Changed my mind on using a tagline for the last lift of the day on a tight site

I always insisted on a radio check for every single pick, but after a close call with a load swinging near a scaffold because my spotter's battery died, my foreman in Charlotte said 'the line that talks is the line that walks,' and now I do a physical thumbs-up and eye contact for the final placement, so what's your fail-safe for the last communication of a shift?

4 comments

4 Comments

ben_fisher2mo ago

That reminds me of a time we used hand signals for a whole day.

the_shane2mo ago

Seriously? That sounds like a total pain. Hand signals all day would get so confusing, especially for anything complicated. You'd waste so much time just trying to be understood. Honestly, it seems more like a frustrating game than a useful way to talk.

casey2682mo agoTop Commenter

Totally get what @the_shane means, but it's funny how often we already do that without even thinking about it!

kim_mason551mo ago

Actually hand signals might be way better than talking. Think about it - no more yelling over noise, no more "what did you say?" a hundred times. Once you learn a few basic ones it's actually really efficient. Plus you can communicate across a crowded room without everyone else hearing.