Had a talk with an old timer about pre-lifting inspections

I met Bill, a retired crane guy with 40 years in, at a diner last week. He told me he always spends 15 minutes just walking around the machine before even touching the controls, and I thought he was full of it. But then he showed me photos of a boom he caught cracking because he took that time, and now I double my own inspection time before every lift.

3 comments

3 Comments

rubyk261mo ago

Used to think the pre-look was just a waste of time, something guys did to show off. Bill's story about the cracked boom really stuck with me though. A crack like that could have turned a regular lift into a major accident or worse. Now I don't even start the engine until I've done a full walk around. It adds maybe ten minutes to my day but saves a lot of headache later.

sandra_bennett591mo ago

That ten minutes really adds up over time though...

miles_hall1mo ago

Ten minutes is nothing compared to what could've happened, right? I was the same way @rubyk26, always thought the walkaround was just for show until I heard a similar story from an old foreman about a frayed cable. Totally changed how I start every single shift now.