Had a main hoist brake fail on a tower crane in Denver yesterday

We were lowering a concrete bucket about 50 feet down when the brake just stopped holding, letting the load run for a good 10 feet before I could get it under control with the emergency. It was a real jolt, and the bucket swung pretty hard. What's the best way to check these brakes before a shift to catch a problem like this early?

3 comments

3 Comments

nathanbennett3mo ago

Used to just do a quick visual check, but a guy on my crew showed me the importance of a proper load test at the start of the day. Now we always run it up a few feet and see if it holds solid before anything goes on the hook.

anthony1273mo ago

Ever try a quick bounce test too?

johnfoster1mo ago

Yeah, nathanbennett mentioned a proper load test, and that really is the key... It's like checking your car's brakes by just looking at the pedal, you gotta actually press it to know if it works. This whole idea of testing things under real pressure applies everywhere, from crane brakes to making sure a cheap tool can actually handle the job before you're in the middle of using it. A quick visual check just won't tell you if something's about to let go when it matters most.