Had a rigging cable snap on a job site outside Pittsburgh last spring

A brand new 3/4 inch cable let go while we were lifting a 12 ton HVAC unit. Scared me bad enough that now I inspect every single sling and shackle myself before we start the lift. Anybody else got a moment that made you double check your gear every time?

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.leo27d ago

My buddy Phil calls me the "cable inspector general" now ever since I made us halt a lift on a 1/2 inch sling with a tiny fray I spotted.

gavinwells27d ago

Gotta be honest, I see it different. A tiny fray on a half inch sling sounds like normal wear to me - those things have a serious safety factor built in. We had a near miss too, but my takeaway was that you can't inspect your way out of a bad lift plan or a load that's rigged wrong. What made you decide a small fray was a deal breaker versus just part of the job?

rubyshah27d ago

Oh man, this reminds me of the time my brother-in-law spent two hours arguing with a rental company about a scratch on a forklift. He said it was "cosmetic" and they called it "structural damage." Turned out both sides were just trying to avoid paying a deductible. Sometimes the line between normal wear and a real issue is just whoever's wallet is on the line.