PSA: My crew in Phoenix had a close call last week with a mobile crane and high winds

Honestly, it was a standard pick, a 12-ton HVAC unit for a warehouse roof. The forecast said gusts up to 25 mph, which we thought was fine. But around 2 PM, a dust devil came out of nowhere, and the load started swinging hard. I had to set it down fast on the roof deck, not the planned spot. The project manager wanted us to wait an hour and try again to get perfect placement. I refused, said we were done for the day. He argued we were wasting money on a second crane day. I stood my ground, told him I wouldn't operate outside my comfort zone with unpredictable wind. Have you guys ever had a boss or client push you to work in conditions that felt unsafe? How do you handle that pressure when the schedule is tight?

3 comments

3 Comments

quinn_wood3d ago

Tbh, that gut feeling is everything, just like ruby450 said. Had a foreman push for a lift in a tight alley with bad sightlines and I just pointed at my rigger's hand signal - no clear signal, no move.

the_paul8h ago

That dust devil situation sounds wild, man. When you shut it down, did the project manager try to pull rank or quote some company policy at you? @ruby450 is right about the gut feeling, but sometimes you gotta deal with the paperwork fight after.

ruby4503d ago

Good on you for shutting it down. That "unpredictable wind" is exactly when you stop. I've had guys try to push through bad weather for a schedule. My rule is simple: if my gut says it's risky, the conversation is over. They can yell about cost all they want, but they're not the one in the seat when something goes wrong. You made the right call, even if it feels like you're the bad guy in the moment.