c/crane-operators

Watching the crane team nail that tricky lift over Main Street

I was driving home past the construction on Main Street where they're building that new apartment complex. The crane operators had to set a big steel beam right over the busy road, and I pulled over to watch. They had spotters on both sides, hand signals clear, and the operator moved slow and steady. It was like a dance, everyone in sync. Seeing that beam land perfect without any problems, it just cheered me up. As someone who does lifts in my own work, I know how much planning goes into that. The whole crew looked proud, and the foreman gave a thumbs up. Small wins like that keep the job good, you know?

More crane ops are picking up drones, and I see why

I got into drone flying last year just for fun! Now I use it to check load paths and ground conditions. It's like having an extra set of eyes from above. This trend is really catching on in our trade.

Finished my first month on the job without a single mishap. The old-timers actually bought me a coffee.

Vent: My brother's crane advice at family gatherings is getting old

I just want to enjoy my burger without a job site review.

Crane mats on solid ground feel like overkill to me now.

I was at a job site last week where we had to set up on compacted soil. The foreman insisted on mats, but it added an hour to the setup for no clear gain. Do you guys ever skip mats when the ground seems solid?

Lesson learned from a dead radio on site

Was moving a heavy load when my radio battery died. Couldn't hear the ground crew's warnings. Always test your equipment first thing in the morning.