Tried a 360 lift with a gust of wind - never again

Last Tuesday in Kansas City, I had a load of steel beams swinging when a 25 mph gust caught them. The whole crane rocked for a second, and I thought I was going to tip. Got lucky nothing dropped, but now I check wind forecasts every morning before I start. Any other operators have a close call with wind that made you change your routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

richard_hall1d agoOG Member

Thought you were going to tip" over a 25 mph gust? Man, I've been running cranes for fifteen years and that's just a Tuesday. Unless you're running a tiny rig with no outriggers, most modern cranes can handle way more than that. I've worked in 40 mph gusts with a 50 ton load and it gets sketchy but not death-defying. You probably just got spooked by the swing - happens to everyone their first time. Maybe check your setup manual before you start blaming the weather.

wyatt_ross279h ago

Is a 25 mph gust really causing all this drama? @richard_hall, I gotta wonder if you're running a kite or a crane.