Had a chat with an old rigger last week that got me thinking about hand signals

He told me he's never once used a radio on any job over 40 years, said he can read a load and spot a problem just from watching the hook sway. I always figured radios were faster and safer, but he pointed out how many close calls he's seen from guys talking instead of watching. Anyone else ever work with someone who refuses to use radios, or am I missing something?

2 comments

2 Comments

patriciam221mo ago

Radios are a tool, not a replacement for watching the crane. Your ears help, but your eyes save lives.

sean_park81mo ago

Your ears help, but your eyes save lives" - man, that's gold right there. I'm the guy who'd probably drop the radio in the mud trying to look cool and miss a critical hand signal from the other guy lol. I had a loader operator once tell me he couldn't hear his radio over the engine noise anyway, so we just used hand signals like idiots in a silent movie. Ended up waving at the wrong guy once and almost sent a beam into a porta-potty. Definitely a learning moment.