wind swirls all weird. It's a small thing but it gives you hard numbers to call off a lift when it gets sketchy.