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My uncle told me to always double-check the load chart after a rain, and it saved my rig last month.

We had a big lift for a warehouse addition in Spokane, a 12-ton steel beam. It rained hard the night before, and the ground was soft. My uncle, who ran cranes for 30 years, always drilled that into my head. I pulled the chart again and saw the outrigger pad pressure numbers were way off for the wet conditions. Had to move my setup 15 feet to firmer ground. If I'd just gone with my original spot, I'm sure we would have tipped. Anyone else have a simple rule that stopped a major problem?
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4 Comments
hollyscott
Sometimes you just get a feel for the ground after a while. Charts are a good start, but experience tells you more. I've seen guys follow the book and still get stuck because they didn't trust their gut about a spot. All that moving around can waste more time than it saves if you know your machine and the site.
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robert483
robert4831mo ago
My old foreman always said to check the chart twice if you smell rain in the air.
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wendyd26
wendyd261mo ago
He knew a change in pressure meant trouble.
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riverb13
riverb131mo ago
My grandpa used to say the same thing about his bad knee. Swore it was better than the weatherman.
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