Heard a guy at the union hall say crane signals are just hand waving

Was sitting in the break room last Tuesday and this older operator was complaining about a new guy who kept mixing up his hand signals... calling it "just waving. Made me think about how we all take those signals for granted after a while. I remember my first week on a job site in Houston, I froze up because I forgot the dog everything command. Now I drill the basic 10 signals with my oiler every Monday morning just to keep sharp. Anyone else got a system for keeping signal practice fresh?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_abby15d ago

Right there with you on this. That "just waving" comment would have gotten a long look from me too. Mixing up signals can cause serious accidents, and I’ve seen guys get real quiet real fast after a near miss. It's smart you drill with your oiler. I keep a small laminated card of the basic signals on my hard hat lanyard, and every few weeks I’ll quiz myself while waiting on a load. It feels silly sometimes, but a split second of hesitation is better than a full second of regret. Those hand signals aren't fancy, but they're the only thing keeping everyone safe on a noisy site.

harper_singh1815d ago

Is it really that serious though, @the_abby? I mean, I get that hand signals matter, but I've worked on sites where half the guys just kind of point and yell and it works out fine. That laminated card on your lanyard sounds like an extra step I'd lose in a week. A near miss is scary, sure, but I've seen more accidents from someone slipping on mud than from waving the wrong way.