Rant: Tried a new signal system on a job in Tacoma and it went sideways

Everyone swears by the standard hand signals, but I tried using a two-way radio with a spotter for a tricky lift downtown last week. We had a 15-ton load going over an active street, and the radio chatter from other crews completely drowned out our calls. Ended up stopping the lift cold because I couldn't hear my guy. Learned that sometimes the old, simple way is the safest, even if it feels slower. Anyone else had tech fail them on a critical lift?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sean16d ago

Yeah, radios are great until the airwaves get clogged. We switched to a dedicated channel with a push-to-talk headset for our crew only. Solves the chatter problem without going back to just hands.

grant.margaret16d ago

Didn't I read that some teams use a double-click system for urgent messages only? That way the main channel stays clear for normal talk. Seems like a simple fix for the clutter.