Talked to a 20-year tower crane veteran at lunch today and my mind is blown

I was grabbing lunch at this deli near a job site and sat next to an older guy who noticed my hard hat. Turns out he ran tower cranes for 20 years in Houston. He told me he never uses the swing brake for precision picks because it messes with his feel for the load. I always thought you needed that brake on for tight spots. He said no, just feather the controls and let the crane talk to you. Been thinking about that all afternoon. Anyone else have a habit that goes against what the manual says?

2 comments

2 Comments

morgan31623d ago

Manual is just a suggestion. Trust the guy with two decades of hang time.

-1

thomas10523d agoTop Commenter

Are we really calling two decades of doing something the same way the gold standard now? Don't get me wrong @morgan316, I'm sure you've seen some things, but that doesn't mean old habits are always right. Manuals get updated for good reasons, like when someone figures out a safer way or a part breaks less often. Blind trust in tenure over the book is how we end up with the same mistakes getting passed down. Maybe it's time to check if those twenty years actually taught the right lessons or just more confidence.