Vent: A gust in Gary nearly took out my load last Tuesday

I was setting a 15-ton HVAC unit on a rooftop in Gary, Indiana when a wind gust I didn't see coming hit the side of the boom. The load started swinging hard toward the building's edge. I stopped everything, held it steady, and waited a full 20 minutes for the wind to die down before finishing the set. What's your go-to move when the weather turns on you mid-lift?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_ross21d agoMost Upvoted

That sudden swing is the worst feeling in the world. A lot of guys talk about the gear, but the mental game gets overlooked. After a close call like that, the real skill is fighting the urge to rush and just finish the job. Taking that full twenty minutes, even when the boss might be calling, is what separates a good op from a wreck. It's about resetting your own head as much as waiting on the weather.

johnh8221d ago

Troy_ross is right about the mental game. Had a similar scare with a sudden rain squall making the rigging slick as ice last month.