That moment when you realize everyone on site is using the wrong hand signals

I was working a job in Phoenix last month and noticed the guy rigging was giving me the 'boom up' signal but pointing his finger up instead of using his thumb. I stopped the lift and asked him what he meant, and he said that's just how they do it at his old company. Turns out half the guys on site were using made up signals instead of the standard ASME ones. We had to call a quick safety meeting and get everyone on the same page. Has anyone else run into crews using random hand signals that don't match the book?

2 comments

2 Comments

wadepalmer19d ago

Oh man, that's rough. I had the exact same thing happen on a job in Houston where a guy was using a flat hand for "stop" but then using two fingers for "slow down" (which everyone else took as "dog everything").

phoenix84519d ago

Yeah @wadepalmer, gotta make sure everyone's on the same hand signals before the job starts.