My load chart binder got soaked and I winged it anyway

Wednesday morning on the Port of Seattle job, a hydraulic line burst and sprayed my trusty load chart binder before I could grab it. The pages for the 50 ton rig were mush, so I had to calculate the pick from memory for a 12,000 lb tank lift. It worked out but my numbers felt shaky the whole time. Anyone else carry a backup chart on their phone or tablet in case the paper one gets ruined?

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2 Comments

perez.barbara8d ago

Guess the load chart doesn't survive a hydraulic bath, that's terrifying.

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laurabennett8d ago

How many people actually get trained on what to do when that screen goes dark though? Everyone focuses on the sticker on the glass, but once mud or water covers it up you are flying blind and the chart in the cab doesn't help if the sensor is reading garbage. The real danger is that the system often fails quietly, it doesn't throw a big warning, it just gives you numbers that look fine while the load is creeping past what is safe. Hydraulic baths get all the attention, but a dirty or bad sensor can do the same thing and nobody notices until the boom is already bending.

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