Old timer named Cliff told me to back off my spotter signals and I thought he was crazy

I was on a hospital build in Tulsa last August and Cliff (30 years on cranes) told me to stop over-signaling my spotter and trust the rhythm more. First two picks were scary quiet, but by lunch I was hitting my marks faster than ever without all the back-and-forth. Anyone else had a older hand give advice that went against everything you learned in training?

2 comments

2 Comments

margaret_lane14h ago

Honestly gotta push back on this one. Training exists for a reason and that reason is safety, not making things easier on some old timer who learned his habits before OSHA got serious. Spotter signals are your lifeline when visibility gets bad or when you're working in tight spots around people. Dropping that discipline just because Cliff got results once is how accidents happen. Ngl, I've seen guys try that "trust the rhythm" stuff and end up swinging a load into a wall or worse. Maybe it worked that day in Tulsa but you're building a habit that could get someone killed when conditions change. Training teaches you a system that works every time, not just when the stars align and Cliff is feeling generous with his advice.

ericjackson18h ago

Had a old millwright in Ohio back in 2012 tell me to stop using my impact driver on every bolt. Said I was over-torquing things and making his life hell during tear-downs. He handed me a rusty crescent wrench and said just use this. Felt dumb for two weeks but the stuff I put together with that wrench stayed together just as good and was way easier to take apart later.