A veteran operator in Mobile called me out on my blind spot checks

I was running a 150-ton crawler on a tight site, and an older guy named Carl watched me for a bit. He came over and said, 'Son, you're checking your mirrors, but you're not turning your head far enough on the left side.' He was right. I started making a point to physically look over my shoulder before any swing in that direction. It feels slower, but I haven't had a single close call since. How do you all make sure you're really seeing everything?

4 comments

4 Comments

avery_flores171mo ago

Honestly, I used to think the mirror check was enough, especially on a big machine where you feel like you see everything. But I had a close call with a surveyor's tripod that was just outside the mirror's view. That shook me up. Now I make a big, obvious turn of my head every single time, no matter how slow it feels. It's the only way to be sure.

ray_martinez822mo ago

Ever catch yourself getting lazy with the head turn after a while? Like you go back to trusting the mirror too much?

hill.margaret2mo ago

My old foreman Joe drilled that into me on a sewer job in Toledo. He said mirrors lie but your neck doesn't. It feels clunky but you just can't beat actually looking.

lilya762mo ago

It's the same with driving a car or even just walking through a crowd. Your brain wants to take shortcuts, but like hill.margaret said, you gotta fight that lazy feeling. That extra second of turning your whole head is what keeps things from going wrong.

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