That job in Austin where the operator forgot to check wind speed before a pick

Last summer I was on a site in downtown Austin and this guy tried to lift a 12 ton HVAC unit with gusts at 30 mph. The load started swinging bad and nearly took out a scaffold full of workers. Now I always check my anemometer before every single lift, even if the forecast says calm. Has anyone else had a close call that made you change your pre-lift routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

ward.fiona3d ago

That 30 mph reading on your anemometer, was that peak gust or sustained?

rivera.jake2d ago

Good question. Was that a peak gust reading or the sustained wind speed over the standard 10-minute averaging period?