Used to hate using tag lines on Lattice Boom, now I get it

For years I thought tag lines were just extra hassle on crawler crane picks. Then last month on a job in Houston, I watched a guy nearly lose a 2,000 pound steel beam because the wind caught it just right. After that close call, I spent $80 on a proper set of tag lines and practiced with them for two days. Has anyone else had a moment where a simple safety tool finally clicked for them?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor_mitchell8014d ago

Was that 2,000 pound beam basically a sail once the wind hit it, or was there something specific about how it was rigged that made it worse? I mean, I wonder if the tag lines would have actually kept it stable enough or if the wind was just too strong for anything to help in that moment. Idk, maybe it's just me but I always think about those split-second decisions where you realize your setup is wrong right when it's too late to change it.

emmam3214d ago

The real issue is that those split-second moments happen way more often than people realize, not just with construction but with everyday stuff like driving or cooking. You set something up assuming conditions will stay calm, then a gust of wind or a distraction hits and the whole thing goes sideways. Tag lines work fine in theory but they are only as good as the person holding them and the ground they're anchored to. Strong wind will turn a flat piece of steel into a kite no matter how much rope you've got tied to it. It's the same pattern of thinking you see with people who don't secure a load in their truck bed because it's a short drive, then they take a turn and stuff goes flying.