Question about the old way of doing rigging signals

I was at a job site in Tacoma last month and a new guy asked why we still use hand signals when radios are so clear. It made me think about my first boss, who taught me signals on a rainy day in '98. He said if you can't see the operator's face, you shouldn't be lifting. Now everyone just trusts a voice in their ear. Is it just me, or does that feel like we're losing something? What's the oldest piece of the job you still think is better than the new way?

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3 Comments

blake3226mo ago

Guess the new tech is great until it turns "hold my beer" into "hold.

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olivia_rivera886mo ago

Sounds like @the_thomas gets why I still use hand signals.

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the_thomas6mo ago

Saw a buddy's crew almost drop a load because their radio cut out during a storm last winter. The spotter was yelling "hold" but the crane op only got "ho-" and kept going. They had to scramble with flashlights to get the hand signals across. Makes you realize that old rule about seeing faces is about more than just tradition. Sometimes the simplest link is the strongest one.

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