Got told my lift bag technique was all wrong by an old timer in Texas

I was working a bridge repair job down in Port Arthur last summer, and this salty diver who's been doing this since the 80s pulled me aside after a surface interval. He said I was clipping my lift bags directly to the load with carabiners like everyone does, but he showed me how that puts all the stress on one point and can tear the bag if it snags. He made me switch to using a spreader bar and two independent straps with backup knots on everything. Honestly felt like a rookie for about ten minutes, but after I tried it on a heavy concrete block lift, the control was way better and I didn't have that constant worry of the bag popping off. Has anyone else had an old hand correct something basic that you thought you already knew?

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janahenderson1mo agoMost Upvoted

Pat that attitude right down and listen, because the old timers know stuff you won't find in any manual. I've seen the same thing in woodworking where guys skip proper clamping and wonder why their joints shift, then a 70 year old shows them a trick with a simple wedged block and suddenly everything fits. Pride gets in the way of learning, but a good worker pays attention to the deep experience that's staring them in the face.